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They treat people with disabilities with respect. My daughter, who is 23 with Down syndrome, has never been bullied ever at school or as an adult. Her peers treated her with respect and genuinely cared about her.
Generation Zrefers toAmericans born between 1997 and 2012. The generation that came before them is Generation Y, aka Gen Y, aka millennials (born between 1981 and 1996).Meanwhile, those born after Gen Z are referred to as Generation Alpha or Gen A (anyone born between 2010 and 2025).The older members of Gen Z are finishing college, entering the job market, and skilling up, while the youngest ones are still in school. That’s a pretty big difference to wrap your head around.
Generation Zrefers toAmericans born between 1997 and 2012. The generation that came before them is Generation Y, aka Gen Y, aka millennials (born between 1981 and 1996).
Meanwhile, those born after Gen Z are referred to as Generation Alpha or Gen A (anyone born between 2010 and 2025).
The older members of Gen Z are finishing college, entering the job market, and skilling up, while the youngest ones are still in school. That’s a pretty big difference to wrap your head around.
Broadly speaking, many people use the term ‘Zoomers’ to refer to folks younger than themselves.In the meantime, some members ofolder generationsare so stuck in their ways that they call anyone young ‘millennials,’ no matter when they were actually born.There are slight overlaps between each generation, and the exact range of years might change depending on who’s doing the research. To paraphrase Captain Barbossa from The Pirates of the Caribbean, generational time frames are more what you’d call ‘guidelines’ than actual rules.
Broadly speaking, many people use the term ‘Zoomers’ to refer to folks younger than themselves.
In the meantime, some members ofolder generationsare so stuck in their ways that they call anyone young ‘millennials,’ no matter when they were actually born.
There are slight overlaps between each generation, and the exact range of years might change depending on who’s doing the research. To paraphrase Captain Barbossa from The Pirates of the Caribbean, generational time frames are more what you’d call ‘guidelines’ than actual rules.
They are nicer than we were growing up. I remember watching a kid happily dancing around a playground in a Harry Potter robe and a wand, casting spells, and realized that if he’d been doing that in the places I grew up, he would have been beaten up. Everyone else would have agreed that the kid was asking for it. Jocks beating up on nerds was seen as the natural order of things. There was a tacit understanding that some people had the right to attack others physically. Kids are smarter, more empathetic, and less judgemental these days, and I love them for it
Treating consent like a normal component of dating. As important to learn as how to pay for dinner, how to dance, how to dress.
Wanting a 4 day work week. Everyone I know in their 40s is burnt out.
Different generations being very critical of those that came before and after them is a tale as old as time. It’s easy to think that the social and cultural environment you grew up in is the ‘right’ or ‘only’ way of doing things. After all, it’s likely all you’ve ever known. And so, anybody who has a different perspective on work, family, and leisure is going to raise some eyebrows.
They’re so open about mental health and feelings, which I admire the hell out of. Their generation is willing to talk about it freely, rather than older generations who’ve pretty much kept mental illness (diagnosed or suspected, it doesn’t matter) hidden away or never taken seriously. It’s one of the few good things to come out of social media: There can be such support and understanding from complete strangers when someone shares their suffering
I admire their general disinterest in alcohol. Its consumption is so woven into our social fabric that it becomes hard to face how damaging it is to our long-term health. Whether Gen Z seems to acknowledge this truly, or they are just contrarian for the sake of being different, I think it’s a positive thing, and I hope it sticks.
From our perspective, this sort of intergenerational criticism is pretty much unavoidable. It’ll probably always exist. However, better self-awareness and a more open mind can help all of us be more accepting of these clashes between values. Just because someone has a different philosophy in life and very different priorities does not mean that they’re ‘wrong,’ even if your first instinct is to point and judge.For example, someone who enforces their personal boundaries more strictly/loosely at work than you is simply doing what they think is in their best interest.
From our perspective, this sort of intergenerational criticism is pretty much unavoidable. It’ll probably always exist. However, better self-awareness and a more open mind can help all of us be more accepting of these clashes between values. Just because someone has a different philosophy in life and very different priorities does not mean that they’re ‘wrong,’ even if your first instinct is to point and judge.
For example, someone who enforces their personal boundaries more strictly/loosely at work than you is simply doing what they think is in their best interest.
