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How Generation Z Works

This is Generation Z, and they have never known a world without the Internet, cell phones or iPods.
Experts disagree on when exactly Gen Z begins. Some argue that the inaugural members were born as early as 1991 and as late
as 2001 [sources: Hawkins, Schmidt], while others contend that anyone born after 1995 is part of Gen Z [source: Walliker].
What is not in dispute, however, is what sets this generation apart from any that came before, and that's the unique era in which
they are being raised.
This group, which today ranges from 11 to 20 years old, has lived their entire life with instant access to mountains of data on
any topic that flutters through their imaginations. They've never known the frustration or sheer physical effort of rifling through
the M-O volume of the encyclopedia to find out about the Magna Carta. They're technologically savvy and just as likely to
spend their time writing and programming video games as simply playing them.
But they're also coming up in a world shaped by 9/11, Columbine and the War on Terror. They have a sense of social justice,
philanthropy and maturity that comes with growing up during one of the most severe economic recessions in history.
> Gen Z is part of a generation that is global, social, visual and technological. They are the most connected, educated and
sophisticated generation ever. They are the up-agers, with influence beyond their years. They are the tweens, the teens, the
youth and young adults of our global society. They are the early adopters, the brand influencers, the social media drivers, the
pop-culture leaders. They comprise nearly 2 billion people globally, and they dont just represent the future, theyre creating it.
Gen Zs have been born into the crisis period of terrorism, the global recession and climate change. They are predicted to spend
their young adult years in a time of economic and social renewal. They are also living in an era of changing household
structures, and are the students of today and university graduates, employees and consumers of tomorrow.
> GenZ are identified with four characteristics that differentiate them with other generations
Characteristics 1 Im snappy
GenZ people tend to take the quickest way with everything. They ARE the on demand generation making the on demand
economy explode literary because they want everything now and are to impatient to wait. This goes along with them being big
fans of things being ephemeral, like Snaps on Snapchat; just here for the moment and then disappearing.
It goes hand in hand with Generation Z having a really short attention span loosing interest extremely fast if not given any value
or gratification of some kind. The GEICO insurance ad below is a good example. Everything happens in the first 5 seconds but
is followed by an unexpected minute with their logo in the center. I guess you will watch it all.
> Technological influences
Every generation develops new slang, but with the development of technology, understanding gaps have widened between the
older and younger generations. "The term 'communication skills,' for example, might mean formal writing and speaking abilities
to an older worker. But it might mean e-mail and instant-messenger savvy to a twenty something." [6] People often have private
conversations in secret in a crowded room in todays age due to the advances of mobile phones and text messaging. Among
texters a form of slang or texting lingo has developed, often keeping those not as tech savvy out of the loop. Children
increasingly rely on personal technological devices like cell phones to define themselves and create social circles apart from
their families, changing the way they communicate with their parents. Cell phones, instant messaging, e-mail and the like have
encouraged younger users to create their own inventive, quirky and very private written language. That has given them the
opportunity to essentially hide in plain sight. They are more connected than ever, but also far more independent. Text
messaging, in particular, has perhaps become this generations version of pig Latin."[7]
While in the case with language skills such as shorthand, a system of stenography popular during the twentieth century,
technological innovations occurring between generations have made these skills obsolete. Older generations used shorthand to
be able to take notes and write faster using abbreviated symbols, rather than having to write each word. However, with new

