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Everyone who has been born since September of 2001 has been classified as part of Generation Z. Many articles have used surveys, statistics and observations to try and point out the most common traits of Gen Z kids. As someone who is part of Gen Z and interacts with other Gen Z kids regularly, I am here to say 'yay or nay' to some popular stereotypes about my generation based on my own interactions and experiences. I will be confirming or disproving some of speeli.com's Characteristics of Generation Z.
Most people can easily agree with this. Every kid in my grade is fluent in all kinds of technology and knows every feature of the smartphones and computers that we use on a regular basis. It would be unusual for someone to be handed an iPhone and not know how to perfectly navigate it.
Well... hmm. The argument here is the increasingly popular social media outlets, such as Instagram, have created an environment where kids are pressured to care more about their appearance than ever before. But, I believe people have always cared about their appearance, probably more than they needed to, and social media has not changed this or caused any spike in narcissism.
When I was younger, my neighbors literally got tired of me because of all the door-to-door sales I would try to make for my frequent new business ideas. I also did countless lemonade stands and other more intricate projects. I once tried to open a restaurant in my house. Needless to say, it was unsuccessful. But, the entrepreneurial drive was there. I know friends of mine who were similar during their younger days. In 2nd Grade, there were two passionately rivaling pencil-selling "companies" in my class that once got into a verbal war over who sold the highest quality pencils to their peers. So, it was not just me who had this drive to make money in creative and inventive ways. And nowadays, a friend of mine goes around making decent amounts of cash daily from selling candy out of a shoebox. So, this stereotype can be confirmed.
It is difficult to say an entire generation is impatient. I'm not sure if I can prove or disprove this one. All I can say is the convenience of technology has made many people impatient - but not everyone. For example, a friend of mine was outraged when he ordered something on Amazon and had to wait an entire two days for its arrival. Meanwhile, I ordered a figurine from an online store; it arrived six months later and I was not terribly bothered. But, that same friend has the patience to watch multiple seasons of a tv show in one sitting, while I can barely make it through more than one episode at a time. So, different people have different amounts of patience in different areas.
With the accessibility of the entire internet, it is certainly easy for Gen Z kids to have whatever kind of information they desire. So many kids are quite knowledgeable because they have taught themselves quite a bit. But, as always, there are some who are more and some who are less knowledgeable than others. And, as for being less easily impressed, I can fully agree to that. When I was told last year a space drone had landed on a comet, I was not very impressed. I'm sure that was a great scientific accomplishment, but due to the amazing effects in space movies, I had seen much more amazing stuff happen in outer space with my very own eyes. Obviously, those things did not actually occur, but sometimes it is hard to remember our technology is not yet as advanced as the technology showcased in science fiction films.
Generation Z certainly has some defining characteristics, and it is inarguable technology is a primary cause of this. But, like all groups and classifications of people, some Gen Z kids are vastly different than others. There will always be differences among people and children. But certain traits are becoming increasingly common in this modern age. I look forward to seeing the behavioral traits of future generations and how they compare to myself. People must keep open minds to the varying emotions and attitudes of those growing up in an entirely new and different world.
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