As an 02 Gen Z we need to stop being so damn geriatric, why is it when I’m talking to someone who is not even 25 yet they say “I’m too old to go to club/ other fun activities” like I’m turning 24 in a couple of weeks and I still feel young. You’re literally wasting your life by not doing anything in your twenties. Enjoy your youth before you actually get old!

I saw this happen once and immediately concluded it applies to all 73 million millennials because anecdotal evidence is apparently all I need.

^ my interpretation of every post on this sub

EDIT : guys please this post was completely facetious. I am in no way trying to spark meaningful discussion, just pointing out this sub is full of morons.

1968 (those born in 1943)

1998 (those born in 1973)

2026 (those born in 2001)

It feels as if the 25 year olds can be facing massive debt at a young age if they don’t have supportive parents.

I remember browsing OKCupid only to see what kind of hobbies people have, despite not even being interested in dating yet. I remember a guy who had hyperlinked every web technology and imaginary characters he liked, I was thinking he is so smart and bookmarking these things. Looking at profiles of older people just to see what hobbies they have, what books they like and how to become a smart and interesting person in general.

Nowadays, you can't do that. There are just selfies and one sentence intro, if you are lucky (Tinder even says that an intro should be short, I don't agree). Some have widgets, like Spotify, but it isn't the same.

Similar thing happening with other apps too. Couchsurfing used to be about long profiles and recommendations, now it is a dating app with selfies. Youtube used to be an app where people were genuinely trying to make visually interesting videos, now it is just pointing my finger and talking to the camera. Being faceless is used as an insult, though unless it is a skit, I couldn't care less about a face. Sites where you could learn something have been replaced by endless video tutorials, where finding the right spot again is impossible. I miss wall of text internet.

Have you noticed that a lot of Gen Z’s have a problem with being wrong or being presented with a different opinion?

I’ve met a lot of zoomers who are so competitive and get really defensive if you disagree with them. Instead of being open to a new/different point, they have to PROVE that they’re right, even if you present them with evidence. And then they get angry or deny it.

They also have trouble making decisions or opinions for themselves or even show emotion. They just parrot whatever is on social media or what the culture tells them. Like they just state facts back and forth of what they saw on social media. It’s like a one-up competition - who knows more or who’s been to more concerts or places etc. It’s really cringe.

It’s okay to show emotions and have original opinions, guys. It’s also okay to be wrong or being presented with a different opinion. This is how you learn and have healthy, interesting, and meaningful conversations. You need to be comfortable with being wrong or less knowledgeable/experienced sometimes.

Eg. Someone I know gets really defensive about music. Instead of having a nice conversation about music or enjoying listening to music, he has to “know” more artists than I do. He gets really competitive with me. Especially because I’m a bit older than he is, so I have much more experience and listening history. If I say “hey do you like X band”, he’ll start listing other bands to prove that he knows more than me, or prove that he knew this band before I did, or that he saw them live. It just kills the vibe. I was just trying to have a nice conversation…

I'm going to sleep soon but I wanted to make this post after watching scenes in several old movies. I'm a gen z guy in my 20s and I wanted to share my experience on modern dating. The main characters in these films just struck up conversations in cafes and started chatting and flirting. There was no intense neurotic struggle to it.

Every aspect of dating now feels like it has to be curated pre planned and organized. Constant unspoken rules on where it is appropriate to meet people and what men or women even want. You have to build a version of yourself which is highly desirable, through buying the right clothes to match a particular aesthetic, sculpting your body, saying the correct things. So much of modern dating does not even feel like actually getting to know people but attempts at connection hidden behind a financial and mental paywall. It feels like corporate LinkedIn culture has overtaken trying to date.

Even when you leave the apps to meet people, it feels like you have to do it at certain select groups and socials, and everyone is kind of competing for people's attention. It isn't organic or spontaneous.

Furthermore, you are now exposed to the thousands of unsolicited opinions of men and women all over the planet, so the mystery in meeting new people is watered down. People meet each other with their own pre-conceived ideas.

There's nothing organic or fun or romantic about this.

If you know, you know. But context. Sesame Street debuted in 1969, Elmo was introduced to the show in 1980 as a minor character and didn't even start developing into the more familiar character until the mid 1980s (when longtime performer Kevin Clash started performing him, and he performed Elmo until a scandal), his popularity among kids grew over the years, to the point of even having Tickle Me Elmo being a very popular toy in 1996. and having the Elmo's World segment end each episode of Sesame Street. At one point, he received a lot of hatred, with a lot of it (though not all of it) from Gen X individuals who grew up in the 1970s (and watched Sesame Street as kids before Elmo was introduced), calling him "the little red menace" and being frustrated that he largely replaced Big Bird as the face of the show, appeared a lot at the expense of other characters (though to be fair, the extent of which that happened was often exaggerated as many of the other characters still appeared a lot, including Big Bird), as well as some frustration regarding the show's changes over the years (this is a never ending cycle that I've noticed affects different generations.) However, the hatred has largely died down by now (though it's still not 100% gone), in part due to childhood nostalgia (which ironically was one of the reasons he was hated), among some of his own merits, and people warming up to him. Abby Cadabby was a similar story, but this time, with even those who grew up with Elmo also hating on her when she was introduced and became popular (though the hate towards her has died down as well.) But the fact still remains that he is arguably the face of a generation Gap between those who were kids in the 1970s (and watched the show before Elmo), and younger generations (who watched the show with Elmo as a core part of the cast)

