Digital Hedonistic Behavior Among Adolescents in Cafés: An Analysis of the Failure of Educational Management in Preparing 21st-Century Competencies

Abstrak

Abstract This study aims to analyze the transformation of adolescents’ lifestyles, the impact of digital hedonistic behavior on 21st-century competency readiness, and the failure of educational management in directing the productivity and character development of the digital generation. The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach, using a closed-ended questionnaire consisting of 15 items as the primary research instrument. The questionnaire was distributed through Google Forms to communities in Langsa and several respondents from other regions. Data were analyzed using simple statistical techniques through pie charts to illustrate the percentage of respondents’ perceptions regarding the investigated phenomenon. The findings reveal that cafés have undergone a social transformation, functioning not only as gathering spaces but also as centers of adolescents’ digital activities dominated by entertainment-oriented and consumptive cultures. Digital hedonistic behavior was also found to contribute to declining learning productivity, weak time-management skills, and limited readiness for 21st-century competencies. Furthermore, the study identifies shortcomings in educational management, reflected in the suboptimal roles of schools, families, and social environments in fostering healthy and productive technology-use cultures among adolescents.The implications of this study emphasize the urgency of strengthening character education grounded in digital literacy, reformulating educational management to become more adaptive to technological developments, and fostering collaboration among schools, families, governments, and communities in shaping a productive, creative, and future-ready younger generation capable of addressing the challenges of the 21st century.