I need to preface this text by saying I fall smack dab in the course of these two generations. I used to be born in ’97 and grew up with an older sibling, so I determine as a millennial regardless of being within the Gen Z vary. When individuals consult with Gen Z as “iPad children,” I can not relate. When iPads got here out, I used to be heading into highschool. I watched my favourite films on a VCR and grew up with a “household pc room.” So, when discussing the variations between these generations, take note there may be some overlap.
1. The Want for a Driver’s License
A significant and fascinating distinction between the 2 generations is that millennials couldn’t wait to get their driver’s licenses, whereas Gen Z children couldn’t care much less about driving. I recall getting my license at 16 and keep in mind the rapid freedom it supplied, and it’s loopy Gen Z individuals don’t need that.
2. Relationship With the Web
Whereas Gen Z has grown up with the web, which means they’ve had it their complete lives, millennials had been rising proper together with the web. Millennials noticed and used issues like VHS tapes, DVDs, CDs, and different types of tech that fell by the wayside because the web slowly took over every thing.
3. Weight Shaming
As a borderline millennial, I can confidently say that rising up within the 2000s with even slightly little bit of chubbiness was a curse, because of the likes of Paris Hilton and low-rise denims. However Gen Z appears to embrace all physique shapes extra, which is so stunning to see, and I envy their physique confidence.
4. The Mindset Regarding Labels
I’m not speaking about designer labels; I’m speaking about how we as people assign labels to 1 one other, whether or not it’s about somebody’s orientation, race, class, or anything. Whereas millennials are inclined to reject any form of label, Gen Z appears to embrace hyper-specific labels as a option to specific and perceive themselves.
5. The Love of Video Video games
Whereas many millennials love video video games, they grew up with them being barely taboo. Like when you performed video video games, you had been a nerd or shut-in. However Gen Z totally embraces video video games, and it’s not seen as one thing lame or bizarre to be obsessive about. The success of websites like Twitch exhibits how accepted it’s to be a gamer.
6. Informal Garments at Work
Whereas boomers assume millennials are too informal at work, Gen Z takes it to a different stage. They’re daring sufficient to put on leggings and sweatshirts to the workplace, whereas millennials nonetheless store for gown pants and blazers. Millennials love athleisure, however Gen Z actually lives in these comfortable garments with no disgrace.
7. Posing in Images
I, as an honorary millennial, nonetheless smile when somebody factors a digital camera at me. Nevertheless, plainly Gen Z is a poutier era who likes to strike a mysterious pose or make a sultry expression as a substitute of claiming cheese. I assume this comes from the prevalence of influencers on social media and their moody poses.
8. Remembering a Pre-9/11 World
I really don’t keep in mind 9/11, so I fall into the Gen Z camp on this one. Anybody studying that is possible aware of the idea of pre and post-9/11, with some remembering a time while you didn’t should take your sneakers off on the airport and folks weren’t afraid of a random black backpack left in a public place.
9. The Sense of Immediacy
Gen Z is used to getting issues instantly. They will order issues from Amazon to be delivered just a few hours later. They will textual content their pal and get a response in 0.5 seconds. However millennials are a bit extra accustomed to ready for issues. Neither perspective is sweet or dangerous, however Gen Z undoubtedly expects a faster-moving world.
10. Documenting Life
Gen Z is a era obsessive about documenting their life, from photos to movies to saved messages. They take images of something and every thing, whether or not or not they publish it someplace. Millennials publish, too, however not as a lot. I discover it stunning how Gen Z desires to doc every thing for posterity, and I don’t assume they should “put down their telephones to benefit from the second,” as some older generations say.
11. Freedom To Specific Emotions
Gen Z additionally grew up in an area extra accepting of feelings. Millennials had been raised by boomers, who aren’t one of the best at accessing, processing, and expressing feelings. This concern trickled all the way down to millennials to a level, however Gen Z appears freer relating to saying how they really feel with out being embarrassed.
12. Relationship Variations
Many Gen Z children grew up in a world the place Tinder and related apps are the norm for courting. Apparently, lots of the youthful Gen Z of us aren’t even all for courting. I can attest to this, as I’ve some pals who’ve sworn off courting, and never in a bitter means. Being alone is changing into extra normalized.
13. Rising Up With Rose-Coloured Glasses
This is among the most fascinating variations, in my view. Millennials grew up with an optimistic view till they noticed 9/11, adopted by the 2008 recession, and had their world shattered. Gen Z, then again, grew up with out rose-colored glasses and has at all times been extra pessimistic and cynical.
14. Catering to the Male Gaze
Whereas there had been waves of feminism earlier than and throughout the millennial era, feminine millennials nonetheless tended to cater towards the male gaze, particularly with the early 2000s trend. However Gen Z girls are a lot much less more likely to gown for males, which is a beautiful factor to witness.
15. Notion of Getting older
I hate this one! Younger individuals at all times have a skewed notion of older individuals and getting old, however Gen Z appears to assume life ends at 29, which is severely miserable. Millennials had been slightly extra forgiving, and plenty of would few 50-year-olds as being outdated, not 30-year-olds.
16. Opinions on the American Dream
Gen Z wholeheartedly thinks the idea of the American dream is rubbish, and I couldn’t agree extra. Millennials nonetheless held on to a scrap of that very best rising up, however Gen Z rapidly deconstructed this concept and by no means even pretended to simply accept it.
17. Embracing Classic Vogue
Millennials have their very own distinct trend sense, however Gen Z appears to attract inspiration from all completely different eras, melding them collectively. Gen Z doesn’t have something that appears solely their very own, as they merely borrow types and developments from previous a long time, they usually’re ripping by the a long time quick.
18. Understanding of Tech
Apparently, it looks as if millennials have a greater understanding of expertise. Gen Z grew up with tech, however millennials have extra expertise with the inside workings, like troubleshooting a pc or constructing an HTML code. I’d assume the other can be true, however tech has grow to be too simple for Gen Z in some methods.
19. Attitudes Towards Jobs
Like boomers, millennials nonetheless typically fall for the sunk price fallacy, which means they keep at a job for a very long time just because they’ve been there a very long time. However, Gen Z has no downside dumping a job and transferring on to the following with none guilt or second ideas.
20. Drug Tradition
It appears Gen Z is far much less all for medicine and alcohol in comparison with earlier generations. Gen Z doesn’t care about these onerous substances. Increasingly more younger individuals are sober, choosing mocktails over cocktails and skipping on different social gathering medicine.
21. Political Ways
Millennials and Gen Z are inclined to struggle for a similar issues, like environmental insurance policies and homosexual marriage. Nevertheless, millennials take a extra optimistic method, advocating for what they need, whereas Gen Z goes after the opposite aspect, making an attempt to get individuals out of workplace who go towards their beliefs.
22. Concerned Mother and father
Gen Z’s mother and father usually tend to become involved of their youngster’s training. In a web-based dialogue about this matter, some academics and professors stated their Gen Z college students’ mother and father usually emailed them about their youngster’s progress, whereas millennials had extra hands-off mother and father.
23. Intimacy Ranges
Apparently, Gen Z is much much less intimate than millennials. A doable cause for that is how a lot they reside on-line, making bodily intimacy one thing extra intimidating when it lastly comes all the way down to it. I don’t know if I agree, however many on-line commenters really feel that is an correct distinction between the generations.
24. International Pursuits
Millennials acquired a style of world tradition, however Gen Z embraces it. Issues like Ok-pop and anime are large amongst Gen Z, however studying manga as a millennial was nonetheless thought of bizarre once I was a child. Even their tastes in delicacies are extra globalized than the generations that got here earlier than them.
Supply: Reddit.