11 Things Gen Z Men Don't Seem To Know How To Do Anymore
There are certain skills preventing Gen Z men from reaching their full potential.
Big Shot Theory | Shutterstock Every generation of men faced their own unique challenges. Their identities became a response to the world around them and shaped their behavior. From the strong man mantra of the Baby Boomer generation to the slacker stereotype of Gen Xers, men are just as equally criticized as women during every generational shift. But whether they've learned skills from podcasts, social media, or even the male figures in their life, there are still things Gen Z men don't seem to know how to do anymore.
From birth, men are socially conditioned to do less labor in the home, but as adults they are told they need to be the sole providers. It's confusing ideals like this that just goes to show how society is failing men. Still, being an adult means knowing how to handle the bare minimum life throws your way, and these Gen Z men don't seem up to the challenge.
Here are 11 things Gen Z men don't seem to know how to do anymore
1. Start a conversation beyond a screen
G-Stock Studio | Shutterstock
Men have an obsession with using third-party apps like Snapchat to communicate with women. In fact, a survey by Gitnux found that 72% of Gen Z singles prefer messaging apps over traditional texting as dating communication, with 68% feeling more comfortable being themselves on apps rather than in-person.
We can attribute this to Gen Zers being more technological than social as a generation, but many men in this generation have used it as their primary form of communication. As people mature, these apps, which were once fun in their early 20s, no longer serve them when they want to settle down.
These men likely grew up with nothing but interactions on their phones, which led to fewer real-world interactions down the line. Gen Z men are facing the same social rejection mechanism as older generations, but with less preparation or practice on how to handle them.
2. Fix basic things around the house
MODANO | Shutterstock
Society failed everyone when they gutted vocational education like shop class and auto repair courses in favor of athletic investment. This created a problem, as being unable to repair things inside and outside of the home are one of the many things Gen Z men don't seem to know how to do anymore.
This is a stark contrast to the "fix it yourself" older generations, who were taught how to build and fix things on their own, rather than outsourcing it. More people tend to rent than own homes, but for the very few Gen Z home owners, not knowing how to fix things comes with its own set of drawbacks.
A study from the Federation of Master Builders found that Gen Z homeowners have spent an average of $20,534 to fix botched DIY jobs. These guys aren't completely lost, they are learning through trial and error one YouTube video at a time.
3. Dress up for special occasions
Yavdat | Shutterstock
Style and fashion culture evolve with every generation, and for Gen Z the priority has always been to give off the vibe of not trying too hard. However, according to research from Stitch Fix, 57% of Gen Zers are more likely to skip an office holiday party if their outfit isn't right. While they declare they don't care about what other people think of their outfits, they actually do.
Gen Z is also less bound to tradition, particularly when it comes to expectations around formality and gendered dress codes. For them, social media plays a vital role in what they choose to wear, and follow the same trends that every other generation before them did.
As nice as vintage suits are, many are expensive, and despite Gen Z being the generation that receives the most money, the cost of living has skyrocketed to the point where young men can't afford this type of luxury.
4. Cook without using their phones
Drazen Zigic | Shutterstock
Gen Z can't cook without using their smartphones for tutorial videos. While this may seem like a stereotype, there is some truth to it. A survey by Home Run Inn revealed that 66% of Gen Z admitted to using their smartphones while cooking. This often leads to distractions, with 77% of Gen Zers burning their dishes due to phone use.
Add gender norms into this mix and it's a recipe for disaster — literally. Cooking was often seen as a feminine trait and was encouraged in young girls but discouraged in young boys. In Channel 4's documentary "Boys and Girls Alone," groups of young adolescents were placed in two separate houses to live independently without adult supervision. The results of the experiment were that the boys were chaotic and messy, neglected their hygiene practices, and didn't cook meals but ate junk food instead.
Meanwhile, the girls were much more organized, setting schedules and delegating different chores to each other. Despite there being conflicts, they were more supportive towards one another and were able to solve them constructively.
While controversial, it gave viewers insight into how gender norms affect early childhood development. It makes you wonder whether boys and girls would behave the same way if these norms didn't exist within society.
5. Make a phone call without feeling anxious
Maridav | Shutterstock
There once was a time when men had to call your home to ask you out on a date, and then physically have to prove himself by showing up. But Gen Z men are different, and their inability to pick up the phone and have a conversation with someone is one of the unfortunate things Gen Z men don't seem to know how to do anymore.
