I woke up today and decided I don't want any trouble. I just want to drink my water, wear my oversized t-shirt, and mind my business. But then I opened my phone and shocker, the internet is still talking about Gen Z. The obsession is on another level. Every small thing: "Gen Z this, Gen Z that."

The "Office Daughter" Chronicles

You'd see these tweets from HR managers and you just have to laugh. It’s always: "My Gen Z staff asked for a 'mental health break' just because she complained the environment is getting unbearably toxic for her. Oh, the humanity!"

People act like Gen Zs are some kind of aliens that don't understand the concept of work. They say we have "no resilience." But is it "lack of resilience" or is it just that we realized that "dying for the company" doesn't actually result in the company paying for your funeral? We’ve seen our parents work for thirty years only to be "appreciated" with a clock and a handshake. Sorry, but we’d rather have our mental health and a clear "log-off" time at 5 PM.

If choosing peace of mind over a toxic boss makes us "entitled," then please, give us the crown! We grew up in a world that is constantly "loud," so we are just trying to find some quiet. When we say we want a "work-life balance," we aren't saying we won't work. We are just saying we’d like to see the sun before it goes down. Is that not a beautiful thing? We want to be able to enjoy the life we are working so hard for. If that’s "entitlement," then maybe the world needs a little more of it.

The 2016 Amnesia

This is the one that sends me the most. You’ll see a tweet saying: "Gen Z will never know the struggle of using a Nokia 3310." Excuse me? I was there! I played Snake Xenzia until my thumbs were sore!

People act like anything that happened before 2018 is "Ancient History" that Gen Z couldn't possibly have witnessed. They see someone born in 1998 and call them "Gen Z" in a derogatory way, forgetting that the person is literally almost 30 years old.

When exactly do they think Gen Z starts? During the 2020 Corona pandemic? Some people genuinely think anyone who likes TikTok was born in 2015. They see the two new generations (Gen Alpha and whatever comes after) and they just dump all of them into the Gen Z bucket. It’s like they’ve run out of names for younger people.

The "Jealousy" Factor

Well, I do think they are just jealous. 😂

They are jealous that we can say "No" to a boss without shivering. They are jealous that we can build a whole career from our bedrooms with just a ring light and "vibes." They are jealous that we don't think suffering is a badge of honor.

Back in the day, you had to "suffer for ten years" before you could buy a car. Now, a Gen Z is doing "UGC Content" and buying a Lexus at 22, and it’s giving "Premium Chest Pain."

If people are this obsessed with Gen Z folks, we must be doing something right, don't you think? It’s giving "Main Character" energy.

If we dress well, it’s "fast fashion." If we talk about our feelings, it’s "woke culture." If we decide not to stay in a job that makes us cry, we are "unserious."

I think the older generations just miss being the "young ones." They see us figuring things out, choosing our peace, and building careers in ways they never thought possible, and it’s a lot to take in.

Instead of being "vawulent" back, I think we should just be soft. When an uncle says, "You Gen Zs don't know how to work hard," just smile and say, "You’re right, Uncle. We work smart instead. Would you like me to show you how to use ChatGPT?" Finish them with kindness and a really nice Instagram filter.

The Bottom Line

To everyone who is tired of the Gen Z labels: Just keep being your "unserious," soft-hearted self. We didn't offend anyone. We just decided that life is too short to be miserable for the sake of "tradition." We know what a Nokia is, we know how to work hard, and we definitely know when we are being scammed. We don't need to fight anyone to prove we are hardworking or "resilient." Our results will speak for us. And to the people who can't stop talking about us: We see you and we love you. If you can't beat us, download TikTok, buy a ring light and join us 😂