The Vibe Shift
The Vibe Shift is a podcast of the Gen Z Role Models Project, based at King’s College London. We explore the fast-changing spiritual lives of the first smartphone generation—diving into original research on religion, influencer culture, and the search for meaning in a digital age. From lifestyle gurus to papal TikTokers, we’re tracking the saints and cynics shaping Gen Z’s world. Featuring fresh voices and participatory research methods, each episode invites you into conversations that matter.
The Vibe Shift
Episode 3: Fragmentary Wisdom and the Elusive Encounter
In this episode of The Vibe Shift, Claire speaks with Saadadden, a former research assistant on the Gen Z Role Models Project with a background in both law and theology.
Drawing on the Islamic tradition, Saadadden reflects on the importance of moral exemplars—and why face-to-face encounters are so central to understanding them. He explains how online interactions often strip role models of their values and context, reducing them to mere image or fragmentary sound bites. In contrast, the Islamic tradition places deep value on personal presence, lived example, and the transmission of character through real-life relationships. Saadadden shares how the Oxford summit created space for in-depth discussions, allowing young people from different backgrounds to move beyond surface-level impressions and into more meaningful dialogue.
This episode explores:
- Why in-person encounters are help us understand moral exemplars
- How digital culture flattens role models into mere 'content'
- An Islamic perspective on moral role modeling
- How face-to-face conversation opens space for reflection and growth
If you’ve ever wondered what we miss when we meet our role models online, this episode offers a deeper lens.
This is The Vibe Shift. And the conversation continues.
Visit us at oxfordexemplars.org.
Music: 'Find Yours Dreams' by Art Flower. CC0 1.0 Universal License.
Copyright: The Vibe Shift, 2025.