People Raised In The 70s, 80s & 90s Don’t Understand Why Gen Z Gets Offended By 8 Everyday Things
Andrii Zastrozhnov | ShutterstockGen Z is trying to find its own way in the world, and that means disrupting the status quo. But some of the stuff that seems to offend the youngsters is a little confounding to the older gens, specifically people raised in the '70s, '80s, and '90s.
There’s already plenty of intergenerational tension and resentment, so this disconnect isn't something new. They don’t understand the world in the same way, and that doesn't make anyone wrong. The key is to find common ground by discussing each other's differing opinions and recognizing that the kids are just doing what they're supposed to do.
People raised in the '70s, '80s, and '90s just don't get why Gen Zers have a bee in their bonnet about these everyday things:
1. Being criticized for complaining
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So many older generations believe that work ethic comes from resilience and inner strength. They don’t speak about struggling, because, to them, calm confidence and doing things without complaining are virtues. Going through struggles and managing hardship without needing to ask for help is a superpower, at least to them.
But younger people have different ideas about struggling and how that relates to mental health. They don't believe in suppressing emotions. They don't want to power through the hard times to prove themselves, and that's admirable. The thing everyone needs to remember is that there is a place between being driven solely by emotions and being tough and resilient. It's all about finding balance.
2. What actually constitutes humor
No, Gen Z’s not humorless, but they are offended by so many jokes that other generations find harmless. Whether it’s making jokes about politics or personal beliefs, Gen Z is more sensitive to jokes that feel more like they come at the expense of another person's comfort.
Especially when they come from a person in a generation they already have plenty of tension with, cruelty and passive-aggressiveness framed as humor doesn’t do anyone any favors.
3. Comments about body shapes and sizes
Growing up with social media has made Gen Zers highly sensitive to comments about body types and weight. Especially for women who are often subjected to this kind of criticism from a young age, this approach should help everyone.
But things are murky in today's world. The body positivity of the 2010s is being overtaken again by the thinness that plagued the days of Twiggy as a fashion icon, all the way through the fat-shaming and low-rise jeans era of the late '90s and early aughts.
Gen Zers think the best route is not to talk about bodies at all, but that's not a solution when it's obvious that things aren't heading in the right direction. We should be talking about what's healthy in a respectful way that has nothing to do with beauty standards at all.
4. Bragging about having a poor work-life balance
Whether it’s getting emails outside working hours or being around a boss who expects them to work through the weekend, many young people are easily offended by corporate culture that undermines work-life balance. To them, that’s one of their top priorities at work, sometimes above compensation.
Of course, they’re offended when their boundaries aren’t respected or when their bosses hold them to a rigid workplace standard they’re actively trying to challenge. They’re frustrated because their ideas of success look a lot different from other generations.
5. Unexpected phone calls
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So many young people are now grappling with phone anxiety, in addition to struggling with face-to-face conversations and social interactions.
This is totally baffling to older people who grew up using a phone as a lifeline to their social lives. Teens would beg parents in the '80s to have their own phone in their bedroom. Today, everyone has a phone and Gen Z won't talk on it. That is a bit hard to understand.
6. People who make fun of therapy
More than 42% of Gen Zers have sought mental health support from a professional. Therapy hasn’t become a solution to a huge problem, but a routine that feels like self-care, much like working out or eating right is.
That’s why they’re frustrated when they’re looked down on for going to therapy. They’re offended when someone makes fun of therapy, not realizing how much they’d benefit from going regularly. However, for so many older generations, the mental health stigma they’ve grown up with still feels impossible to unwind.
7. Being called lazy
Plenty of young people are lazy, much like plenty of millennials and Gen Xers are, too. However, the label of “lazy” being used against young people feels especially hurtful and offensive, because it’s usually targeting the kinds of values that they believe in.
From setting boundaries with their families to protecting their work-life balance, just because they’re not hustling at their own expense doesn’t mean they’re lazy.
8. Feeling forced into specific gender stereotypes
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While there are still plenty of young people who are adopting traditional ideas about gender roles, Gen Z as a whole has a more progressive approach. They are more comfortable expressing gender in different ways and rejecting even titles like Mister and Miss.
While older generations use them as a sign of respect, having their gender assumed by the way they look can sometimes feel offensive to Gen Zers, even when it’s not intentionally malicious.
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.
