Dear Gen Z, Here’s What You Taught Me
Hello, you whippersnappers!
Do I feel like I’m having a Walter Brennan moment? Does even mentioning Walter Brennan make me seem old for a Gen Xer?
Absolutely.
You know what. I’m comfortable right now with my ‘old woman waves fist at the sky’ persona.
🎬 JAWS is 50.
🎤 Both Prince and David Bowie are gone, plus Sly Stone and Brian Wilson.
🔁 They are rebooting LAND OF THE LOST, which may or may not be a good idea. (It was a hoot, but was it good?)
And someone just posted about how they didn’t know something that occurred in 2001 and I just shook my head. Was it related to Paul Reubens?
Anyhow...
I’m not here to make you feel young. I’m here to say thanks.
Seriously. Thank you! 🙏
You’ve taught me a great deal and made me look at the world differently, especially in the workplace.
I used to believe that to get ahead, you needed to:
work hard
keep your mouth shut
dress the part
and that success would come to you
We weren’t as rigid as Baby Boomers, but we certainly were not blazing trails of rebellion.
For those who disagree, I would argue that FRIENDS was not groundbreaking in their depiction of the professional world.
Plus, poor Ayesha Taylor.
We were a generation that was told:
🧑🎓 Be a good boy or girl, go to college, follow the rules, and you’ll get ahead.
What you guys showed is that:
✨ You can retain your individuality and still strive for your goals.
📢 You can and should call out bullshit when it happens.
💸 And that mindless debt is not the solution to all of life’s problems.
Sidenote:
I don’t think college is a scam. I wholeheartedly believe that it enhances critical thinking and essential life skills.
Is that woke? If you want to call it that.
It’s better than being a comatose zombie. 🧟♀️
Back to thanking you.
I look at Gen Z women these days, and I’m so proud of them.
They are fearless in a world that has proved to be pretty forking hostile to them. 🔥
The idea that women should compete with each other is hooey!
You go, girls! 🙌
I see many creative endeavors by Gen Z individuals who aren’t afraid to take risks.
🎨 Our world is a creator economy, a fantastic evolution of both artistic and economic industry.
We’re seeing that indeed, the revolution will not be televised.
And most inspiring...
You guys live life unapologetically.
Do you annoy me at times? Of course.
I’m Gen X, the most nay-saying generation of them all. 🙄
But I applaud your candid, free-spirited stance.
✨ This is who I am.
It’s inspiring. It’s great to celebrate yourself, to have a personal brand, and promote what you are good at.
You’ve shown us that it’s best to be your own promoter and not wait for someone to do it for you.
So thank you, Gen Z
For helping me look at work and life in a different light.
It’s truly been a breath of fresh air. 🌬️💫
Sincerely–
A formerly cynical Gen-Xer