- Way less religious.- Open minded.- Less judgmental.- Less money driven/more experience driven.- A surprising amount of them are into rock and metal.- Very creative.- Less dg abuse.- Less violent.- More into science.- More aware of b****t.Source: I’ve been teaching middle school for 9 years.I know that they might look like morons, but the morons have ALWAYS been around in every generation. These morons are just a lot more visible because of social media.
Gen Z is a lot less casually racist, sexist and lgbtq hating than the people I grew up with, which is something I appreciate.
Each generation faces its fair share of problems. Investopedia points out that around half of the members ofGeneration Zdon’t make enough money yet to cover their basic living expenses. Meanwhile, more than a third have student loans that they’ll need to pay off. On the plus side, 70% are saving for retirement with employer-sponsored plans or outside the workplace. What’s more, Zoomers are starting to save for retirement much earlier than millennials (at age 19 compared to age 25).Generation Alpha, which follows Gen Z, is thought to be the most technologically savvy and will likely be the most environmentally aware. However, it’s also facing some major challenges, such as having a reduced attention span (thanks, screens!) and focusing on remote rather than in-person socializing.
Each generation faces its fair share of problems. Investopedia points out that around half of the members ofGeneration Zdon’t make enough money yet to cover their basic living expenses. Meanwhile, more than a third have student loans that they’ll need to pay off. On the plus side, 70% are saving for retirement with employer-sponsored plans or outside the workplace. What’s more, Zoomers are starting to save for retirement much earlier than millennials (at age 19 compared to age 25).
Generation Alpha, which follows Gen Z, is thought to be the most technologically savvy and will likely be the most environmentally aware. However, it’s also facing some major challenges, such as having a reduced attention span (thanks, screens!) and focusing on remote rather than in-person socializing.
I love seeing that many gen z women carry weight on their bodies. The 1990s and 2000s encouraged girls and women to make themselves as small as possible, i.e. to physically disappear. After that cultural horror, seeing so many teens and 20-somethings proudly baring real muscle and fat damn near makes me cry.I also love the wildness of self-presentation - the ill-fitting clothes, surprising pairings, and bonkers haircuts. Keep it up gen z!
Drawing boundaries in relationships and at work. Both are necessary.
I feel like fewer of them are smoking. And they have made being embarrassed of mental disorders pretty non existent.
The author of the viral thread shared how they’d been seeing lots of social media posts about how Gen Z doesn’t have the same values that previous generations do. “As someone who is on the cusp of being considered a millennial and a Gen Z’er, I’d talk to a lot of people online and in real life who would criticize Gen Z for holding different outlooks on work and life without trying to see things from a younger generation’s perspective. While I do believe a lot of the criticism I’ve heard is valid, I also thought to myself, ‘There has to be something younger generations are doing well, even if they’re ruffling some feathers.'“Fromu/jarbid16’sperspective, one thing that Gen Z is doing particularly well is drawing their boundaries at work. “This is one of the things that really resonated with a lot of other Reddit users who responded to my post. It’s clear that the landscape of the workforce has changed quite dramatically over the decades and that things that were accepted as the norm back then simply aren’t normal now,” they told Bored Panda.“One thing that I hear constantly is that ‘younger generations don’t want to work hard.’ I understand the sentiment behind this, but the cost of living has skyrocketed over the years, and oftentimes, hard work isn’t always rewarded with more pay/benefits. People have bills to pay, and life can feel fruitless for many when you have to work so hard to get so little in return,” the OP shared their opinion.
The author of the viral thread shared how they’d been seeing lots of social media posts about how Gen Z doesn’t have the same values that previous generations do. “As someone who is on the cusp of being considered a millennial and a Gen Z’er, I’d talk to a lot of people online and in real life who would criticize Gen Z for holding different outlooks on work and life without trying to see things from a younger generation’s perspective. While I do believe a lot of the criticism I’ve heard is valid, I also thought to myself, ‘There has to be something younger generations are doing well, even if they’re ruffling some feathers.'”
Fromu/jarbid16’sperspective, one thing that Gen Z is doing particularly well is drawing their boundaries at work. “This is one of the things that really resonated with a lot of other Reddit users who responded to my post. It’s clear that the landscape of the workforce has changed quite dramatically over the decades and that things that were accepted as the norm back then simply aren’t normal now,” they told Bored Panda.
