Walk up to a
friend or family member and get them to tell you about Generation Z. I
bet most people wouldn't have a clue what they stand for, what defines
them and who actually falls into this category. I must admit, a few days
ago I didn't realise that I fell into this generational category.
That's because most people have no clue about our existence. That isn't
because we aren't pragmatic or because we are so caught up in our
plethora of technological devices - quite the contrary actually. It is
because most of us have thought we belonged to Generation Y. The term
has been so interchangeably used to describe young people for so long,
that we unknowingly fell into the wrong group.
Although
Generation Y and Z have similar characteristics, having grown up in not
too disparate social and physical contexts, the pair are worlds apart in
their attitudes, approach and expectations. This piece aims to clarify
the parameters in which today's youth are generationally categorised, and implicit positivity and opportunity that is mandatory to being the typical Gen Z.
This
whole notion of Generation Z came to me from reading an article
published in The Australian. It cited that Generation Z was 'a more
driven, less vain, more puritanical cohort that is poised to make its
mark on the world' - and I totally agreed. I continued to read and I
came to the realisation that I and people my age fitted the mold almost
perfectly. I got to the end of the article and was overwhelmingly
fascinated with the concept that, only a few minutes prior, was
completely foreign to me. I suppose I could equate it to being told you
were Australian, after 18 years of believing you were a Kiwi (oh the
horror!). I and everyone else my age have gone around, living out our
youth, accepting that we were Gen Y. Now that I know that I am not, and
never was a Gen Y, I can look back and honestly say that I never really
belonged there.
Without
creating an 'us and them' mentality - Generation Z are the envy of all
other generations. We are the kids who were born after 1995 and were
able to catch televisions shows such as the Teletubbies, always wanting that endless supply of custard that Laa-Laa
and Po enjoyed daily (And yes, if you don't get the analogy, you are
probably not one of us). We were caught up not only in the turn of the
century, but a technological shift like no other. We were those awkward
children who were unsure whether to play outside or play computer, and
somehow managed the right equilibrium. Of course, because the social
context has changed so rapidly over the past decade, it is impossible to
set out a clear cut experience for those fortunate enough to fall in
Gen Z. The dynamic nature of modern times, adds to the complexity of a
clear set of generational experiences, dissimilar to those previous. In
my attempt to clarify Generation Z, I am merely setting out my
experience, expectations, attitudes, hopes and dreams.
Looking
into the notion of 'Gen Z' taught me a few very valuable things: that
you cannot simply define a generation, especially given the pace of
change in today's world; and secondly, that Generation Z is a very poor
choice of title given the uniqueness of our worldview, our ingenuity and
our pragmatism. To simply (and lazily) name every generation
alphabetically disregards their individualism and identity - not only
Gen Z, but every generation is worth more than that. Social commentators
have self-fulfillingly called us iGen and TechGen,
and I return the serve with my middle finger, because generalising
doesn't sit well with me. I would prefer a name along the lines of the
Diverse Generation. Not to be politically correct, or to be morally
righteous by not excluding anyone, but it is the only way to properly
associate the almost 2.2 billion people worldwide who fall into this
category. The title also espouses the strong sense of social justice and
equality that is common among us. This whole idea of the right name for
the mundanely accepted title of Gen Z, raises the question: Do we need
to group people by their generation of birth? I'll leave that for you to
decide.
Despite
my opposition to laying a generalised and broad statement to define the
most diverse cohort of people on the planet, these are a few of the
attributes that set us apart from the rest. Generation Z requires
constant and ever changing stimulation - we simply don't accept the
norm, rather, we challenge it and seek to know the answers to the
questions that come our way. We are constantly seek the to ensure that
we are not settling for second best, for both ourselves and the broader
world. We push ideas, motions, proposals and projects to their limit, so
that we can be satisfied that the best result can be achieved, with the
knowledge that we gave it our all.
Generation
Z searches for meaning in their life experiences, whether it be the
tennis match with friend or a bush walk in pristine forest. We
understand the shortness of our existence and embrace every moment. This
links in to our new and unlimited interconnectedness with the those
closest to us and the outside world. We express our meaningful embrace
of life through pictures on instagram and updates on Facebook, unlike generations gone by.
A recent pictorial developed by Mark McCrindle, author of 'The ABC of XYZ
- Understanding Global Generations' painted a setting of the things
that we should expect being a part of Gen Z. To just name a few:
- We will work on average 17 jobs and live in 15 different homes;
- When we reach retirement (2063) the average salary will be $222,000;
- We use technology 10 hours and 19 minutes of every day;
- And, use acronyms more than any generation previous.
The picture is a
daunting one, with figures and estimates that seem well out of our
reach, but nonetheless, we will take it in our stride and be solution
orientated rather than entrenched in the expectations.
Having
grown up in the face of global warming, international political
instability and recent economic crises, we have a sensitivity and
expectation of maturity well beyond our years. We are more socially
aware than any generation before us, yet our engagement in politics is
at an all time low. We have every opportunity to know what is going on
and how it affects us, yet Gen Z doesn't care. I myself buck the trend,
and live to expand my generations interest in such an important aspect
of life. The ability to influence decisions that will affect you should
not be underestimated, and the importance of getting young people both
involved and engaged is paramount. We are a pragmatic, thoughtful,
aware, connected, diligent, prudent, puritanical, positive and
opportunistic generation with only one more yet to be our defining
character, Political.
If you want to learn more about the illustrious Gen Z, check out www.generationz.com.au
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