Challenges and Opportunities for Gen Z

In recent years, culture has shifted from spotlighting Millennials to focusing on Gen Z. Mostly made up of today’s teens and twenty-somethings, young people born between 1995 and 2010 see the world differently than previous generations (White, 2017).

Gen Z does not see the internet and technology as an addition to their real life, but more so as a connected extension of their real life. Skeptical of the ways older generations left digital footprints through Facebook, Gen Z generally prefers more anonymity and spontaneity within their social media platforms of choice – often Instagram, YouTube, SnapChat, and BeReal. Constant access to Wi-Fi also means that Gen Z feels constantly “on”. If information in this digital landscape abounds, then what may be lacking is application – connecting facts, opinions, and perspectives with real-life implementation. Knowledge is often a Google Search away but wisdom often requires time and mentorship.

They are also more multiracial than any previous generation. With greater access to global trends and ideas, Gen Z highly values inclusivity. They are also more sexually fluid than previous generations, putting less stock in traditional views of sexuality or the nuclear family. 

As a generation, they are also much more willing to engage the topic of mental health openly. On the one hand, they greatly value authenticity and transparency through greater openness to therapy. On the other hand, there can be difficulty with pushing through hard things that life brings compared with previous generations who learned skills without the assistance of YouTube tutorials or Google searches.

Gen Z has seen technological developments continually advance in recent years. They’ve lived as young people through a once-a-century global pandemic. And yet their desire to know who they are, where they fit in, and what they bring to the table remains. 

Here are a few ways that parents and mentors can continue to support young people as they develop. 

Having authentic conversations around taboo topics can help bring awareness and mutual understanding. Asking questions fueled by curiosity can produce greater openness. Helping Gen Z recognize the difference between time-tested life skills and feel-good digital soundbites can cultivate personal transformation rather than simply the acquiring of information. 

Even though anxiety and depression are often collectively known and felt, older generations can impart hope and legacy through the sharing of family traditions as a counter-narrative to the digital milieu of constant globalized connectivity. Unconditional positive regard from mentors and parents can go a long way in reminding Gen Z that they are more complex and unique than any label one might attach to them.

References

“Meet Gen Z” by Dr. James Emery White. Baker Books, 2017.