Generation Z vs the Millennials
In this article I’ll be applying points that completely encircle the relationship between the previous generation (the Millennials aka Generation Y) and my generation (the iGeneration or Generation Z). In comparison to our predecessors, we have been tagged as hyperaware and technologically advanced but dependent, thus leaving us feeling deprived once we are without our gadgets for an extended duration.
General features of Generation Z have been said to be: independence, meaning they rely less on their parents than those before them did, and self-confidence. But they also have a shorter attention span. Although speaking about this generation in an economical sense, it has been said that despite their “techy ways”, interaction and the ‘building of relationships’ is craved for. So with them infusing their consistently increasing knowledge via media and healthy interactivity, they are bound to greatly aid organizations in whatever aspect they’re concerned in. Statistics even show that in total, about 35% of Gen Z begin to, or at least plan to start saving in their 20’s or earlier. With this all being true, there are still cracks in which let us see that a percentage of the mass still remains ill-equipped and still require training.
This allows us to commence the discussion concerning what organizations the majority of Gen Zers’ would be interested in in the first place. We already know it has to do with media platforms.
Now as technology leads the society due to gradual evolution, social media is the leading conveyer of news, (putting aside the mediums in which we view them from eg.: Televisions) an obvious influencer in the society as of 2019 is YouTube, coming in as a close second after Facebook, by having 1.9 billion MAU’s (Monthly Active Users) and 23 million channels, with a varying range of subscribers. Generation Z, with its diverse characteristics bear a population that continuously and naturally adapt, proof being that as new trends are made, they are passed on despite various boundaries such as language, race, age and sexuality (LGBTQ).
And through this, subjectively speaking YouTube is the leading profession for us. I did say subjectively speaking, meaning that it is in my opinion. But I chose this for obvious reasons. As it’s become excruciatingly noticeable as the number of YouTubers increase daily (with this application gaining 5 billion views and 30 million visitors daily), attempting to get fame and fortune, or simply switch up their methods of advertising. In fact, my roommate and I often joke about how we should open up a conjoined channel and join the ‘vlogging/Mukbang/ASMR/multi-talented society’ rather than suffer in medical school as even some of the richest people in the world never concluded their education. But of course we all have individual niches.
So when Baby boomers (those born between 1946–1964) all the way down to Generation Y(1981–1994) criticize our motives what is our excuse for our survival techniques and how can we grow from having about 60% of our population being suicidal (whether by simply thinking about it or having actually taken action)? Firstly we’ll begin with the relationship we bear with those that lead us- our guardians.
Tuesday 4th of June, 2019, a friend of mine- namely Annabel, talked about how insensitive her parents had been towards what she had posted on her WhatsApp status. (I changed the way it was written as she used Nigerian slangs that might not be understood by all, but I did not overemphasize on anything. I simply translated.) These were her mothers’ words: “You’re always posting rubbish things on your status. Posting about people that don’t even know you exist. Posting all these animes or would I say animals. Buying mobile data for you is getting tiring. You can’t even post your own pictures.” Annabel said she’d literally gone to bed in tears. It’s understood that you’re not responsible for the way others think and you can’t always sway their ideas, but when disregard for little details that bring you happiness becomes a persistent habit from those whom you are closest to you, it becomes more harmful, hence the increased suicide rates, as even a lot of Gen Zers around me, including myself, despite being religious have also questioned their reasons for living.
When it comes to inspiration for the iGen to continue living, I chose a category that I believe has truly allowed us to transcend beyond boundaries and that is ‘music’. A variety of genres with even more artists to portray their emotions through them. An example being Conan Gray who even sang a song called “Generation Why”, talking about the inner most feelings and actions taken by the Y generation through his lyrics. (A part of the chorus: “we are the helpless, selfish, one’s of a kind Millennium kids, that all wanna die”).
I don’t want to derail off topic, but just so you know where I’m heading with all this. I’m simply stating points from some aspects that circulate around my generation and their living habits.
I can’t stress how important it is to the newer generation that they get their points across fully, despite being younger, they still deserve respect, and to be heard out, rather than being tagged as rebellious and obnoxious. And as I pointed out earlier, music is a method that’s being used more often nowadays. Take BTS for instance, a 7 membered Korean boy band that sing in Korean. They’ve helped an uncountable sum of people. From being affiliated with Unicef, to their leader (Kim Namjoon) talking at the United Nations about how to be self-confident and love yourself more, which is basically what their albums have been building up to, and just in general sharing their own personal heart wrenching experiences so as to ensure us that our situations are relatable and solvable. The pictures below show parents fully understanding what their children hold special to them and sharing their emotions.
text Zeina Jammal
edited by Adeyeye Mojibola Damilola
