Gen Z: Bulldozing or Breaching Boundaries?

In the middle of the 20th century when baby boomers were born, the world was in a strong and rapidly growing post-war economy. Their children, Generation X, were raised during the rise of grunge music, the AIDS epidemic, and an urge to be nothing like their parents. Today, they are the generation with the most credit card debt. Millennials, who are fast approaching their forties, are known for open-mindedness and fresh approaches to the job market, but also curated Instagram stories and superficial values. Yet Gen Z is set to be one of the most unique and fascinating case studies of a generation. Half of the generation was born post-9/11, began kindergarten during a recession, experienced high school under the tumultuous Trump administration, and graduated in the midst of a pandemic. Where millennials were raised by helicopter parents, Gen Z parents had to accept that they couldn’t guard their kids from the traumatic and politicized world around us.

Marcie Merriman, the cultural insights and customer strategy leader at EY, did a study on Gen Z which identified five, arguably contradicting, categories of Zoomers: “stressed strivers,” “big plans, low energy,” “authentic activists,” “carefree constituents,” and “secluded perfectionists.” She emphasized parents’ increasing willingness to relinquish freedom to their children, since they are aware they cannot control their access to information due to technology. These discoveries are undeniably linked to the analysis performed by McKinsey and Company which states that the most consistent theme across the generation was an urge to find the truth. The desire for truth was created by the relative freedom provided by our parents (only 7% of those identified as “authentic activist” claimed they had helicopter parents), as well as intense exposure to current events that defined our childhood. Not only were the realities of our world embedded into our childhood and unprotected by our parents, but accessible through devices in the palm of our hand.

Zoomers’ search for truth and their access to information also makes Gen Z one of the most pragmatic generations and the most informed. These unique characteristics create patterns of fueling change and destroying boundaries. Within hours of George Floyd’s murder, social media was consumed by infographics and petitions, and with national news coverage focusing on young people gathering masses to effect change. Soon, every adult and politician knew phrases such as “ACAB” and “abolish the police.” Gen Z and young millennials bulldozed through bureaucratic and institutional walls in an extremely public way. This summer is only one illustration of how Gen Z changed the approach, discussion, and accessibility of social issues. 

In a generation that has some of the most contradictory descriptions, there is an intense unity among Zoomers that is hard to account for. Perhaps this age-based containment was created by social media—Instagram, Snapchat, and Tiktok all provide teenagers with “inside jokes” that parents would never understand or find relatable and humorous. My social media feeds after the first presidential debate were all politically centered yet formatted into videos and trends that would confuse anyone over 25. Or maybe the solidified boundaries between generations is based on resentment; it is common to hear teens and young adults blame parents for leaving us with a deteriorating environment and fractured democracy. It could be the restructuring of social norms; the same McKinsey source states “individual expression and avoid[ance] of label[s]” is a top value to Gen Z, a sentiment that deeply contrasts with the societal confines of millennials and baby boomers.

 In the midst of Gen Z finding their unity, though, a pandemic that attacked various age groups differently swept the globe. Since Gen Z is not considered as vulnerable a demographic for COVID-19, their commitment to social distancing is mostly for the health of others. Suddenly, our society is one in which the health of the majority partially rests on the social calendar of Gen Z. In March, articles flooded the internet about the reckless behavior of teenagers and twenty-somethings who kept their spring break plans. But by the end of the summer, Gen Z’s anxiety about sickness, concern for their parents’ safety,, and eagerness for the world to return to normal had proven effective. The CEO of Harris Poll stated that “we’ve dramatically underestimated this generation’s anxiety and resolve.” While there are obvious disparities among young adults (approximately 20% of Gen Z report not following guidelines), the majority have worked to protect those across generational lines.

 Gen Z’s unique combination of drive, awareness, and sympathy for others created a paradox that became clear this past year. While eager to break metaphorical and systemic boundaries of institutions perpetuated by other generations, Gen Z also understands the importance of individual physical boundaries in the time of Corona. Despite these being different and conflictual obstacles, the crucial conclusion is that teenagers and young adults understand how to interact with older generations in order to benefit society, and we owe it to the generation’s unity.