The fact of the matter is that different generations have varying outlooks and values in life. Some broader trends hold true, even if as an individual your philosophy doesn't exactly match that of your peers. Generation Z gets a lot of unnecessary flak for having different priorities than the folks who came before them.
The truth is that the members of Gen Z do a lot of things very well. So much so that the r/AskReddit online community came together to praise them for it, inspired by user u/jarbid16. Read on to see what Zoomers are doing right according to older generations.
We got in touch with the author of the fascinating thread, u/jarbid16. They shared their perspective on how Gen Z is perceived, its pros and cons, and the friction between different generations. You'll find Bored Panda's full interview with the author below.
#1
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.
Image credits: 30minfromtown
Generation Z refers to Americans 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.
#2
Image credits: graphgiraffe
#3
Image credits: OlFlirtyBastard
Broadly speaking, many people use the term ‘Zoomers’ to refer to folks younger than themselves.
In the meantime, some members of older generations are 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.
#4
Image credits: rks404
#5
Image credits: CompetitionFalse3620
#6
Image credits: colomommy
If you were born anywhere between two Gens, things can get really confusing. You can identify with either set of values more than the other, or you can pick and choose from both as you see fit. We know quite a few Zoomers who have more in common with younger millennials than their peers. Then again, we also know folks who think they were born in the wrong age because they don’t identify with many current social values.
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.
#7
Image credits: blaspheminCapn
#8
Image credits: QueenMoogle
#9
Image credits: gardenfiendla8
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.
#10
Image credits: anon
#11
Image credits: clover_heron
#12
Each generation faces its fair share of problems. Investopedia points out that around half of the members of Generation Z don’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.
#13
Image credits: rebeccahubard
#14
Image credits: jessek
#15
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.'"
From u/jarbid16's perspective, 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.
#16
Image credits: kobayashi_maru_fail
#17
Image credits: heliumhat
#18
Image credits: _Goose_
"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.
#19
Image credits: The_Patriot
#20
#21
"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.
#22
Image credits: queenie_sabrina
#23
Image credits: Craumas
#24
"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."
The author added that they personally believe there's a lot of value to be found in perspective. "In this day and age of polarization, I believe there is a lot of wisdom and knowledge to be gained by recognizing the different challenges different generations have faced. The world is in a weird place right now, and I think most people can acknowledge this in one way or another. It’s easy to let the current state of the world bring us down, but I’m still hopeful that the future will be better!"
#25
They clearly don't give a s**t what people think about how they dress and present themselves. There's LOTS of confidence there.
Image credits: Cats_Dont_Dance
#26
Image credits: imjerusalem
#27
Image credits: heliumhat
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?
We'd love to hear your take on this, so if you have a moment, share yours in the comments!
#28
Image credits: LastStand4000
#29
Their generation doesn't seem to give a s**t about who is gay and who isn't. I'm straight but I cringed as a teen when friends openly talked bad s**t regarding gay people.
Image credits: [deleted]
#30
Image credits: KaiJonez
#31
#32
#33
Image credits: zerbey
#34
Image credits: Signal-Homework1549
#35
Image credits: UsualMorning98
#36
#37
#38
Image credits: m-charles-cahill
