10 Things Gen Z Does That No One Else Understands

There's no helping the fact that Gen Z is weird. I consider myself to be a "zillennial" since I was born at the tail end of the millennial generation and the beginning of Gen Z. The healthy dose of both Gen Z and millennial traits in me has me feeling like I occupy a unique space that isn't quite in line with either generation. Thus, I find people younger and older than me alike to be very strange, even though I also identify with both categories in some capacity.

I was born before internet access was widespread, but after many modern technologies, such as TV, had been broadly implemented. It's hard for me to understand a lot of Gen Z stuff. Yet, I find myself feeling distant from my millennial counterparts due to a perceived lack of empathy and a feeling of youngness. So, let's look at the weirdest things Gen Z does, from my perspective, and do our best to explain why these phenomena occur.

This list was primarily populated by editorial discretion. What is perceived as "weird" or "unusual" is a deeply personal experience, and other people, older and younger, may or may not agree with me. Thus, we ask that you acknowledge this list for what it is: the opinions of a single person. Additionally, we ask you to understand that we are not judging these traits and behaviors for their merits. Exhibiting or not exhibiting these features or behaviors does not make one a better or worse person. Rather, they are simply things that the writer—or large numbers of other people—find difficult to understand and the explanations given by prominent Gen Z thinkers as to why they are so prominent among the generation. (After this article, check out the 11 things millennials do and no one understands why.)

This behavior doesn't actually mystify me. However, it ranks highly among older generations as a behavior that they don't understand. The term "finsta" refers to an account on Instagram which is typically listed as private and reaches only a select group of friends and family that the user chooses. Similar behavior is prominent in millennials, particularly younger millennials, who have private Twitter accounts (often referred to as a "priv"), with or without followers, where they share thoughts that they feel do not fit with the public persona they portray in their public profiles. Often these profiles are used to express feelings and share pictures that allow them to express themselves more freely without the scrutiny of the public.

This behavior tends to mostly confuse the older generation who do not understand the weight that being perceived by the public has on young people. Older folks did not grow up with their whole lives being shared on the internet. The internet wasn't implemented on a widespread consumer basis until they were well into adulthood and social media came even later.

The purpose of one's finsta or priv can vary between users. Some users have multiple private accounts for different things, such as photos that are more suggestive or sharing one's struggles with mental health, while some have a catch-all private account for everything. However, the root decision remains the same: the user wants to have an account with a curated audience of people they trust while maintaining a larger account with more reach for tackling issues in the public sphere.

This culture is one that totally confuses me. We'll start with the context. The word "stan" is a portmanteau of "stalker" and "fan." It originates from an Eminem song of the same name where he details his experience of being stalked by a fan. You would think that this word would carry a negative connotation due to the nature of its origins, but modern stans embrace this word and the connotation it carries. They are happy to voraciously consume content featuring their favorite idols and celebrities. Stans may collect merchandise related to their favorite celebrities and develop online or real-life shrines for their idol. They'll also ardently defend the object of their affection from real or perceived attacks by people who find their behavior disagreeable or offensive.

The most well-known stan culture groups are the ones for Taylor Swift and the wider "K-Pop Stan" culture, which contains hundreds of subgroups for various K-Pop idols and bands. Swift stans are well-known for being hilariously toxic with there being many verified reports of people being doxxed or credibly threatened for "attacking" the singer.

The biggest problem with stan culture that I have personally seen is the lack of nuance that some stans view their idols with. Idols and celebrities can be good or bad but cannot be in between. If a celebrity does something disagreeable, it must discount their entire person. Thus, you cannot criticize a celebrity without criticizing those who enjoy their creations as a bad person. This lack of media literacy and ability to perceive and understand nuance is not healthy for society at large.

A thirst trap is a photo that is slightly or significantly suggestive, posted by the user for the express purpose of gaining compliments from friends, family, and strangers. Many older generations have criticized this behavior as "attention-seeking". However, I will counter this criticism with a simple statement from a former therapist I was seeing. "Is there something wrong with wanting attention?" On some level, most humans require an amount of attention and it is possible for a need for attention to be unhealthy. Still, attention-seeking is normal and as long as it isn't causing distress for the person, it shouldn't be viewed as problematic.

The primary difference between the attention-seeking tactics employed as part of behavior like thirst traps and the traditional attention-seeking that older generations are used to is that it is now possible to seek attention from thousands of people with the click of a button. Older generations seek attention just as much as younger generations. However, they seek attention from different people and in different ways. When old folks complain about how "no one visits/calls me!", this is a form of attention-seeking. They are seeking attention from the people they want attention from, their children and grandchildren, in this case. The only difference is that with online attention-seeking, like thirst traps, the attention is sought from strangers as well.

