Gen Xers would come to be known as one of the “least parented, least nurtured generations in U.S. history,” with parents divorcing at historic rates as both mom and dad worked in pursuit of an American Dream.
If you haven't heard much about Gen X, it's because they're known as "the forgotten generation." Born between 1965 and 1980, Gen X has fallen to the wayside of the media darlings they're bookended by — millennials and baby boomers.
The "Me" generation is a term referring to Baby Boomers in the United States and the self-involved qualities that some people associate with this generation. The 1970s was dubbed the "Me decade" by writer Tom Wolfe; Christopher Lasch wrote about the rise of a culture of narcissism among younger Baby Boomers.
Gen Z is also the smartest and best educated generation. Having an unlimited wealth of information at our disposal has not gone to waste. In America, 57 percent of Gen Z is reported to have enrolled in a two-year or four-year college, compared to 52 percent of Millenials and 43 percent of Gen X.
As generational stereotypes go, I nominate Gen X to be, without a doubt, known as "The Coolest Generation." Baby Boomers (1946 to 1964) started off on the right track with the hippie movement in the '60s, but soon became the folks that brought us the “Me Decade,” yuppies, and President Trump.
Baby Boomers. That's right; adults aged 57 to 70 years old are the most active on a weekly basis, completing on average 215 minutes a week.
Gen Z's awareness and approach to mental health can have a positive influence on their parenting by allowing them to be emotionally healthy and drivers of open communication. It can also help shape a future generation that will understand, accept, and seek to treat their own mental health issues.
Millennials are arguably the hardest working generation in the workforce today, albeit how they approach work looks drastically different than their older counterparts. Boomers typically approach work in a hierarchical structure.
Generation Z has often been labelled as lazy, but that is due to the growth in the efficiency of life with more technology. Self-absorbed.
As the kids would say, it's pretty cringe. That's a Gen-Z term that essentially means the same thing as cringey. A silly slang term, but then, each generation comes up with such words. If you're Extremely Online, like I am, then you are probably familiar with the Zoomer dialect.
The Silent Generation, also known as the Traditionalist Generation, is the Western demographic cohort following the Greatest Generation and preceding the Baby Boomers. The Silent Generation is generally defined as people born from 1928 to 1945.
However, Gen Z can at times be more cynical and favour a more realistic outlook compared to idealism and are not as in tune to a time prior to social media. Lastly, 25% of Gen Z believe they should only stay in a job for a year or less, showing minimal organisational loyalty.
Overwhelming student debt. The climate crisis. Low salaries. Members of the Gen Z and millennial generations cite them all as reasons they don't want to bear or raise children.
While 83 percent of people born between 1928 and 1945 (dubbed “the Silent Generation”) were married by age 37, researchers predict that Gen Z - born between 1997 and 2012 - are marrying far less.
Gen Z is big into exercising.
Forty-eight percent of Gen Z adults exercise several times per week, and an additional near quarter do so several times per month. That's above average when compared to the general population.
Being a young generation of up-and-coming entrepreneurs, the Gen Z-ers prioritize mental health while running their business, often choosing fitness as a way to build mental fortitude, resilience, and a healthier mindset.
Researchers found that, compared to previous generations, members of Generation X and Generation Y showed poorer physical health, higher levels of unhealthy behaviors such as alcohol use and smoking, and more depression and anxiety.
Research also indicates that Gen Zers are currently the most stressed demographic of people. The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that: 90% of Gen Z experienced psychological or physical symptoms as a result of stress in the last year.
The Economist has described generation Z as a better-educated, well-behaved, stressed, and depressed generation compared to previous generations. Gen Z is also more ethnically diverse and familiar with gender-neutral pronouns.
Gen Z Terms and Definitions
Pew Research recently defined Gen Z as anyone born 1997 onwards. Gen Z grew up with technology, the internet, and social media, which sometimes causes them to be stereotyped as tech-addicted, anti-social, or “social justice warriors.”