For the past few years, I thought I was a Millennial - the dreaded, lazy Millennial. They grew up with evolving tech and are killing everything from Applebee's to Napkins!
Then I discovered my age drops me into Generation Z. Even worse! Gen Z: tide pod eating, smartphone-addicted, Twitter-crazed protestors!
Man, the youth in this country get trash talked. Why are we so hated? I think we should get a lot more credit than we do. We’re already dealing with stagnant wages, higher tuitions, higher costs of living, and political and cultural unrest - could we at least get a break on the whole “lazy tide pod eating” label? I hear some variation of “this generation/these Millennials/kids today” in a snarky tone at least once a day.
Are we that shitty?
I think, much like every generation has thought in their youth, that we’re misunderstood. People are finally starting to realize that Millennials aren’t lazy - they work differently. Will it take that long to realize the same about Gen Z? Are we doomed to a few more years of mockery?
I’ll happily admit that I do exhibit traits of Gen Z. I enjoy social media, I enjoy access to the internet, I am cynical and private and a multitasker - all those traits of Gen Z that set us apart from our predecessors. These traits don’t make us a waste - they are a result of the world we grew up in.
Gen Z grew up in a world plagued by terrorism, school shootings, weak economies, stagnant wages, and higher costs of living. We have been bombarded with news, negative and fake, and expected to keep up with a depressing world. We get mocked for standing up for what we believe in and judged for staying silent.
I’m tired of being hated on by middle-aged people who text while driving a minivan full of kids.
By people who gossip about high schoolers.
People who scream at retail and food workers in public spaces.
I’m tired of being seen as reckless and impolite and lazy by people who fit those descriptions more than anyone my age.
So, to my fellow Gen Z-ers: We are so much more than the labels older generations give us. We are hardworking, resilient, and different than any other age group. Don’t let labels discourage you. I know that we are ready for the world, whether it’s ready for us or not.