Gen Z’s Are The Swiping Generation
Whether we agree to it or not, people like to categorize or put us in a box that we either fit it or can be placed in by how we act, talk, or think. In this current time and era of our world and society, we are a social media-based culture. “Social media helps nurture the growth of another major part of our internet culture.”(Tam, 2017) Ok, great. That all sounds wonderful but more so precisely, Gen Z’s are truly the swiping generation of our culture because they were raised as tech babies/teens. It’s apart of who they are in some form or another it’s their identity. Yes, Millenials play a part, but most still know how to flip a page or even use the trees if need be. We will problem solve in the ways if that means adjusting to what used to be. Please bare with me and hear me out about the tech teens. Let’s be generous and say half grew up with the accessibility of technology and the others still had to use those dusty old trees, aka books, woof.
There can be a lot of mockery and almost anger, and it seems from the older generations that the baby boomers are very bold and not reticent with their words. They will share just how they feel about how the world is using and upgrading rapidly with technology. Yes, some are reluctant to change, but it’s a whole other level for the Gen Z’s and their attitude towards this world with the level of influence social media has on them and their daily decisions.
If you aren’t aware of just how consumed Gen Z’s are with technology and social media, then you must live under a rock. But if you live under a rock then you must be panicking a little as the wifi would be so little down there…People who are addicted to theirs have an ability to “panic so much that they panic that they have lost their smartphone.”(Bradley University) So, come up and grab some fresh air and see for themselves just how a Gen Z gestures how to answer a phone. Or perhaps ask them when the last time they used an actual book that is not a magazine but maybe a dictionary or if you are feeling spicy, a thesaurus. Here’s the thing though, there is no shame in how these kiddos were raised or what they know. You only see what you and you don’t see what you don’t know. It’s nurture versus nature. There are upsides for sure to evolving and changing, but then with bigger upgrades comes more significant responsibility. And for some, they may not know how to operate in a world without technology, without wifi or the resources problem solving because one is reliant on their smartphone access.
We then proceed to ask those burning questions we all have. Why do the Gen Z’s do what they do? What is it with social media that they need to be swiping so much? Why do they need to refresh and hit refresh and hit refresh so many times? It’s a form of addiction for sure, and that dopamine hit gets them every single time they click, the-shiny-new-addiction-that-glows-buzzes-and-flashes, or hit refresh.
So, is this an issue to lose sleep over and have your blood pressure burst through the roof? Probably not. Baby boomers should probably just calm down a bit as they too use social media, whether that’s the go-to of“YouTube or Facebook”(Ospino, 2020) they still are getting their dopamine hits. However, instead of being resistant or head-on avoidant of this change, start with just accepting the world for where it’s at. As much as the baby boomers want to control or not accept reality for what it is, there are massive positives to being a tech teen and have efficient technology accessibility at the swipe of your fingers rather than not. Either way, evolving will happen, but it’s about how we respond to the change that will determine the outcome of what’s to come.
