“Disturbing images” warnings are what Generation Z (the first fully digital native group) is used to encountering in their lingua franca: social media posts. Islamist militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on Saturday, sparking the region’s worst war in 50 years.Within three days, more than 1,500 people died Images of both sides, hard-to-watch videos have taken the internet by storm – via Israeli civilians capturedtortured and killed by Hamas militants, Palestinian civilians scream in griefand the situation in which personnel from both sides tended to the dead and injured in the rubble.
If Gen Z feels like they’ve seen it all, in some ways, they have. This generation, ages 11 to 26, has weathered countless historical events, from a once-in-a-century pandemic to the Jan. 6 insurrection — something American politics has not seen in centuries. event. Then came Europe’s first major ground war since World War II in Ukraine, not to mention market crashes in 2008 and 2020 that were reminiscent of the Great Depression itself. As the first generation of digital natives, Gen Z is experiencing all this through online videos, images and articles, which is visibly shaping their mental health, work attitudes and financial habits.
The Gen Z journalist noted that it’s not surprising that according to a 2023 Edelman survey, 46% of young workers ages 18 to 26 said they are often so upset by what’s happening in the news that they can’t function properly . Report. This compares to 38% of Millennials, 24% of Gen Xers, and 19% of Baby Boomers and older generations.
Everything they do indicates that Gen Z is unhappy with this. From their generally unwavering determination to find purpose in work and push their employers to develop a social conscience, to a sense of hopelessness about their own and the world’s financial future. They have essentially given up on saving money in favor of small “treats” to cope with the greater absurdities of 21st century life.
Consider what life was like three years ago, as Generation Z entered young adulthood and online videos of George Floyd’s murder in May 2020 shocked the nation, leading to a summer of violent Black Lives Matter “Protests and riots. One year later, on January 6, 2021, armed right-wing extremists were seen storming the Capitol following former President Donald Trump’s election defeat.Then came the school shootings, only Frequency increases Since Columbine in 1999, an increasing number of students have used their cell phones to record horrific events and share them online.One of them was the 2018 Parkland shooting, a tragedy that caused The first spokesperson for the post-millennial generation.
Mental health for Gen Z
According to a 2018 report, Gen Z’s mental health is the worst of all generations – 45% of young people say their mental health is “excellent” or “very good” Report By the American Psychological Association.
Of course, one of the main causes of Gen Z’s suffering is climate change.Nearly 7 in 10 Gen Z say they feel anxious when viewing climate change content on social media, according to 2021 Pew Research Center data Report. But they are not just reading about the harmful effects of man-made global warming, they are experiencing the consequences themselves.
Temperatures set records this summer, with July being the hottest month in 100,000 years. As a result, Arizona experienced a month-long heat wave with temperatures above 110 degrees every day. fatal fire Choking smoke from Canadian wildfires has blanketed New York City and the Northeast for days as the Mediterranean coast erupts. Arctic ice melts accelerate.
Unless countries can do that, extreme heat is likely to persist and get worse. Rapidly reduce carbon emissions.This is why Generation Z Care more about sustainability More than any generation before them.Just look at Greta Thunberg: the 20-year-old has become one of the most famous environmental activists known for her speak at the united nations In 2019, some of the harshest criticisms of world leaders were:
“You stole my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. But I am one of the lucky ones,” Thunberg said. “People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are at the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!”
Generation Z in the workplace
By 2030, Generation Z will occupy nearly one third of the American workforce, but they have fundamentally redefined what it means to work.
Gen Z wants a sense of purpose, so they prioritize environmental, social and governance (ESG) in the workplace, which includes sustainability and environmental impact, education and awareness of social issues, and diverse and inclusive boards and Team.
It tracks: About two-thirds of Gen Z say they regularly talk about important social issues at work, according to the Edelman report. They also influence older colleagues in areas such as work-life balance, fair pay, and employer involvement in social issues.
Financial pressures on Gen Z
But let’s not forget that Gen Z has also lived through a global pandemic that shut down the world for nearly two years, two recessions, and a growing student debt crisis that left them with little in the way of savings but immense financial despair.
According to data from Bankrate, about 60% of Gen Z said they are more stressed about money this year than last year poll Starting in July. It’s no surprise—85% of Gen Z say they wouldn’t be able to afford a month’s worth of expenses if they lost their job today.
With young people often hardest hit by inflation as they are most likely to work part-time or low-wage jobs, the economic climate may have left permanent “psychological scars” on Gen Z, one expert says.
“How can young people build careers or wealth if they don’t have jobs and prices of goods and services continue to rise?” Dayo Abinusawa, founder of London’s Awa Business School and former lecturer at Cambridge University’s Judge Business School, previously said wealth.
One fidelity poll Backing up this argument: 45% of 18- to 35-year-olds “don’t think there’s a point in saving until things get back to normal.” Some Gen Zers even have a “money isn’t real” mentality and justify spending money on purchases in the bleak reality “Treat yourself” items are reasonable.
why this is important
Of course, every generation has experienced epoch-making historical events. Millennials remember the 9/11 attacks and the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Baby boomers lived through the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. But no generation has been integrated into the world through the Internet from an early age like Generation Z.
Gen Z is already wielding their power in compelling and sometimes hilarious ways. In June 2020, teenage TikTok users (with the help of K-pop fans) claimed Defeated Trump campaign rally Registering for thousands of tickets with no intention of actually attending. Last summer, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the then-19-year-old activist raised more than $2 million in abortion funds by attacking Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz.
It remains to be seen what Gen Z will do when they enter decision-making positions in the workplace—perhaps they will effectively vent their anger and cynicism, as some have proven to be—but Abinuze warns, “ In a society where young people have few abilities, what will they do?” Having no hope for the future is unsustainable. “
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