(Apologies in advance for the long post and poor formatting)

Edit: I think some people misunderstood the intent of my post. It's not merely about romance and just includes talking to other people.

Before I delve into my story, let me talk about a famous Swedish soccer/football player, Zlatan Ibrahimovic(born 1981, so Millennial), and how he met his long-term partner (born 1970, so Gen X). They met when Ibrahimovic poorly parked his Ferrari, which blocked her Mercedes, but that altercation led to the start of their relationship. It seems interactions like this with Gen Z are much rarer than with previous generations.

(Edit: Someone pointed out Zlatan Ibrahimovic has made misogynistic comments. I totally distance myself from these comments.Apparently looking it up he denigrated women's soccer in comparison to men's soccer).

I am a 2005-born Gen Z at University(a rising Junior) in America. I am technically a second-generation immigrant(so born a US citizen), but in reality more of a first-generation one because I spent most of my life abroad(parents relocated back due to some problems). While I was cripplingly shy as a child, I think I am much more confident and could potentially be rated as an average to moderately good conversationalist. I would still say I am not great at making close friends, which is probably due to a lack of experience as a child. My foreign background may also be a contributing factor.

Older Americans are so much easier to talk to. I could be sitting on a plane, on the metro, and they will somehow manage to still spark an interesting conversation. The last example of this was a woman(of Guatemalan background) born in 1946 who talked about the various aspects of her life, family, and country on a plane trip. Another time I met a woman born in the 1950s on the Philadelphia metro, with both of us trying to get to the airport, and we also had an extended conversation. She was even kind enough to take me on an Uber ride when we missed our intended location by accident while talking. By contrast, I could be sitting next to the same Gen Z person at a dining hall or somewhere for a year, and they will not start a conversation(unless I start it). And they seem to have much less interest in keeping up with the conversation and will indicate their disinterest earlier. To be fair, I do realize my hobbies dont resonate much with most people of my generation(listening to ABBA, history, soccer, etc).

Edit: To give stronger examples of Gen Z Social Awkwardness/Plain Rudeness

Case A(taken from another person here):

I'm having issues in real life with Gen Z workers not even answering yes and no questions in a workplace. it's frustrating - and then they argue that they don't like small talk or strangers.

Yeah, but you still are being paid to do your job*.*

Case B(one I experienced):

At a university economics class, the teacher took attendance via paper(asked the students 3 questions whose answers they were supposed to write down). I came a bit late and asked a girl what the questions were 2 times, but she sat there still as a statue, ignoring me.

Case C(taken from another person here):

I took my 16-YO step daughter (her mother and I have been married for 11 years) out for lunch and started a conversation by asking a hypothetical question, some innocuous ‘what do you think’ question. Before she even started to answer she said, “why are you staring at me?” Because I was actively listening to hear what she had to say. I’m now always conscious of making too much eye contact.

I saw in some Reddit posts by professors and students that university students in the early 2000s(or even just pre-pandemic ones) were much more socially engaged in classroom discussions. I think it's common for many university students nowadays to never open their mouths in a classroom unless they are prompted to by the professors.

My observation is that Gen Z is probably much less into spontaneous public interactions. The book Bowling Alone has been discussing this decrease in socialization and social trust stretching back to the 1950s(due to the rise of suburbs, two-income households, and television), but it seems like Gen Z has felt the supercharged effects due to the rise of the internet and smartphones.

As a millennial female, I feel communication, financial literacy, and problem-solving were present in school and home environment. I am curious what other generations experienced/perception?

Small rant but I miss the old iPhones. Why did they have to get bigger? I liked when it fit in my pocket. Why did they take away the home screen button? Why did they remove the headphone jack at the bottom so I can listen to music and charge at the same time with basic headphones? Anyone else miss the old cellphones?

After watching this video recently, I started to become curious about this. Almost all the teenage reactors (ranging from 14 to 17 at the time of release) in this clip from 2012 (minus red beanie girl) appear very emotionally intelligent and display a strong sense of awareness when it comes to the topic of depression and suicidal ideation, above all showing a great deal of empathy for the victim this video discusses. Is this a positive trait generally found among this cusp? And if so, does it have to do with a specific way parents were raising this cusp as kids or an increase in anti bullying and mental health programs in public schools?