Digital communication is what they grew up with and for them, phone calls are too unpredictable. This is especially true in the workplace. A study published by recruitment specialist Robert Walters revealed that 59% of younger workers prefer email and instant messaging rather than phone calls due to high anxiety.
Social anxiety is high among Gen Zers and the only thing that seems to work for them is to hide behind a screen. They have an extreme fear of appearing awkward. For generations that came before them, having an awkward moment never felt good, but they knew it would eventually pass. Gen Z men have to get out of their comfort zone and reach out, especially in their moments of vulnerability.
6. Flirt without using memes
bokan | Shutterstock
Memes have become a distinct form of language and are a frequent mode of nonverbal communication among Gen Zers. They are used to convey information, humor, or sarcasm to express their feelings. While this can be a fun way to communicate and express yourself, it also has downsides. A study published in Acta Psychologica found that the overuse of memes can affect a person's mental well-being, especially if they are negative.
Gen Z men often share these funny expressions to temperature-check potential partners to see if their humor is compatible. Men have a tendency to put their foot in their mouths when talking to potential dates and will try to use humor as a cover for the awkwardness. Not much has changed generationally in this aspect, but Gen Z men have to realize that this method of establishing a connection is shallow.
7. Write in cursive
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A | Shutterstock
There's been a major decline in cursive writing among younger generations. With the rise of technology came typing words out rather than writing them down. This has shown to hinder rather than help us in the long run as, according to a study published by Frontiers in Psychology, handwriting, like writing in cursive, can improve brain function activity better than typing.
Societal change may have failed Gen Zers in this because writing letters to a loved one was considered a beautiful and kind gesture. For men, writing love letters was more romantic than buying flowers. From a logical standpoint, the avoidance of teaching cursive to a society that needs to read it the most to interpret their historical and constitutional documents never made sense.
8. Plan a date
G-Stock Studio | Shutterstock
In this age, going to the internet with your relationship problems is the new normal. Sites like Reddit have allowed young people to ask complete strangers on the internet for advice rather than bringing up their grievances with the actual person they are dating. For being the generation that prides itself on authenticity, planning an actual date is one of the things Gen Z men don't seem to know how to do anymore.
Gen Z men would rather overanalyze and potentially test their future partners than be authentically upfront with them. Society fails men when they make them believe they can't think for themselves anymore. When they have to rush to strangers online rather than having older role models around them to ask for guidance on these matters, Gen Z men struggle to reach out.
9. Perform basic car maintenance
Hananeko_Studio | Shutterstock
It's completely understandable for a Gen Z man to not know how to change a tire, especially if he lacked a male figure in his life. But society will judge him harshly on this. Many cars today are computerized and harder to work on yourself, so maintenance isn't even common or feasible.
It's not just Gen Z men, as a good portion of the population, both men and women, don't know anything about cars. Gen Z is the generation that wants to break down stereotypical gender norms, so for these young men to take a step back from being a mechanic just because they're men is commendable.
Knowing how to do these things is more of a survival skill to use in case of emergency anyway. Just because you're a man doesn't mean you know how to put out a fire in a building, nor should you have to.
10. Disagree without canceling or ghosting
F01 PHOTO | Shutterstock
When people call men out on something, they seem to want to retreat rather than stand up for themselves and what they believe in. Sometimes this is due to thinking they know everything, while other times it can be due to a fear of confrontation.
But ghosting is a huge Gen Z problem, where the person you thought you were connecting with falls off the face of the earth, never to be seen again. Gen Z men have lost the ability to solve conflicts like previous generations of men, but many are trying to better themselves. Whether we like the alpha male movement or not, it's giving them a sense of self-confidence, even if it can border on pure arrogance sometimes.
11. Handle criticism without feeling personally attacked
Andrey_Popov | Shutterstock
Many men tie their identity closely to what they do for work, hobbies, or their opinions. So when their behavior is criticized, they take a personal offense to it. They may have lacked constructive feedback growing up from their caregivers, teachers, or peers, and it makes it hard for them to differentiate between feedback and judgment.
Gen Z, in particular, is caught between ideas of masculinity and the urge for accountability. They might want to appear tough to the outside world and do things other men before them did, but they're from a generation that wants men to be held to a higher standard. It's a conundrum they have to face head-on, even if it means betraying what society has taught them.
Sylvia Ojeda is an author with a decade of experience writing novels and screenplays. She covers self-help, relationships, culture, and human interest topics.
