From being coddled by helicopter parents to growing up in an era of unprecedented convenience and technology, there are plenty of reasons why Gen Zers might be viewed as the softest generation. Here are 20 examples that highlight their struggles with resilience and toughness.
Digital Natives
Growing up with smartphones and social media, Gen Z is deeply embedded in the digital world. Their reliance on technology for communication and entertainment often leads to accusations of being unable to handle face-to-face interactions or real-world challenges. Though the moniker “digital natives” makes them sound like experts in technology, “only one-fifth of Gen Z respondents believe they have skills in coding, 18% in data encryptions and cyber security, and 7% in AI,” reports FDM Group.
Cancel Culture
Gen Z is quick to call out and “cancel” individuals or brands that don’t align with their values. While this promotes accountability, it also fosters a culture where mistakes are less tolerated, and people are more easily offended and not responsible for owning their own feelings as something personal to them and not a world problem.
Social Media Validation
Likes, shares, and comments are the currency of Gen Z’s social interactions. This need for online validation can make them appear more fragile, as their self-worth is often tied to their digital presence instead of an internal feeling of value and pride.
Short Attention Spans
With an average attention span of just eight seconds, Gen Z is often seen as easily distracted and unable to focus on long-term goals. This trait is frequently attributed to their constant exposure to fast-paced digital content.
Digital Detox
According to research from the Nielsen Company, the average U.S. adult spends around 11 hours each day listening to, watching, reading, or interacting with media. Since they were born with an iPhone in hand, Gen Z often struggles with the concept of a digital detox. Their inability to disconnect from their devices can be seen as a sign of dependency and lack of resilience.
Overly Cautious Humor
Previous generations have looked to comedy to cross lines in ways that make them just uncomfortable enough to laugh. Gen Z’s humor is often absurd and meta, avoiding traditional punchlines that might offend. This cautious approach to comedy can be seen as a sign of their sensitivity and fear of backlash.
Sensitivity to Criticism
Gen Zers were raised being told they were amazing at everything. Any criticism or failure was seen as a threat to their precious self-esteem rather than an opportunity to improve. Zoomers are in fact willing to accept feedback, as long as it is given in a constructive manner and delivered with a dash of positivity.
Desire for Instant Gratification
Patience is not a virtue that most of the iGeneration understands. With on-demand entertainment and food delivery at their fingertips, and being accustomed to getting what they want immediately, Gen Z struggles with delayed gratification and perseverance. This shows in their choices to buy instead of build, and through a preference for short romantic relationships over long-term.
Aversion to Conflict
The generation that lives online may seem like they are all about confrontation with the ease of rude comments and text arguments, but these keyboard warriors wouldn’t know what to do face to face. Many choose to leave things unsaid until they can say what they want from behind a screen.
High Levels of Anxiety
Studies have shown that Gen Z experiences higher levels of anxiety compared to previous generations. The Hill wrote, “A new report from data management firm Harmony Healthcare IT shows that 61 percent of Gen Z have a medically diagnosed anxiety condition.” This heightened anxiety can make them more cautious and risk-averse, contributing to the perception of softness.
Tech-savvy but Life-skill Deficient
Raised in the smartphone era, Gen Z’s brains were bathed in dopamine hits from infinite YouTube videos, social media, and video games. This made the real world seem dull by comparison. While Gen Z is incredibly tech-savvy, they are often criticized for lacking basic life skills, such as cooking or managing finances.
Participation Trophies Galore
Trophies used to be for winners only, or at least 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Gen Zers were showered with participation awards from a young age, instilling a mentality that simply showing up deserves recognition. This undermined their drive to truly earn achievements.
Helicopter Parents
With helicopter parents vigilantly hovering, Gen Zers never had to develop much self-reliance or problem-solving skills. Their parents swooped in at the first sign of struggle. Some Zoomers have even had their moms call their workplaces for them instead of dealing with issues themselves, which is, needless to say, not professional.
Cyberbullying Sensitivity
While bullying has always existed, Gen Z had to deal with cyberbullying that followed them everywhere, thanks to social media. Not being able to face their bullies head-on and the longevity of anything posted on the internet have made it harder for kids to move past bullying to become stronger people as adults.
Allergy Epidemic
With over 50% of Gen Zers having some kind of allergy or food sensitivity, they had to be swaddled in proverbial bubble wrap from a young age to avoid health issues. “Childhood food allergies alone cost the U.S. $24.8 billion annually, with the cost per child equaling $4,184,” according to The Food Institute. While food allergies aren’t something someone can control, it has made it so the world has to cater to these restrictions.
Lack of Chores
Let kids be kids! Chores and household responsibilities were seen as burdens by Gen Z’s parents. Now Gen Z is mixing their whites and colors and wondering why their whites have turned strange shades of dingy. Chores may not be fun as kids, but let’s be real—they aren’t fun as adults either, but we have to do them.
Boomerang Kids
Adulting? Not today! Many Gen Zers struggled with launching into self-sufficient adulthood, preferring to remain in perpetual adolescence. The crippling inflation and rising rent give them a great excuse to boomerang back into their parents’ homes and avoid responsibility for just a little longer while still not doing their laundry.
Consumerism
Raised in an era of unprecedented wealth and consumerism, Gen Zers became accustomed to getting their wants met through spending rather than hard work. Working with their hands and building things for themselves is a lost art to most of their generation.
Struggle as a Trigger
With every convenience at their fingertips, Gen Zers became accustomed to taking the path of least resistance rather than pushing through difficulties. Gen Z’s prioritization of emotional comfort and avoidance of anything too psychologically taxing left many unable to cope with even moderate levels of stress or struggle. Not everyone gets a trophy in life.
Fear of the Outdoors
Overprotective parents kept Gen Zers indoors, leaving many to develop an aversion to anything rugged or physically demanding in the great outdoors. This generation may not even know how to put sunscreen on because they’re only worried about blocking blue light from their screens.
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