Gen Z Often Comes Off As Way More Entitled Than Boomers & Gen X For 8 Reasons
hurricanehank / Shutterstock Boomers and Gen X often criticize Gen Z for being entitled without considering each of them as individuals. Many are convinced the way Gen Z speaks and behaves validates their concerns because they don't speak or behave the same way that they would have at the same age.
If you took the interest and time to actually ask someone from Gen Z about what's going on for them, they'd likely have a much different explanation for the things they do and the way they think than just plain entitlement.
Boomers and Gen X tend to think Gen Z is more entitled for these very specific reasons:
1. They don’t think they should have to make sacrifices to have a successful career
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Boomers and Gen X have a much different work ethic than Gen Z does. Older generations were more likely to do whatever it takes to get ahead, while Gen Z knows their worth and thinks their employers should, too.
Gen Zers want to work for companies that show them how valued they are. The way boomers and Gen Xers worked hard to prove themselves seems unnecessary to them. They expect more from day one than older generations.
To some, that seems entitled. They think everyone should sacrifice for their success like they did. Meanwhile, Gen Z sees their approach as the best way to protect their well-being.
2. They expect any feedback they get to include positives along with the negatives
In both personal and professional relationships, it doesn’t always make sense for someone to take longer to deliver their feedback so they can soften it. Managers shouldn’t need to shower people with praise to keep them motivated to simply do their job.
Boomers and Gen X understand that, and are used to feedback that’s effective, even if it doesn’t always feel nice. But Gen Z has a habit of taking everything personally. Most redirection isn’t some kind of personal attack. Everyone would get more done if they could accept that. Since Gen Z can’t, older generations think they have thin skin and feel entitled to hearing words of praise even when they haven't been earned.
3. They don't believe powerful people have usually earned their power
The world used to seem like a much more trustworthy place. Boomers and Gen X grew up believing that everyone from politicians to CEOs would usually do the right thing and deserved respect because of their position.
Gen Z believes that they evaluate each person first to decide if they’ve earned their respect through their actions. Being powerful isn’t enough for them when they’ve watched a lot of powerful people give in to corruption. This disregard for authority feels disrespectful to some older people, but Gen Z feels they are reacting to the very different environment they grew up in where blind trust was dangerous.
4. They get offended when people push them too hard
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If you traveled back in time and asked a young boomer or Gen Xer about their boundaries, they probably wouldn’t know what you were talking about. Drawing a line like that wasn’t really a thing when so few people understood mental health.
Now, boundaries are considered a necessary part of all relationships so everyone knows what they can expect from each other. It might have started out as therapy speak, but Gen Z takes it seriously. They feel really hurt when someone acts like their boundaries don’t matter. Older people think that makes them snowflakes even though it feels like something they do to protect themselves.
5. They challenge unfairness instead of accepting things the way they are
Gen Zers aren’t big fans of the status quo. When they know something isn’t fair, they speak up about it. They aren’t really worried about how other people will react when there’s a clear injustice to address.
The truth is that life is naturally unfair, and accepting that helps people cope. Boomers and Gen X never got participation trophies. They don’t expect fairness, and they know it’s not really worth it to fight for it if the stakes aren’t really high.
Gen Z’s different perspective feels like entitlement to them since they’re used to just making the most of what they have, while Gen Z thinks they’re the only ones trying to make changes. Reality is much more nuanced than that.
6. They try their best to avoid uncomfortable situations
Boomers and Gen Xers didn’t have helicopter parents who tried to make life as easy as possible for them. They got used to the idea that you have to deal with hard times instead of avoiding them pretty early in life.
Gen Z has had a different experience. Everyone from parents to teachers did what they could to make them feel safe, and they don’t understand why that should change now that they’re adults. People who can work through discomfort have the advantage of growing in the process. But Gen Z isn’t necessarily entitled because they were taught to expect something different from the world.
7. They need to be told they’re doing a good job
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For Gen Z, it’s not enough to trust that they know what they’re doing. They need someone to back them up and let them know they really are on the right track.
Boomers and Gen X see this as coddling that they never received. It’s true that people who need reassurance usually are insecure, so they might have a point. It’s difficult to succeed without a healthy level of self-esteem, and it seems like Gen Z will learn that the hard way.
8. They believe skills are more important than experience
Members of older generations usually had pretty traditional career paths. They started at the bottom and worked their way up to get to where they are now. Anything else would have felt like cheating.
The concept of paying your dues isn’t very relevant to Gen Z. They believe a person’s skills matter more than their experience. That explains why they’re so interested in taking on executive positions already. This attitude probably says more about the changing workforce than one generation’s entitlement, but that’s obviously not how boomers and Gen X see it.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
