As a young, adult woman at the age of 19, born within the range of the years 1995 to 2007, I feel as though I am considerably qualified to answer your questions about Generation Z. I feel this way primarily because I have grown to tolerate the stigmas of my generation, but also because I have grown to hate the stereotypes of my generation.
I don’t want to form the idea that I hate the people of my generation. I love people that I live my life with, no matter how old or young. What I am saying is this: I have lived through the shames and humiliations of this generation that I would not normally go through as an American teenager. I have been questioned of my integrity based on other people’s mistakes. I have been judged for not agreeing to society’s norms. So therefore, this is where it ends. It ends right now.
Let’s take MTV as our first example. MTV, or Music Television… wait. Music Television? I thought MTV was a TV channel that featured shows such as Jersey Shore and 16 & Pregnant? I guess the producers of the channel decided that teenagers don’t enjoy music anymore. Because shows like the ones listed are programmed through MTV, teenagers are going to want to watch it because we like MTV. However, although we watch it, that doesn't mean we will act the same way as the people on these shows. We are smarter than that.
Last time I checked, three years ago, when I was 16, I wasn’t pregnant. I didn’t get pregnant. In my eyes, having sex before marriage is a sin. It is sin that I do not plan on committing, not even for a reality TV show. Those that are older than us tend to become sensitive when we, Generation Z, reach the ages of 15, 16, and 17 because they think we inevitably become pregnant within one of those years. It’s quite sad.
And when I see girls that look to be around eight to 12 years of age already wearing makeup, I become sad. Kylie Jenner has changed the standards of the typical teenager with her striking style choices such as a face caked with makeup, wild blue hair, and huge, plump lips. With one glance at her, her fame, and her fortune, girls everywhere want to be like her, lips and all. Personally, this is not the example we should be setting for younger kids. Alicia Keys and her #NoMakeup movement should be what these girls tune in to. Beauty comes from within—it doesn’t have to be bought and applied.
And lastly, to the older generations: don’t complain that we have it easy because of technology. Technology is indeed advancing every second, but whose fault is that? And is it really a fault? Social media is flourishing, yes, but so is health care technology, transportation, and machinery. Technology is aiding daily functions, so why would we complain about that? I am sorry that when you were in college, you had to write your essays with paper and pencil. I am not sorry that new technology will help you accomplish tasks easier and more efficiently.
It is a person’s digression to have technology such as cell phones and laptops to access accounts like Facebook, SnapChat, Instagram, Twitter, etc., but nearly all of us participate in social media platforms such as these. According to International Business Times, as of last year, one out of every five people on Earth have an active Facebook account. So, we all know what is going on—we get news updates, celebrity drama, and texts from friends in the matter of seconds. We are all responsible for the world. So, help me change the accusations of Generation Z. We aren’t a bunch of selfish teenagers. We are normal people who need direction.
