Recently, I keep hearing people tossing around the word “nonchalant.”

“Yeah, I’m just nonchalant.”

“I’m tryna be more nonchalant about it.”

“Dude, can you be more nonchalant?”

These days, being “nonchalant” seems to be a badge of honor. It’s seen as a sign of being cool, calm, or unbothered.

So why am I writing about this?

A friend recently told me she thinks our generation is falling into a culture of nonchalance — one where we treat it almost like a virtue. But she doesn’t think it’s good. 

She believes it’s a problem.

She asked in frustration, “Why would anyone ever desire to be nonchalant?”

At first, I was confused. Isn’t being nonchalant a good thing?  

Later that day, I searched for the definition to see if there was something I was misunderstanding. Here’s what came up on Merriam-Webster: “Nonchalant: feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm.”

What caught my eye was the phrase “not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm.” Suddenly, I understood what my friend meant. It clicked.

And I agreed.

So many young people these days want to seem uninterested and unenthused, perhaps out of a fear of being cringe. But somewhere along the way, they’ve stopped pretending. They just are. They’ve become uninterested, unenthusiastic, and completely disengaged.

They want to be “chill.” Quiet. Unbothered. Dare I say … nonchalant? 

Because of this desire, I’ve noticed something about our generation: We’re losing our fire.

These days, we go to school quietly, do our homework, doomscroll on our phones, eat dinner, sleep. Wake up. Repeat.

When I ask young people about their dreams or hopes for the future, I hear things like:

“I don’t know.”

“I don’t care.”

When I ask why they’re not involved in anything, they ask:

“Why would I do that?”

“What’s the point?”

Sometimes I inquire about what they do with their free time. Some just shrug and say:

“Nothing.”

We are becoming a nonchalant culture, and I don’t think that’s a good thing.

Because when I think of people I admire, I think of my friend Katelyn.

On my college campus, she’s known as a burst of energy. She makes everyone feel seen. She enthusiastically runs to hug people she just met. She shouts goodbyes from across campus. She loves loudly, boldly, and freely.

I’m sure some people judge her. Say she’s “too much,” too loud, or too extra.

But people look at her with a kind of awe and admiration. They wish they could be that bold, confident, and full of life.

She’s the opposite of nonchalant. And people are drawn to her.

I think of my friend Eunice as well.

She lives with passion and boldness, feeling deeply because she cares deeply about people, justice, and the world around her.

She fights for what she believes in, stands up for what’s right, and wears her heart on her sleeve. To her, things and people matter, and they’re worth showing up for.

Still, there’s some who question her energy, her care, and her fire.

It’s because in our world today, passion stands out. Joy stands out. Fervor stands out.

In many ways, we’ve lost our spark. Our passion. Our joy. 

We live as if the spirit of God doesn’t dwell powerfully within us.

That breaks my heart.

Because I don’t believe we were created to be nonchalant.

We were created to reflect God, who is powerful, majestic, loving, miraculous, and extraordinary. We were created to reflect God, who cares deeply and loves completely.

We were created to reflect God,  who sent His Son to die for us that we might have eternal life — both in the heavenly life to come and in the extraordinary here and now.

I believe the proper response to that reality is to shine brightly for Him.

In fact, Jesus calls us to be a light. He says in Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV): “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  

Our identity as children of God is to be salt and light in a broken world.

And so my challenge to our generation is simple:

Be bold.

Be confident.

Be chalant.

Let yourself care. Show interest. Love people loudly, wholeheartedly, and with passion and purpose. Be courageous in your faith.

Make it obvious that you believe in the living God.

And if people stare, question, or whisper? Good.

Maybe that was the point all along.

Let’s be the generation that chooses fervor over indifference.

Let’s be chalant.