Have we judged Gen Alpha too quickly?
By Matthuri Palanee
Gen Alpha is often described as the screen generation. Born into a world of smartphones, tablets, streaming platforms, artificial intelligence and video games, children today are frequently assumed to spend much of their childhood looking at a screen.
But perhaps that description is too simple.
A 12-year-old boy who came to Malaysia during his summer break offered an unexpected reminder that children growing up in the digital age can still develop remarkably traditional — and highly individual — interests.
His interest is collecting coins, particularly error coins.
For those unfamiliar with the term, an error coin is a coin produced with an unintended mistake during the minting process. The error could involve the design, lettering, date, alignment, metal composition or the way the coin was struck. While an ordinary coin may have little value beyond its face value, certain genuine and scarce minting errors can become highly sought-after by collectors.
What was particularly fascinating was not simply the collection itself, but the knowledge behind it.
Every coin had a story.
The boy could explain what made a particular coin interesting, identify details that others might overlook and discuss why some errors could make a coin more desirable to collectors. A seemingly ordinary piece of metal suddenly became something worth examining closely.
His collection also carries a sentimental value. A coin album gifted by his grandfather has become a place for preserving the collection, and there is genuine happiness in continuing to add new pieces to it. What began as a hobby has therefore become something that connects generations.
More impressive was his willingness to share that knowledge with everyone, regardless of age.
There was no hesitation in explaining the differences between coins or pointing out details that adults might easily miss. The usual assumption that knowledge flows from older people to younger people was quietly turned upside down. In this case, a 12-year-old became the teacher, while adults became the learners.
That experience raises an interesting question: how much do adults really understand about Gen Alpha?
The generation commonly labelled Gen Alpha is growing up surrounded by technology, but being technologically immersed does not necessarily mean being interested only in technology. Video games, social media, online entertainment and digital devices may be part of their everyday lives, but they do not define every child’s curiosity.
Some may be fascinated by science. Others may enjoy drawing, sports, music, animals, cooking, collecting toys or studying something as specific as the history of coins.
The difference is that technology can now help these interests grow.
For this young collector, technology was not the destination. It was the tool.
Behind the interest is also a supportive family that encourages his curiosity. His parents provide access to the internet so he can research error coins, learn more about his collection and deepen his knowledge rather than simply use technology for entertainment.
A device could be used to search for information, identify an unusual coin or verify findings with other sources. But the fascination itself existed beyond the screen. The real excitement came from holding the coin, examining it and understanding why it was different.
Perhaps this is where the conversation about Gen Alpha needs to become more nuanced.
Adults sometimes see children spending hours with technology and assume that screens have replaced curiosity. Yet curiosity may simply be taking different forms. A child who appears to be absorbed in a digital world may also be researching an unusual hobby, learning independently or developing expertise in an area adults have never considered.
The most interesting hobbies are sometimes the ones that seem unusual to everyone else.
There is also a lesson here about age.
Knowledge does not always arrive with grey hair, qualifications or years of experience. Sometimes it arrives in the form of a 12-year-old explaining why a tiny difference on a coin matters.
Age may determine how long someone has lived, but it does not determine how much someone can teach.
Adults spend considerable time encouraging children to learn from teachers, parents and books. Perhaps there should be equal encouragement for adults to remain humble enough to learn from children.
A summer visit that could have been remembered simply as a school holiday instead became an unexpected lesson in curiosity, passion and the value of looking beyond assumptions.
And that 12-year-old collector?
He is not simply a young boy fascinated by coins.
He is a nephew — and an unexpected teacher who offered a different way of looking at Gen Alpha: not merely as children hooked on screens, but as a generation capable of discovering fascinating worlds of their own.
The author is an English Language Lecturer at the Centre for Foundation Studies in Science (PASUM), Universiti Malaya, and can be reached at matthuri@um.edu.my