Is Gen Z The Dumbest Generation or The Most Misunderstood?

Gen Z gets a lot of hate and is often referred to as the dumbest generation, but is it really deserved? Gen Zers have developed a reputation of being social media junkies with short attention spans, who are always on their phone.

However, as a Gen Zer myself, I often think about how my generation is misunderstood.

How is Gen Z Different From Other Generations?

Gen Z is different from other generations as they were the first generation to be brought up with the internet and social media. The internet has created the opportunity for Gen Z’s to make friends, learn and earn money online.

Gen Zers are also the last generation to watch traditional media, as new age media has shifted to streaming services and YouTube.

In this post, I go over what Gen Z is known for, if Gen Z has it hard, and why Gen Z is misunderstood.

What is Gen Z Known For

Other than being known as the generation who created the “Tide Pod Challenge”, there are some significant things that Gen Z is known for.

Gen Z’s are known as a very accepting generation. Social media created “woke culture”, and for better or for worse, it allows for everyone to be comfortable in their own skin.

Those who are apart of Gen Z have a different view on education. With the emergence of the internet, it has never been easier to get educated online.

With college debt being a huge issue for students, many Gen Zers have found other ways to get educated. On the internet, there is so much room to make a living, create a business, work remotely.

To previous generations, this may be hard to understand. Generation Z has seen the evolution of the internet and understands that the future revolves around the internet.

The Main Characteristics of Generation Z

Problem solvers
Digital natives
Materialistic / consumers
Embrace diversity
Entrepreneurial
Not afraid of change

Does Gen Z Have it Hard?

While it might seem like Gen Z has everything, in many ways this generation has had it hard. Generation Z has grown up with seeing mass school shootings, student debt, divisive politics and most recently, living through a pandemic during their formative years.

Growing up with social media, many Gen Zers find themselves constantly comparing themselves and their lives to other people. Social media has created many insecurities in Gen Z’s.

Gen Z women may feel as if they are not good enough and they have to live up to unrealistic fashion norms. Gen Z guys may feel like they have to be more successful and live an unrealistic life.

With less in-person friendships than previous generations, being apart of Gen Z can be lonely. The internet has made it so convenient to interact with friends online that real life interactions are becoming less and less common.

Currently, with the cost of schooling, housing and insane amounts of inflation, this has many Gen Z’s worried for the future.

Is Gen Z Smart?

Although Gen Z may not have the knowledge, memory or attention span of previous generations, Gen Z’s are smart in many ways. Since Generation Z was brought up using smartphones and the internet, they are resourceful. Meaning, that Generation Z can access information within seconds, where as other generations would have a harder time doing so.

Is Gen Z Addicted to Technology?

As someone who is a Gen Z, I can say that we are addicted to technology. Whether we want to admit it or not, we spend more time using our phones, laptops or devices than any other generation.

Over the last few years, social media has become more addictive than ever. Oftentimes, Gen Zers get caught up scrolling for hours on apps like TikTok. The algorithm on TikTok caters to one’s interests, making it super easy to lose track of time and scroll for hours.

Since the pandemic, Gen Zers have gotten used to isolating and spending a good part of their day on their phones. Whether it’s talking to friends, scrolling on social media or playing games, there is always a reason for Gen Z’s to check their phones.

Recently, I decided to check the how many hours a day I was spending on my phone and was shocked when I saw the number. My daily average was over 6 hours a day and there was even one day where I spent 8 hours on my phone!

This is the point where I realized I had to make a change. It felt insane to me that I spent a third of my day staring at my phone. I decided to limit my screen time which has significantly cut down the amount of time I spend on my phone.

What Age is Gen Z?

Gen Z, sometimes referred to as “zoomers“, are those who were born in the late 1990’s to the early 2010’s. Generation Z is the first generation to be born with the internet and social media. Many Gen Zers have grown up sharing their lives on social media and having friends who live around the world.

Why Generation Z is Misunderstood?

Oftentimes, Gen Zers will get criticized for having a short attention span, being glued to their phone and being stupid.

In reality, Gen Z’s are certainly not stupid. Short attention spans have led Generation Z to be quick thinking and good decision makers.

They have also grown up during a time where they saw just about everything on social media. This has led Gen Zers to be more accepting of others than previous generations and aware of what’s going on worldwide.

Gen Zers see school and traditional education differently than other generations. Nowadays, with so many resources on the internet and YouTube, Gen Z’s are experts in being self taught. Gen Zers tend to be very resourceful, and favor self education over traditional college degrees.

For previous generations, going to school, working a job and retiring was the blueprint to life. Now, Generation Z is taking control of their future by choosing unorthodox ways of making a living, which is very hard for older generations to understand.

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Final Thoughts on Is Gen Z the Dumbest Generation?

As a Gen Zer myself, this article hits close to home. On one hand, I can totally see why people think this generation is dumb. On the other hand, I think that Generation Z is quick to adapt to change and will be the smartest generation going into the future.

Since Gen Z’s are so tech savvy, they will have no trouble keeping up with the future.

What is the dumbest generation? Please let me know in the comments below.