“One thing that I hear constantly is that ‘younger generations don’t want to work hard.’ I understand the sentiment behind this, but the cost of living has skyrocketed over the years, and oftentimes, hard work isn’t always rewarded with more pay/benefits. People have bills to pay, and life can feel fruitless for many when you have to work so hard to get so little in return,” the OP shared their opinion.
Gen Z includes some of the most compassionate, caring, and accepting people I’ve ever seen.Theyre depressed and poor, but they all are so empathetic. I’ve seen them champion for one another so quickly. I’ve seen them immediately supporting their friends going through emotional struggle and it seems like they’re all well versed in therapy work.Perhaps it’s because they’ve been through METOO, Covid, BLM, and now LGBTQ, but it’s like as a whole they’re just way more empathetic.
Make boomers cry because “nobody want to work anymore"No moron, nobody want to be a slave anymore.
They are far more accepting of people. My kids have relatives in the Midwest and the South who are white gun-toting conservatives. And they have friends who are gay, Black, Brown, Asian — you name it. They view people as people and love all of them.
“So many people nowadays are working several jobs just to survive, regardless of age. The cost of living is rising, while wages across the board have generally stagnated. There are a variety of other factors that contribute to this as well, one being technological advancements that made previously lucrative work sectors more or less obsolete in today’s workforce. In essence, people don’t want to overwork themselves when the results can seem very grim.“However, it’s not like the youngest generations are getting everything perfectly right, either. There are some serious issues with communication and a lack of willingness to understand one another. “One thing I think Gen Z and Gen A could do better is communicate in real life. We hear this criticism a lot, but I do think social media has definitely changed the way we communicate with each other, and younger generations have embraced this almost to a fault. People will speak their minds on social media with no filter, but they often get nervous when they have to echo those sentiments with someone face to face,” u/jarbid16 shared their take with Bored Panda.
“So many people nowadays are working several jobs just to survive, regardless of age. The cost of living is rising, while wages across the board have generally stagnated. There are a variety of other factors that contribute to this as well, one being technological advancements that made previously lucrative work sectors more or less obsolete in today’s workforce. In essence, people don’t want to overwork themselves when the results can seem very grim.”
However, it’s not like the youngest generations are getting everything perfectly right, either. There are some serious issues with communication and a lack of willingness to understand one another. “One thing I think Gen Z and Gen A could do better is communicate in real life. We hear this criticism a lot, but I do think social media has definitely changed the way we communicate with each other, and younger generations have embraced this almost to a fault. People will speak their minds on social media with no filter, but they often get nervous when they have to echo those sentiments with someone face to face,” u/jarbid16 shared their take with Bored Panda.
Spending money on experience instead of things. My niece went to Paris to see a concert, she doesn’t own a couch.Good move, kid.
Rejecting and questioning tradition. I think each generation has played a part in disturbing the status quo, and Gen Z is a culmination of those efforts. The rift began with the counterculture of the Boomer era and has traveled through each subsequent generation, gaining momentum with every passing decade. Now we are beginning to see results in the real world. As a millennial born in ‘90, I see Gen Z reaching voting age as The Last Great Hope for America. If they can’t turn the tide against Christian fascism, I don’t know what will.
Voting. They are voting at historic rates and making their voices heard.
“In this current economic and political climate, so many people with varying ideologies and beliefs would rather not talk to each other at all and just demonize one another rather than have a discussion in order to meet in the middle somewhere. Sometimes, it seems that so many people think they can’t share criticism or frustration without being rude, and it doesn’t have to be this way. Of course, this isn’t the case for everyone, but it’s a trend that myself and many others believe is heading in a dark direction,” they said.Bored Panda was interested in hearing the author’s thoughts as to why different generations tend to be so critical of each other. In their opinion, it comes down to the varying circumstances each one of them had to face.“We tend to forget how different life was before the Internet. For example, my parents are Middle Eastern immigrants who moved to the U.S. in the ’80s. They came from a country where the cultural and political environments were completely different, where conflict started to weave itself into the fabric of everyday life. My parents were firm believers in the American dream, and while they still largely hold those beliefs, they’ve even recognized that the world is not the same as it was when they first moved to the U.S.,” u/jarbid16 opened up to us.
