Gen-Z is a weird generation in the scheme of things. We date far less than any previous generation. Something like 50% of men between the ages of 18 and 25 say they've never had sex or been in a relationship before. The rates for workforce participation have also been steadily decreasing every year as young people decide to abandon the workforce and stop looking for work in general. Zoomers are falling behind on every major milestone from getting their drivers license to having their first kiss.
We've also seen a major increase in things like anxiety, PTSD, BPD, Bipolar etc. It's a stereotype that zoomers lack resilience and get burned out easily. Normal things seem to negatively impact them in ways that make life difficult to live.
I'm a zoomer. I know a bunch of zoomers. Many of us are finding ourselves unable to cope with adult life. It impacts both men and women in large numbers.
Hot take: Zoomers aren't just being lazy assholes, they actually have some form of autism. Idk if it's from the vaccines or the food or something else but there's definitely a very different psychological form emerging with each generation that hasn't existed with these numbers in the past. Young people genuinely have a much lower threshold for pain and exhaustion and need a lot of time to recharge after doing anything social or productive. They're afraid of the world and generally feel unequipped. This isn't everyone, but it's a big enough percentage to seriously impact society.
I think they will ultimately have a lot of influence. Society can't function when as much as half of the population isn't cut out for it. We're already seeing institutions change with safe spaces and stuff like that. I think society is slowly adapting to the reality that a huge percentage of our population now has neurodivergent traits. The world will look very different when they outnumber more adaptive types.
I blame it on helicopter moms and dads that have taken the resilience out of you guys. Every decision no matter how small is taken away from you guys even till an older age. Kids are watched like a hawk. Mom is never more than earshot away and quickly there to soothe any problems or aches. No wonder you guys don’t know what to do. Failure is a necessary step to success.
Also the lack of disciplinary action or negative feedback is a contributor.
Both points obviously broad strokes but its been dominant in parental culture to have impact on how kids are raised vs the previous generations that were given much less parental supervision and honestly were forced to grow up much younger.
Helicopter moms and dads sometimes are a very good thing, depending.
We raised two (ages 34 & 31 now) I stayed home from my high-paying job, made them healthy, un-corrupted food, taught them life skills such as: listening, spatial awareness, thinking, analysing, morals, ethics, common sense, healthy food prep and choices, mathematics, language, reading, spelling, history, athletics (football, gymnastics, ballet, track, cheerleading, piano lessons), personal responsibility, kindness, non-discrimination and standing up for themselves and others. They also learned to do laundry, house cleaning, ironing, lawn mowing, and meal prep.
Yes I was a helicopter mother. They went to public school, but I drove them there and picked them up every day. I asked them about their day, went over their homework with them, gave them extra work to do and considered every moment with them as a teaching moment.
We sacrificed very much to give them both a university education in useful fields. Both graduated with honors and have obtained good jobs.
Both have been on their own, paying their own bills, solving their own problems for many years and are truly decent, kind and helpful people.
One is happily making mid-six figures in a firm where his analysis, mathematical proficiency and ethics makes him a valuable and well-regarded asset.
The other is also making six figures working for a major television network, due to her talent in analysis, outstanding writing, spelling and speaking skills and willingness to work long hours and produce an outstanding product.
We see them and/or speak to them multiple times each month, they seek out our opinion and as their parents, have no doubt that 'The kids will be all right.'
I'm not going to lie. It was very hard work, expensive, anguish-filled and often thankless at times. All-in-all, they turned out very well and that is all I can ask for.
Good for you but I did say I was using broad strokes in my comment.
You were NOT a helicopter parent. You got the definition wrong. You were a stellar parent is what you were. You took their well being and education in your own hands. I am positive you also let your kids be kids. Did you follow them on dates? Did you insist on meeting the parents of someone they dated before dated? I bet you didn't. Becuz you were NOT a helicopter parent.
OK. Well thanks. And you are right, I did not follow them on their dates or things like that.
This- I do believe that not having any time alone w/out adults around has hurt them. They were never able to skip school or an amber alert would go off! Or hike in the woods with just themselves or a friend. I do feel bad for them. They’ve never had true autonomy.
100%. ^^^ This ^^^
Blaming the collective weakness on that entire generation on food and shit is stupid as fuk. I 100% agree vaxes cause issues. No doubt.
Im GenX. Our parents smoked in the car with the windows up. Seatbelts were optional at best. We drank from garden hoses that were loaded with carcinogens. Ask me about LAWN DARTS. Thats the short list of insanity we survived.
That said … I employ about 10 GenZers in a small biz. They are great kids with issues typical of any teenager, from any generation. They have work ethic because their parents played Fuck Around and Find Out. Thats who I target to hire … kids whose parents are hard working and christian. My best workers have asian grandparents (mostly Korean here). Those little fuckers work their ass off and do as they are asked. I love them. Awesome kids.
That generation are not 100% fucked up. Just the ones whose parents were fuckin lazy and worthless.