When a word is used for everything, it no longer has any meaning. I don't want to tie a word to a specific generation, but you know exactly who you are and what age range absolutely LOVES to use the term "ick" (aka cringe, and that's an entirely other topic too)

Ick this, ick that, he's ick, she's ick, your dog's ick.

There are some things in this world that are truly deserving of the term ick. Like certain somebodies who are found with pictures of juveniles on their computers, or people proven to have associated with a person that rhymes with Joffery Pepsteen

Expand your vocabulary. Use actual words to describe your actual fucking feelings. Reducing everything down to "ick" because you're too emotionally inept to understand why something feels ick to you is an absolute failure of you communicating with not only others but also with yourself.

Or you're just uncomfortable with being uncomfortable, and it's literally the lazy way out for dismissing someone or an issue.

/inb4 "ew, this post is ick", "okay unc", "go back to myspace gramps"

I'm an older guy and I have some Gen Zs who work for me. And in the last few months, particularly, when I ask them yes and no questions, a couple of them give me this kind of "myah" answer that I literally cannot distinguish as either a "yeah" or a "no." It drives me crazy. And they are not trolling (I don't believe). I get along pretty well with both of them and they don't seem like the type. It's like they just are not answering loudly enough nor clearly enough to distinguish between "yes" and "no."

Extremely small sample size for me (just a couple of people) but has anyone else noticed this recently? Particularly if you are over 40?

UPDATE: just to clarify for people, the sound is kind of like a "meow" without the "w." And it's just one brief syllable. No long pauses or reflections or whatever. Just that one stupid syllable at a very low volume. And after I ask for clarification, sometimes it's yes and sometimes it's no. It totally varies and has no pattern to it.

I'm early 30's, and lately I've been feeling really nostalgic for the late 2000s and early 2010s. It's honestly gotten to the point where it makes me feel genuinely sad, and I'm not sure if I'm remembering it through rose-coloured glasses or if it really was a unique time to grow up.

I feel incredibly lucky that I got to experience the internet before it completely took over everyday life.

I still remember when YouTube was full of random videos people made because they genuinely wanted to create something. Seeing a video hit one million views felt unbelievable. When Gangnam Style exploded, it genuinely felt like the entire world was watching the same thing together. Going viral actually meant something because it was rare. It felt like every few months there was some new cultural moment that everyone experienced together.

Back then the internet had this sense of discovery. You'd stumble across forums, random websites, niche YouTube channels or funny videos almost by accident. Social media existed, but it didn't feel like every app was fighting for every second of your attention.

Gaming felt similar too. I'd come home from university, jump on PlayStation with my mates for hours, and games felt like they were made because developers genuinely wanted to build something great. FIFA felt like football, Call of Duty felt immersive, and there wasn't this constant focus on battle passes, skins, engagement metrics and microtransactions.

Now it feels like everything is driven by algorithms. Every video gets millions of views, so huge numbers don't even feel impressive anymore. Every app wants you endlessly scrolling. Every creator seems to optimise for clicks and watch time instead of just making something they're passionate about.

I know part of this is probably because I'm older now. I work full-time, and life naturally comes with more responsibilities than it did when I was 20.

But I honestly don't think I'm only nostalgic for being younger. I genuinely feel like something has changed. The internet used to feel like a place you explored. Now it feels like something that constantly pulls at your attention.

The reason I'm posting this is because it's been making me unexpectedly emotional. Sometimes I find myself watching old videos or remembering those years, and I get this overwhelming feeling that I'll never experience that sense of excitement, curiosity and wonder again. It almost feels like I'm grieving an era that's gone forever, and it genuinely makes me sad.

Does anyone else ever feel like this?

Do you think that period really was different, or is this simply what getting older feels like?

This is based off of my previous post (link if you’re interested: https://www.reddit.com/r/generationology/s/BEIxkEYVCl), and I wanted to see how it would translate to each generation’s high school years. Each subgroup is when that specific cohort made up the majority of HS students at the time. I have to say, it works pretty well. One I find really interesting is the 1974-1977 cohort (the OG Gen Yers), were in HS following the fall of the Berlin Wall and saw the rise of 90s culture. 1991-92 school year specifically saw the conclusion of the Cold War, and was probably the last year where the 80s aesthetic was still dominate or noticeable. It was also when Grunge was at its peak, with Smells like Teen Spirit releasing in late ‘91. My parents were literally the start & end of this subgroup, so naturally this peaked my interest.

Curious on your opinions and if you think I nailed each generation’s teen eras. If you want a description for a specific cohort, just ask in the comments below, although I’ll probably throw a few out there at random.

If a majority of 2030s babies are gen beta, I wonder who will be the oldest generation most of them meet overall by the time they can remember?

I feel like the oldest generation most Gen Z has met is probably younger greatest generation or older silents, so for Gen beta it’ll be mostly younger boomers or older Gen X