Generation Z, born after the year 2000, has grown up in a world of smartphones, social media, and fast-paced technological advancements. They are undoubtedly tech-savvy and socially conscious, but like any generation, they’re not without their quirks and criticisms.
Let’s take a humorous yet insightful dive into some of the legitimate critiques often raised by both older generations and their fellow Gen-Z peers on a Reddit thread.
Featured Image Credit: IgorVetushko /Depositphotos.com.
#1. Tech-Savvy, Yet Technologically Clueless
While many users agree that Gen-Z is incredibly adept at using technology, some have pointed out that their understanding of how it actually works is sometimes lacking. A technology teacher shared their experience, highlighting that while Gen-Z can navigate devices with ease, their knowledge of troubleshooting, creating, or comprehending the inner workings of technology is not as robust.
“I think a lot of that generation is good at using technology but not at understanding how it works” – mseg09
“It’s wild, I had to help a class full of college students turn on a PC because they were all pressing the button for the disk tray.” – KarlDeutscheMarx
“Gen Z, in contrast, has already gotten all of the tech innovations with the quirks and need for manual tweaking already smoothed out. They’re good at using predetermined and sometimes complex ready-made functions but, as you said, seem to have little idea what makes it work under the hood.” – TheSinfulBlackSheep
#2. Inclusion Paradox
Gen-Z champions inclusivity, but some users suggest there’s a peculiar paradox at play.
“They pretend to be all about inclusion and then go on to create as many boxes as they possibly can to place themselves and everyone else into. If there are too many people in their box they create an even smaller one to try and separate themselves.” – stephers85
“And then don’t even understand it themselves when you ask about it.” – Babylen2505
#3. Easily Offended
As per multiple users, providing constructive criticism to Gen-Z might require a bit more finesse. A workplace anecdote shared by a supervisor illustrates how younger individuals tend to respond better when directions are given with “softer” language.
“I had a couple of different students complain about an architect in the office and the way he was speaking to them, they said he was a bully. I pulled them off of his team, and then I spent a couple of months covertly monitoring/ listening to the way he was speaking to his team. He was never bullied, but he is very straightforward with the way he speaks – no sugar coating if someone has made a mistake, just a straightforward correction, and he can be very brusque with his instructions. I’ve switched the way we do things in the office now, so new students are always on my team.” – stone_opera
#4. Communication Issues
Despite being digital natives, Gen-Z sometimes struggles with basic communication skills. Multiple users have noted that Gen-Z seems to shy away from phone calls.
“I will tell them to call an engineer or someone on the construction team to confirm something/get some info, and it will literally take them half a day to make the phone call. Similar issue with emails, I’ve actually put together a small handbook on sending professional emails for the new students – with emphasis on the fact that they should be capitalizing and punctuating their emails (Since when did a period become aggressive?)” – stone_opera
“There seems to be a general increase in phone-related phobias/anxiety and not much instruction out there on how to get over it.” – unknown User
#5. Mob Justice
Gen-Z’s judgmental tendencies haven’t gone unnoticed. Commenters observe that some individuals are quick to find reasons to assert their superiority over others.
“They’ve got a knack for zeroing on the most seemingly inane things and turning it into a reason that they’re “better than you. Every generation has probably been guilty of this, but it’s sad to see them so self-assured that turning 30 and being judged by the next batch of humans will never happen to them.” – Oneforthatpurple
“My theory is that they are the first generation raised totally with social media and internet mob justice, and have no second thoughts about dogpiling onto anyone they have even a slight issue with.” – FlufferTheGreat
#6. The Digital Permanence Blindspot
As one user aptly pointed out, Gen-Z sometimes underestimates the lasting impact of their online presence. While some are carefree about their content, others are oblivious to the potential consequences of their posts.
“A lot of them think the content they are making is “cool” so they think it will never be considered embarrassing or come back to bite them.” – kneeecaps09
#7. Prank Culture
The line between harmless pranks and outright disrespect can sometimes blur for Gen-Z. Some users bemoan the trend of pranking and harassing people for the sake of social media views. While many Gen-Z commenters admitted to hating these pranks themselves, many agreed that it’s a problem.
“I can’t imagine a service worker at a shop and someone throws a well-shaken bottle of coke at the ceiling. It should be illegal because they don’t get paid enough, and if they don’t clean, they will get fired.” – eater1759
“I think the issue is they get ‘views’ / ‘likes’ whether they do something good or bad because any publicity is good publicity for them, I guess.” – psych0san
“I am honestly ashamed that that is what my generation is doing.” – thelittleweido
#8. Tech Overload and Social Skills
Gen-Z’s heavy reliance on technology comes at a cost to their interpersonal skills, according to observations from various users.
“There are more social issues and complexes than ever before in the history of mankind. Granted, they weren’t diagnosed or had a name for them until recently, but it’s something outrageous like 3/5 kids have a social disorder and simply can’t/don’t/won’t talk to other people normally.” – Zeusmann34
Many also blamed the COVID-related lockdowns and isolation.
“It (lockdown) started right after I graduated high school. I went from lots of social interactions every day, to the few really close friends from high school, to no one. The pandemic was awful for everyone for that reason, but that was a complete 180 for me. I loved hanging out with people in high school, even ones I barely knew. Now I have a ton of social anxiety.” – SebastianSilver
#9. Savior Complex
Another point of contention is Gen-Z’s inclination to be offended on behalf of others. While some appreciate their empathy, others find it vexing when individuals jump in to take offense when the actual target audience might not feel the same way. This phenomenon of “virtue signaling” can sometimes overshadow the core issue.
“As a Gen Z myself, this irritates me so much! It’s really annoying to see someone get more offended than the target audience even was, and then they just won’t let it go as if them being offended in place of someone is a good thing.” – Snappy_Emu_
#10. The Pursuit of Online Fame
With the popularity of platforms like TikTok, concerns arise about Gen-Z’s fixation on their online image. Rather than prioritizing personal happiness and meaningful relationships, some users worry that this generation is overly preoccupied with online validation and the pursuit of fleeting internet fame.
“I had a weird awakening to this in line at an event not long ago. Two girls in front of me were posting Instagram stories of the event and spending a lot of time looking at exactly who viewed each story post. Kids are growing up with technology as a social currency. I grew up with tech as a tool to create and learn. it’s sad” – arthor
Source: Reddit.
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