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Defining Generation Z

April 25th, 2022 by Kenneth Abrahams

It has taken me more than three years of extensive research; reading books, sifting through articles, sitting in on webinars, and conducting my own man on the street style interviews, to become an expert on Generation Z, self-proclaimed of course. With all this newly acquired knowledge, it seems a shame to keep it to myself, so I am going to share what I have learned about this generation. Here, in a nutshell, are some of the highlights:

Their number one concern, in terms of social issues, is racism. Or is it the high stress of college, to get good grades and graduate with an amazing resume?

They are self-centered, coddled individuals, who melt at the slightest hint of adversity. Or are they incredibly hard-working, selfless souls far more concerned with the welfare or well-being of others?

Climate change and political correctness are two things that they are extremely concerned with. Or do they pale in comparison to the high cost of education and police brutality?

They are addicted to technology, prefer to text, and can’t carry on a one on one conversation especially with someone older and you can forget about them making eye contact. But according to one study, their preferred communication style is in fact face to face.

They are completely different in every aspect from Baby Boomers.  Or are they the generation whose feelings about money most closely align with the Baby Boomers?

Confused yet? Join the club. Calling myself an expert was a bit of hyperbole just to get you to keep reading, if it worked, mission accomplished. Most of what I wrote did come from studies and articles with research conducted as far back as 2012. All this really shows us is what anyone that has ever taken a stats class knows, data and surveys can be very flawed. First off, it depends on how the questions are asked. For example, asking “what is your most comfortable way of communicating with people” will elicit a different response than “do you prefer face to face interaction or texting?” In addition, people will often answer questions based on who is asking it and how they feel they should respond. If an older adult is asking the question, my bet would be they get a different answer than a friend asking the same question. One other important variable is who are the respondents? Much of the data collected comes from college students. It’s another good bet that an individual who struggled in high school or didn’t graduate at all would respond differently than a senior in college. They may not be worried about the pressures of academia but are far more focused on paying bills or simply surviving.

From where I sit, Generation Z is no different than the generations that preceded them, they are a mixed bag. My grandfathers were born 1 year apart. My mothers’ father was born in 1894 and my fathers’ father in 1895. It would be hard to find 2 people more different. Keep in mind that they were alive in a different society than today. Their only similarity was that neither one of them knew how to cook.  My maternal grandfather did, eventually, learn to cook, very late in life after my grandmother was stricken with cancer. Although he did know how to make a mean sardine sandwich and could mix up a batch of pot cheese and cream on occasion (basically cottage cheese and sour cream mixed together). He could carve a roast or a turkey with incredible precision, but that was where his culinary talents ended. After my grandmother passed, he learned how to cook and could absolutely fend for himself in the kitchen. Even though he had very limited formal education, he was very well read, was a successful businessman in the watch industry, and loved to travel the world. My father’s father was an “executive” of some kind, although we never knew what he did. During his driving test he backed over a fire hydrant and never got behind the wheel of a car again. My grandmother drove him everywhere that he couldn’t get to by walking or taking the train; and he never cooked for himself and never learned. My mom’s dad had a ready smile, was warm and charismatic, while my father’s dad was a mean, cranky old man. My point here is they were born 1 year apart, in the same generation and yet were totally different.

Go through every generation and you will find the same story. “Experts” assign characteristics to each generation. How is that possible. You can have 2 siblings with the same parents, raised in the same household with completely different personalities, work ethics, and moral compasses. Yet, people still believe that they can assign traits to an entire generation.

Trust me, those adjectives or descriptions at the beginning of this article are all true. There are members of Generation Z that melt like snowflakes, but there are also individuals that have struggled through adversity and come out stronger on the other side. Some embrace the technology that is out there and tend to communicate almost exclusively through it, while others avoid handheld devices and do prefer to communicate face to face. Some members of Generation Z do care, first and foremost, about themselves, while others carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. Some of the later group are becoming some of the worlds best known advocates for stopping climate change and bringing light to the racial and social injustices of the world. Look at the impact that 19-year-old environmental activist, Greta Thunberg, has had. She is certainly not simply sitting on the sidelines, sending out TikTok videos. Or read the words of the National Youth Poet, Amanda Gorman, whose poem at the Inauguration of President Joe Biden resonated with people from a number of generations. They are making a difference and inspiring old and young alike.

Yes, I understand that people have a need to define and categorize others. For some, it is what they do for a living, they identify “shared traits” that supposedly exist in a group of individuals born between certain years. Forgive me if I don’t buy it. It is true that people born between certain years have certain experiences in common. For example, if you are born into Gen Z, you have never known what the world was like before 9/11. Airport security has always been “a thing.” Cell phones, personal computers, tablets, and laptops have always been part of the culture, if you are born or live in the USA. That technology has been beneficial to you, if you were able to afford it, and a barrier, if you could not.  Helicopter, bulldozer and snowplow parents have been in place since you were old enough to be in school and some of you have embraced that culture while others have railed against it.

From where I sit, there is little point in defining the characteristics of a generation. This generation, like every generation before it, is made up of individuals. People that are complicated, multi-dimensional, and uniquely diverse individuals. Perhaps, instead of reading about this generation and trying to fit them into a box, you would be better served by talking to some of them, getting to know them on a personal level. Try relating to them as individuals, not members of this amorphous group. Who knows, you just might learn something. Honestly, I can’t define this generation and I’m not sure that anyone can. What I am certain about is that I still enjoy working with them, talking to them, and learning from them. Bring on Generation Alpha, I am ready for you.

About the Author

Ken Abrahams client base is almost exclusively colleges. Having worked in that market for over 30 years he has worked with several different generations. He is probably more attuned to societal changes than he is to generational ones.

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