A Generation Trying to Stay Afloat in a World That’s Drowning

Trisha Bloszinsky | Editor

Peter Parker - Pexels

It has become rather normal in our society for Gen Z to be looked at as entitled, lazy, phone or tech-addicted – I could go on. While many of those are generalizations and stereotypes, and each generation is subject to its own, ours have been shaped by a world facing rapidly evolving technology and increasing economic pressure.   

Our generation seems to be labeled lazy and entitled mostly at school or in the work place, but why?

Baby boomers fell to the 9-to-5, staying with the same job for decades, but Gen Z was raised in a time which placed prominence on mental health and self fulfillment. We don’t want to work a job that is not treating us right or isn’t providing us with any positive benefits other than pay, especially when some states can still pay a minimum rate of $7.25 – which has remained unchanged since 2009. 

But the price of everything else has risen tremendously, including the education we pursue in search of a career which will offer a dependable wage and, hopefully, a workplace environment that won’t force us to rip our hair out. 

While our entitlement may appear as such due to our passion for workplace equality and completing work that feels meaningful, there’s a clear reason why we’ve placed such an emphasis on mental health.

Before we got the chance to enter the workplace, social media became a focal point in our lives without knowing the long-term effects it could hold for us. The rise of social media also meant judgement and bullying didn’t stop at school, but it followed us home on our phones and laptops. The pandemic occurred at an age where many of us were still developing vital social skills; being locked in the house for what felt like decades increased the social anxiety that social media had already started to fuel. 

Like every other generation when they were our age, we’re trying to figure it out the best we can. I’m not asking for a pity party; I’m asking for a little bit of grace. Rather than seeing us as entitled, I see most of us trying to stand up for human rights and progress in a world facing a sinking environmental and economic climate.