technology and keyboards, newer generations no longer need these older communication skills, like Gregg shorthand. Although
over 20 years ago, language skills such as shorthand classes were taught in many high schools, now students have rarely heard
of or even seen forms like shorthand.[8]
The transitions from each level of lifespan development have remained the same throughout history. They have all shared the
same basic milestones in their travel from childhood, through midlife and into retirement. However, while the pathways remain
the same, i.e. attending school, marriage, raising families, retiring, the actual journey varies not only with each individual, but
with each new generation.[9] For instance, as time goes on, technology is being introduced to individuals at younger and younger
ages. While the Baby Boomers had to introduce Atari and VCRs to their parents, Generation Yers had to teach their parents
how to maneuver such things as DVRs, cell phones and social media. There is a vast difference in Generation Yers and the
Baby Boomers when it comes to technology. In 2011, the National Sleep Foundation conducted a poll that focused on sleep and
the use of technology; 95% of those polled admitted to using some form of technology within the last hour before going to bed
at night. The poll and its associated research was conducted by Michael Gradisar, Ph.D. of Flinders University in Australia. Dr.
Gradisar compared the difference in sleep patterns in those who watched TV or listened to music prior to bedtime compared to
those who used cell phones, video games and the internet.
The study looked at Baby Boomers (ages 4664), Generation Xers (ages 3045), Generation Yers (ages 1929) and
Generation Zers (ages 1318). The research, as expected, showed generational gaps between the different forms of technology
used. The largest gap was shown between texting and talking on the phone; 56% of Gen Zers and 42% of Gen Yers admitted
to sending, receiving,reading text messages every night within one hour prior to bedtime, compared to only 15% of Gen Xers
and 5% of Baby Boomers. Baby Boomers were more likely to watch TV within the last hour prior to bedtime, 67%, compared
to Gen Yers who came in at 49%. When asked about computer/internet use within the last hour prior to bedtime, 67% of those
polled admitted to using a computer a few times a week, and from those, 55% of the Gen Zers said they surf the web every
night before bed.[10]
> Generational consciousness
Generational consciousness is another way of distinguishing among generations that was worked on by social scientist Karl
Mannheim. Generational consciousness is when a group of people become mindful of their place in a distinct group identifiable
by their shared interests and values. Social, economic, or political changes can bring awareness to these shared interests and
values for similarly-aged people who experience these events together, and thereby form a generational consciousness. These
types of experiences can impact individuals' development at a young age and enable them to begin making their own
interpretations of the world based on personal encounters that set them apart from other generations. [17]
The 20 Differences Between The Baby Boomers And Generation-Y
This generation is not like any other generation in history. We are evolving fast due to the rise in technology and it is changing
the way we go about things. Our own evolution has been coupled with the evolution of society as a whole, because we are
coming of age and beginning to fill in the roles that past generations have left for us.
The way things worked in the past is changing drastically and we are introducing a new way of doing things. This is not to say
that the way things have progressed have always been for the better. Some changes have actually regressed our impact on
society, while others helped us move forward.
We are an entitled generation that is used to being spoon fed everything while those before us worked hard for everything that
they currently have. Some fundamental differences include the way we communicate with one another to the way we date. Lets
see how our generation fares with that of the Baby Boomer generation. Here are the 20 differences between the Baby Boomers
and Generation-Y.
They work for theirs

The Baby Boomer generation understood that the world doesnt owe them anything. No one is going to be there to spoon feed
you through life and it is your responsibility to make something of yourself. They were a more independent generation, as they
didnt really have much of a crutch to lean on in comparison to our generation.
We feel entitled to everything
We are such an entitled generation, were babied by our parents and society and it has really damaged our work ethic and the
way we go about life. We expect things to be done for us and if something requires a little extra work or concentration, we are
easily deterred from doing it. If we want to be successful in this day and age, it is required of us that we move past this idea of
entitlement and actually get to work.
Theyre more inclined to listen to what they are told and to follow the laws of society.
They have totally bought into this whole idea that society knows whats best for them. Many Baby Boomers did the whole high
school, to college, to 9 to 5 with benefits and retirement thing and were completely fine with it. Although this may have worked
for them, we must understand that times are different now. Because of the way it worked back then, they are more inclined to
follow the rules and live the way society has shaped them to.
We are more rebellious
Our generation has this chip on its shoulder that for some reason makes it difficult to respect authority. Now this is not to say
that we are a wild generation full of barbarians, but we are a generation that has trouble keeping within the guidelines that
society has laid out for us. Then again this could stem from the fact that we see that the road society has paved for us leads to a
menial 9 to 5, with a bunch of student debt to pay off.
They deal with what they have
The Baby Boomers saw both a time of great need and great prosperity. Many of these people witnessed the tail-end of the Great
Depression, as well as the end of WWII. Times were hard and it has helped the Baby Boomers appreciate all that they are given.
They know that resources are limited and that they have to be more resourceful with what they have
We constantly want more
Our generation has been given everything since we were born. We never really had to work hard for anything and that has
translated into the habits we develop today. Being that we were always given what we wanted, many of us dont appreciate the
simple things around us. We are very wasteful and are always looking for more, rather than being content with what we have.
They got beatings
The Baby Boomers had it rough when it came to punishment; however, there is nothing quite like tough love. It actually
whipped them into shape and made stepping out of line seem daunting, as there would be consequences for your actions. If you
had a fresh mouth with your parents back in the day, you would receive a quick slap to the mouth, now this would make you
rethink being wise to your parents next time you were presented the opportunity.
We get timeout
We are one of the softest generations because we have trouble listening to rules and regulations. This is in part due to the
consequences of our actions. Now when we get in trouble, instead of getting a swift slap to the mouth, we get timeout. Now we
all know time out is a slap on the wrist compared to actually getting a beating. Our generation takes full advantage of these light
punishments and that is why we are more inclined not to listen after.
They have great attention spans
The Baby Boomers have been blessed with the gift of great attention spans. Although they may not be working on a project that
they wholeheartedly are interested in, they still somehow find a way to dig deep and get the work done. For them, paying

