Gen Z Adults Can Barely Handle 9 Responsibilities That Gen X Kids Had No Choice But To Do
dekazigzag / ShutterstockMany young people today feel overwhelmed and alone. Not only are they facing all kinds of challenges that are unique to this period of time, but they’re being collectively judged as lazy and entitled, even if that isn't true.
As far as people in older generations are concerned, many of the responsibilities Gen X had no choice but to take on are seriously difficult for Gen Z to handle. Much of this is because Gen Z has come of age in a world with more technology and the ever-increasing availability of convenience, which has changed daily life and perceptions of what it means to be independent. These formerly everyday tasks that younger people now struggle with highlight just how dramatically childhood expectations have changed over the past few decades.
Adults in Gen Z can barely handle the same responsibilities Gen X kids had no choice but to take on when they were younger
1. Figuring out what to do when you're bored
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Many Gen Zers are never bored because they always have some kind of entertainment or stimulation to fall back on. While having the TV on in the background or doomscrolling might help them feel more comfortable in the moment, these distractions ultimately put their mental health at risk, as they become dependent on stimulation and more anxious about spending time alone.
Gen X kids spent their childhoods with outdoor games and social activities as buffers to boredom, so they are better prepared to come up with ways to fill their downtime. And, even when they couldn't, they were't not afraid of the stillness.
2. Making new friends
Young people today are struggling to connect socially, largely because of the impact of their computers and phones. While many make friends in online communities, in person, they suffer from bouts of social anxiety and isolation.
Making friends may not be easy for most adults, but Gen X gained plenty of foundational skills during their unstructured childhoods, when they had plenty of opportunities to meet new people.
3. Finding their way to different places
Gen Xers have adapted to modern GPS navigation systems, but they also know how to use a paper map. In contrast, Gen Z has never needed to do anything but search online.
Without a phone on them, Gen Z is too directionally challenged to handle the responsibility of finding their way to someplace they've never been before. At the very least, Gen X can look at a paper map in order to get somewhere, because back in their day, doing that was the only option.
4. Behaving in socially acceptable ways meant to make other people comfortable
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Some experts say that Gen Z’s signature blank stare is no more than a generational behavioral pattern and that older folks should simply get used to it. But Gen Z's blunt deadpan facial expression tends to make people in older generations increasingly annoyed or uncomfortable. Whether this stare is a side effect of Gen Z spending more time on their phones than interacting with people in person or their high levels of social anxiety, they often struggle with basic social etiquette that their parents learned in childhood.
Even when talking to someone who’s being strange or asking them for something unrealistic at work, Gen X learned to manage their facial expressions and tone of voice to avoid making others feel judged or unheard.
5. Complex problem solving
With TikTok and Google to rely on for quick and easy answers, young people don’t have to worry about using their critical thinking skills to solve problems on their own. They believe they can use ChatGPT and search engines to think for them, even though we're starting to learn that doing so can actually dull their minds in the long term.
This dependence on digital help is part of the reason Gen Z collectively scored lower on standardized tests than previous generations. Their Gen X parents, who grew up without cell phones or laptops, learned how to research possible answers and figure out how to deal with any situation that arose on their own.
6. Exercising patience
Our culture loves instant gratification. Given that it's rooted in comfort and convenience, it’s no shock that young people who grew up with cell phones aren’t interested in waiting for pretty much anything.
Rates of narcissism are actually rising because Gen Z has been socialized into having everything at their fingertips all the time. Being able to buy almost anything they want immediately online, for example, has young people struggling with patience in ways their Gen X parents had no choice but to master as kids.
7. Saving money
Gen Z is facing the same financially difficult times as older generations, but dealing with this right as they are taking off on their own as independent young adults means they are finding it extra difficult to save money or invest. Feeling as though they will never save enough for big purchases like a home, they spend on small items daily to comfort themselves and push back.
Gen X was raised with much more frugal attitudes, where saving was a natural obligation. Whether they contributed to the household or not, Gen X had to learn to appreciate the value of a dollar, and they were better off for it.
8. Making meals from scratch
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The cost of groceries and a fear of cooking are all keeping many young people from regularly preparing meals for themselves from scratch. Especially when their parents did most of the cooking for them when they were growing up and didn’t give them much room, if any, to practice, they may also lack skills that would help them feel comfortable in the kitchen.
Compared to Gen X, who spent a ton of their time alone at home, young people are behind. Their parents had to make meals for themselves completely alone and feed their siblings as the eldest sons and daughters. They were expected to learn by doing, and it wasn’t a choice.
9. Talking on the phone
Many young people are now dealing with phone anxiety, where even picking up an unexpected phone call feels like the end of the world. Whether it’s a work call or a FaceTime from a friend, they’re no strangers to ignoring people and letting calls go straight to voicemail. They prefer offline emails and texts.
While Gen X has adapted to texting and emailing as primary forms of communication in many environments, that doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate the efficiency of a phone call. Especially considering they grew up with phone calls as one of their main form of communication outside of in-person interactions, they’re used to them and actually enjoy them.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