“In this current economic and political climate, so many people with varying ideologies and beliefs would rather not talk to each other at all and just demonize one another rather than have a discussion in order to meet in the middle somewhere. Sometimes, it seems that so many people think they can’t share criticism or frustration without being rude, and it doesn’t have to be this way. Of course, this isn’t the case for everyone, but it’s a trend that myself and many others believe is heading in a dark direction,” they said.
Bored Panda was interested in hearing the author’s thoughts as to why different generations tend to be so critical of each other. In their opinion, it comes down to the varying circumstances each one of them had to face.
“We tend to forget how different life was before the Internet. For example, my parents are Middle Eastern immigrants who moved to the U.S. in the ’80s. They came from a country where the cultural and political environments were completely different, where conflict started to weave itself into the fabric of everyday life. My parents were firm believers in the American dream, and while they still largely hold those beliefs, they’ve even recognized that the world is not the same as it was when they first moved to the U.S.,” u/jarbid16 opened up to us.
How did they get so good at maintaining houseplants at such a young age? All my younger coworkers have had desks overflowing with lush plants. I couldn’t keep a houseplant alive until I turned 30.
Making secondhand clothing cool. I love how the Gen Zs I know create their own style and care about the environmental impact of their choices.
Their generation doesn’t seem to give a st about who is gay and who isn’t. I’m straight but I cringed as a teen when friends openly talked bad st regarding gay people.
“I’m fortunate for my family; they’ve done so much for me and have gone through so much to provide a better life for me. While there are certain sentiments they have that I don’t necessarily agree with, I always try to see things from their point of view.”
My kids are all in their early/mid-twenties, and I love how they easily form platonic friendships across genders. I, a male, had no female friends growing up, maybe due to the heavily conservative Midwest environment.
Like others said: basically telling businesses to get bent if they’re not paying well or offering competitive benefits.
Try their best to put a stop to family and domestic abuse.
What do you personally think Generation Z does well, dear Pandas? What do you think the members of that generation could aim to do better? Is there anything that irks you? What do you think the biggest challenges facing Gen Z and Gen A are going to be in the near future?
They clearly don’t give a s**t what people think about how they dress and present themselves. There’s LOTS of confidence there.
See Also on Bored Panda
Not having lots of kids.
In general, they are more accepting and tolerant of people who are different. Good on you Gen Z.
“Quiet quitting"You mean, working your established hours?
They seem to have a proper awareness of the realities of capitalism and what they really deserve in the job market.
Fleeing religion.
I love GenZ. They are everything us Boomers failed to be. GenZ are forward thinkers, they take a stand for what they believe in. They are courageous and for the most part they speak respectfully to the boomers even when provoked. Okay calling us “okay Boomer” not so much but sometimes it’s warranted. ❤️ zoomers!
A lot of the younger members of Gen Z are very open about themselves and give less of a s**t about judgement. Love seeing it.
I think they stopped eating those tidepods.
Voting.
They’re not gonna be slaves in the corporate world, like us. It may sound too much at times but they know their worth and mental health.
Breaking generational trauma.
Unionizing.
Less tobacco, d***s & alcohol.
Not trusting companies.
They harness the power of social media to raise awareness, organize protests, and make a difference.
Gen Z’s confidence and ability to wear anything is confusing, and I admire that.
Basically everything.Their music sucks though.
Skin care / self care. Growing up in the late 70’s early 80’s we never even thought about using sunscreen. Now my 12yo daughter has a 30 minute regimen every night for skin care. Good for you, sis! Take care of yourself!
Not relying on CNN/Fox/MSNBC/NYT/etc. for the news.
They don’t experience an awkward stage. It seems like they all skipped this part of life. It’s like all Gen Z’ers came out of elementary school knowing how to coordinate outfits and drink Starbucks.
They put themselves first.
I feel like the gym and lifting are becoming a trend amongst us Gen z ppl. a lot of young teens are lifting more and getting into that mindset, and along with that comes meal prep, stoicism, reading, studying, eating cleaner, and living with a clear healthy mind. just some things that stem from getting into the gym culture bc those things are highly endorsed.
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