attention isnt really a problem, as they are used to taking time with their projects and dont seek instant gratification for their
work.
We have no attention span
Apparently everyone in our generation has some form of ADHD. Many of us claim that we cant even complete work without
Adderall. This is kind of pathetic as ADHD has only become a prevalent issue in our time and no generation seems to milk this
more than ours. It is time we stop using this as an excuse not to get our work done. Although it is understandable that if we are
not passionate about something, we wont be able to pay attention to it; we cant always choose the things we want to work on.
They smoked weed and used psychedelics to get high
Even down to the drugs of choice, our generations are different. The Baby Boomers were a chill generation that loved to smoke
weed and use psychedelics. They sought amusement in mind-altering states, hence the reasons why they used the drugs they
did. They liked to see things in a different light and raise questions as to why society works the way it does.
We take prescription drugs to get high
As society and technology evolves, so does the drugs that we consume. With the advancement of medicine, the modern day
drug of choice has slowly evolved from weed smoking and psychedelics to full on prescription drugs. Kids these days are
addicted to pills, like pain killers and even uppers like Adderall. We do like to party hard and cant help, but take a few pills here
and there to get us going.
They had to trust someone to meet them at a location
Since cell phones were not in existence yet, it was extremely important for people to trust each other. Once people agreed upon
meeting at a certain location, they had to rely on the other person to be there as well. This left a lot of rendezvous up to trust,
relying on the person to be there on time.
We text someone to meet them at a certain location
Today it is hard to trust someone to meet you at a location on time. Therefore, even after we decide on a location and time we
still text each other multiple times to confirm and follow up. This shows that we are less trusting and more reliant on our
technology than our ability to actually be on time.
They experienced real life flirting and dating
The Baby Boomers were never concerned with being catfished, as everything they did in regards to dating and flirting was done
in person. If you wanted to date someone, you had to be there to actually meet them and talk to them. Although phones did
exist, people still had to meet in order to spend time with each other.
We experience more online dating and we rely on social networks
Catfishing is a huge part of this generation, and some people seek enjoyment in catfishing others. This is due to the fact that we
heavily rely on the internet and social media for dating and meeting people. Before we even get to know someone, we know
something about them because of social media. People can search you up without ever meeting you and this leads to many fake
accounts and time spent talking to fake people.
They marched
When it came to speaking out against any injustices in society, the Baby Boomers were out in full force to march and protest.
Due to the lack of social media, many relied on the strength of their unified voice rather than the strength of a unified comment
or status. By actually putting in the effort and marching or protesting issues that needed to be questioned or changed, they were
passionate enough to make things happen.
We advocate through Facebook statuses

Our generation relies heavily on social media. This also extends into the way we voice ourselves on social issues. Instead of
getting down and dirty and marching or holding a protest, we are more inclined to voice our opinion directly on a Facebook
status or Twitter. This was especially evident in the whole Kony 2012 ordeal, where nothing was really done besides that fact
that people put up these amazing supportive statuses in hopes of results.
They say it to your face
Back in the day when someone had an issue with you, they would either keep to themselves or personally confront you. This
was the proper way of dealing with issues because if you werent ready to brawl to protect yourself, then you were in trouble.
This was an error where people had no problem settling things face to face, which is a far cry from what goes on today.
We say it on Twitter
Today there are hardly any face-to-face confrontations. Theres no longer a sense of honor, as now everyone hides behind a
computer screen. In our generation, there is a huge population of Twitter thugs. These people use tweets and subtweets to
actually handle issues which is extremely soft. There is nothing worse than someone who decides to handle issues over
Twitter. It just proves that you are soft and it also blows up everyones feed with nonsense.
Essay on generation gap- the differences between your generation and others.
:Do you believe there is a generation gap? Describe the differences between your generation and others.
As generations come and go, they each possess individual values, attitudes, and goals that strike them apart from other
generations. A gap has always been noted between the current generation and the others before it. Acting like a barrier, it keeps
the different generations distinct. A number of factors plays a role in the creation of this barrier. The previous generations have
played a big role in shaping the newest generation by offering more help to them. Also, my generation seems to have developed
a different attitude about life and themselves. Lastly, open mindedness is easily seen among my generation. These numerous
aspects all make up my generation and how they live today.
My generation has received more help from the previous generation than they received when they were my age. People from the
previous generation did not get things handed out to them. They had to work hard and struggle to earn a nice life. Now since
they have achieved this and have the ability to make life easier for their future generations, they provide help for my generation
so they would not have to go through the same hardships they had to endure. Also, new and improved technology that has been
developed from previous generations has helped my generation tremendously. With tools such as computers, the internet and
cell phones, finding new information and communication have been easier than ever. And lastly, previous generations did not
have the scholarship opportunities that my generation has today. This also put them at a disadvantage and made them work
harder to achieve their aspirations. My generation definitely has it easier and has more opportunities to succeed than the
previous generations; however this has caused a difference in attitude among my generation also.
My generation's attitude about life is very unique compared to other generations' attitude. Laziness, selfishness, and greed have
infected my generation. Since the previous generations have made life so much easier for us, many do not truly appreciate it and
take it for granted. Many members of my generation are entirely self-focused. They only care about what they want and how
soon they can get it. Many lack the value of hard work and achievement. It is rare to see someone genuinely work hard for
something and not expect it to be dished out to them. Also, they have this mentality that they can do anything they want without
consequences or punishment. It seems many members of my generation are under this false illusion. It may relate back to how
the previous generation has treated our generation today. It seems my generation today takes the things the previous generation
does for them for granted because they did not have to earn it themselves. This attitude sets a distinction between my generation
and the others.
The last key factor that makes my generation different is their open mindedness. The older generation seems to be more closed
minded to different ideas and viewpoints, while my generation seems to embrace them. The previous generations have stricter
mindsets about sex, while my generation is less uptight about it. Also my generation seems more willing to accept ideas of
homosexuality, while previous generations are completely against it. Many members of the previous generations seem to be
against interracial relationships, while members of my generation do not see anything wrong with it. The previous generation
seems to stay strong to what values they have learned and stick with them no matter what, while my generation seems to
question such values and learn to form opinions their selves.

