10 Things Gen Z People Think They Do Way Better Than Boomers & Gen X
Asta Zaborskyte / Shutterstock Every generation believes it brings something new to the table, and Gen Z is no exception. Having grown up with smartphones and constant access to information, many of these young adults see themselves as more adaptable and emotionally intelligent than the generations that came before them.
Whether those beliefs are entirely accurate is up for debate, but they have undeniably shaped how Gen Z views itself and the world around it.
At the same time, Boomers and Gen X often see many of these same traits through a very different lens, arguing that life experience teaches lessons technology never can. The result is an ongoing generational tug-of-war, with each group convinced it has figured out certain aspects of life better than the others, and Gen Z people believing there are several things they do way better than baby boomers and Gen X.
Here are 10 things Gen Z people think they do way better than boomers and Gen X
1. Managing work-life balance
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Many people in older generations have found purpose in hustle culture, even though it normalizes and sometimes glorifies burnout at their own expense. Despite what cultural myths say about them, Gen Z isn’t lazy just because they push back on this kind of narrative. They see themselves as ambitious, but with boundaries.
Exhaustion isn’t an admirable personality trait for them, nor is it something to wear as a badge of honor. They’re protecting their peace by carving out what they consider the ideal work-life balance, even if it seems alarming to employers and coworkers from older generations who are used to undying loyalty.
2. Organic, healthy eating
It’s largely younger generations driving growth in the organic food industry, according to a study from the Organic Trade Organization. Not only are they diving deep into a wellness-trend renaissance on social media, but they’re also protecting their health by splurging on what they can afford.
Of course, they’re focused on sustainability, hence their advocacy for climate change, but they’re also interested in longevity and nutrition. Compared to older generations, of whom only just over 35% believe organic foods are actually healthier for you, young people think they know better.
3. Being honest
So many Gen Zers have collectively crafted myths about their generation, largely because of traits like honesty that we value in other generations.
Yes, they do struggle with authority in ways that can cause conflict. They also push back against hierarchies in environments like the workplace that people from older generations find comforting and stabilizing. However, young people also have the passion and motivation to speak their minds and bring issues to light, even when it’s not comfortable or easy, as they were raised by their Gen X and millennial parents to be challengers.
4. Media literacy
Gen Z has a strong understanding of the marketing industry and the internet because they’ve been targeted online their entire lives. Whether it’s affiliate marketing or influencer recommendations, they’ve become discerning over time.
In many ways, young people are being socialized into mistrusting attitudes, even regarding the press. They also grew up in a time when social media and internet access were wide open for them to explore with little supervision or regulation, so they had to figure out how to navigate various types of media and, for themselves, decipher what and who to trust.
Of course, the stereotypes about older generations’ media literacy may not be as outrageous as many people claim, but it may not be a stretch to assume that young people have adopted a better understanding of the media out of obligation.
5. Climate change advocacy
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Many in Gen Z seem to believe they're the only ones worried about climate change. This belief, whether it's true or not, contributes to generational resentment, especially when young people bring such an emotional mindset to their advocacy. They feel they care more and put more time into advocating for change, only to be criticized by others.
According to a study from the Pew Research Center, they’re not necessarily wrong. Gen Z and millennials tend to worry more about climate issues on a daily basis than boomers and Gen Xers. They also advocate more regularly than older generations.
6. Speaking up about controversial issues
Even though they’re often condemned for it, Gen Z prides itself on making ripples by speaking up about controversial issues. Most of us know that they can take it too far, hence cancel culture, but they believe they are actually creating healthy change by stirring up stagnant cultural assumptions.
From advocating for climate change to unwinding traditional ideas about nuclear families, Gen Zers are living and advocating for nontraditional lifestyles. While it might stir the pot and widen generational gaps, for them, it’s mostly empowering.
7. Job hopping
Gen Z is full of chronic job hoppers, but not because they’re lazy or entitled, as they're often portrayed by boomers and Gen Xers with a strong sense of company loyalty. They’re taking the lily-pad path to their careers, rather than climbing a traditional corporate ladder at the same company.
Rather than devoting their life to a company that may overwork or underpay them, they jump from opportunity to opportunity, depending on what offers them a greater package. From promotions to better compensation, they gain a wide range of experiences and accelerate their mastery of skills by moving between jobs much faster than their older co-workers do.
With a strong devotion to work-life balance and meaning, it’s not surprising that young people think they navigate career progression better than others. Especially having watched their parents put everything into companies that rarely appreciate them, they don’t want to follow that path.
8. Challenging outdated social norms
Gen Zers are challengers, for better or worse, and they take pride in it. From corporate expectations of professionalism in the workplace to traditional gender norms policing what people wear, they’re not interested in blindly accepting traditional ways.
Especially given that they spent a foundational part of their youth isolated from the world, they feel less committed to enforcing the norms they believe their parents and grandparents protected.
9. Talking about their mental health
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According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, there’s still a quite prevalent gap in attitudes toward mental health issues between young people and older generations. Gen Zers are collectively open about both speaking about their mental health and seeking support when they need it, but their parents and grandparents still feel the sting of the stigma they grew up with.
Not only are they less likely to ask for help and seek support through traditional resources like therapy, but many also choose to avoid accepting the reality of their mental health conditions, creating a long-lasting cycle of suffering.
Of course, many boomers and Gen Xers have sought help and grown into more truly emotionally intelligent mindsets. However, Gen Z believes they’re changing the wellness and mental health industry more than anyone has before.
10. Keeping up with the news
Many Gen Zers believe they’re the most informed generation, largely because they regularly keep up with the news, both by choice and by default. Of course, that’s not necessarily true. Many boomers and Gen Xers find it deeply important to be informed on everything from politics to culture.
According to data from Reuters Institute, more Gen Zers prefer to get their news from social media over other digital and print options. Considering they spend a lot more time than other generations on their phones, of course, they’re more likely to come across news stories and headlines, even when they’re not actively looking.
That’s part of what people think has radicalized Gen Zers. They constantly consume news on their phones from the same sources they know will align with their preferred line of thinking, missing out on the angles other generations see in traditional news outlets.
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.