Difference between my generation and previous generations are made evident through their different experiences, attitudes, and
values. There will always be a gap between my generation and the previous ones before it. Our ideals and thoughts and different
from the previous generations and they are unable to understand ours, like we are unable to understand theirs. Help my
generation has received in varies forms (monetary, technology, and opportunities) has made my generation have the most
chance to do well in life than previous generations. However, this help has also made my generation less grateful, and we take
more things for granted than the other generations. Lastly, our generation seems to be more accepting of taboo ideas that
previous generations have frowned on. All of these elements show how my generation is evolving from the previous generations
and shows how different my generation is compared to the other generations that came before us.
Younger generation is more practical than older generation
With the advancement of technology, luxury and a palette of options available, the younger generation are naturally
practical. They need not take extra efforts to a practical approach.
For

They are optimistic and ambitious.

Earlier on, people fell easily for emotions whether it was for family or friends. Todays youth can equally
balance emotions.

Science has made life very easy for the generation today. Accessing someone today isnt as difficult as it
was earlier, when people relied on telegrams!

Even though the younger lot is considered to be impatient, their impatience is because they dont want to
waste time.

The young generation wishes to explore all possible horizons.

Thanks to the social networking sites, younger generation is more enterprising. Their ides are practical.

Due to the adverse competition, their practical perspective leaves with no time for ethical issues like ego,
arrogance, emotions etc.

Against

Most of the times over smartness shown by youngsters put them in trouble.

Older generation has seen life and hence they know the pros and cons of every situation. They have a
natural ability to do so.

Older generation can better judge people since they have met so many in their life.

Due to their over practical nature, it puts them more in depression and hence suicide rates are more.

It is seen that most of the crimes are committed by the younger generation who get influences from TV and
cinema.

At times the greed of money and publicity makes them do something they are not supposed to.

Older generation being more practical and intelligent can easily point out the difference between wrong and
right.

All said and done, a generation gap will always persist. Youngsters of today will drive the world tomorrow. With the
advancement of technology and ease of living, generation to come will be even more practical!
There are vast different between our generation and our parent generations. Our parents generations were thinking
were restricted to his family and his native, but our generations thinking are related to our nation as well as whole
world.
Our parents generations were not thinking about world. They were just thinking that how we can earn enough
money for fulfilling a basic need of family. This generations people are thinking that we have to earn lots of money
for giving luxurious life to our family. Olden people were thinking that women had to just handle the family and her
child. But in the new era women have to handle the family as well as the women have to become educated and do the
job. Olden generation people were thinking that if you want to earn more money then we have to leave our country
and settled in abroad country. By going abroad we have got a name and fame both. Olden generation people were
thinking that children have to handle the business of our parents. They have no need to do the job. While todays
generations are thinking that children have to do the in the company
Olden generations people were thinking that, farming is best business is good and job is worst. New generation
people are thinking that, job is best business is good and farming is worst. Olden generation people mostly preferred
farming but this generation prefers job.
As per above discussed points I personally believe that their are big generation gap between parents generation and
our generation. Parents generations thinking were limited to family, while our generation thinking is broad minded.

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