Our overall verdict is that while the idea of posting a suggestive photo on your social media might be something older generations are uncomfortable with, it's ultimately harmless.

One of the primary criticisms of millennials and Gen Z is what older generations refer to as "failure to launch." However, this criticism not only lacks a reality-driven basis but it's also completely tone-deaf to the current economic situation in many countries. The median income in 1980 was $21,020, which is equivalent to the purchasing power of $79,985.18 in 2024. The median income in 2022 was $59,428, according to Forbes. That means the median income in 2022 could purchase significantly less than the median income in 1980.

The median home price in 1980 was around $52,000. So it was just over two years of gross median salary. The median home price in 2022 was $440,000, which is just over seven years of gross median income. Can't buy a house? You can always rent, they say! The average rent in the U.S. has reached $1,900 or more. That means that if you make a median income of around $60,000, you'll pay almost $24,000 yearly in rent. That leaves you with $36,000 gross.

Across America, people spend around $300 a week at the grocery store. That's another $15,600 on food. Now you're down to $20,400. More than 50% of our incomes go to rent and food alone, without accounting for taxes. Did you go to college? You need to pay that debt back. The lowest amount you can pay is around $214 a month, another $2,568 a year. That leaves you with $17,832 a year or around $1,400 a month for bills (electricity, internet, phone, gas, water), which is an average of $430 a month. You also have to pay your taxes. Then, and only then, can you even consider saving money.

Spoken language is more casual in the modern day, even in professional and formal settings. Gen Z is more likely to speak using casual terms, even when addressing superiors. A video of a lawyer in a case regarding Young Thug went viral because the young lawyer stated that the argument was "cap," the Gen Z slang term for lies. This video and many other videos and accounts of young people speaking casually in formal settings have sparked a debate that has one side crying "Young people have no respect!"

However, this isn't a trait unique to younger generations. I had a previous boss who was well into his 40s at a long-term writing position send me a professional email during my training during which he dropped several f-bombs. As a young Asian person, this had me reeling. In many Asian cultures, people frown upon profane or coarse language, even in casual settings. A close friend of mine once commented on Chinese literature, saying, "You won't even know when they're being rude because of the way they write." So, to have my boss hurl several f-bombs into what I thought was a professional conversation threw me for a loop.

This issue is really a nonissue. It's not unique to Gen Z. Rather, the casualness of someone's speech is typically a personal issue. My grandparents on my father's side spoke very casually and at times very coarsely, as did my grandmother on my mother's side. The words coming out of their mouths would have had the "no respect crowd" having a coronary if it came from a younger person. If someone needs to better adjust to a specific setting's speech style, consider it a personal issue and bring it up with them politely and respectfully.

The "pivot" is a crucial career move for young people, especially Gen Z. They'll go back to school or get a new certification and completely change fields. Younger generations are also more likely to leave a job they are unsatisfied with and look for something new. Older generations prioritized "loyalty" to their company and fields. However, younger generations look at their jobs differently. We don't consider our positions to be a lifelong commitment because our employers don't consider our jobs to be a lifelong commitment. In the past, unions protected people's jobs and prevented employers from taking advantage of their employees and firing them for unjust reasons.

Deregulation of the labor division and dismantling of employee unions meant that employees became easily replaceable. Outsourcing work for cheap labor became an option for large corporations and workers aren't guaranteed to receive benefits, even for some higher-paying positions. Thus, what should be a natural give-and-take became a hotbed of employee exploitation. After all, you can legally fire employees for trying to unionize and outsource their work to people who will accept lower payments. Employers show no loyalty to their employees. Thus, the newer generation of employees aren't going to show loyalty to their employers. If a better opportunity comes up, they're going to take it because they know their companies don't view them as irreplaceable. So, they're not going to put the company on a pedestal.

You want loyal employees? Be a loyal employer. Treat your employees well and you'll be surprised how far they'll go for you.

Social justice and fighting for equality are often at the forefront of younger generations' minds. Many people are quick to dismiss Gen Z-ers as "social justice warriors" which is a way for older generations and far-right conservatives within our generation to denigrate us for the crimes of wanting a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive society. However, this behavior is simply mystifying to me as a relatively proud "social justice warrior." The idea that it is somehow wrong to want a society that is more equitable and inclusive of people's differences doesn't sit well with me. Why is the society you want one where people are oppressed and opportunities aren't applied equally to all members?

Additionally, there is a notable flaw to the argument. Many often argue that "It's worse in other countries." This statement implies that unless you are in the worst possible situation, it is morally incorrect to want to better your own and others' situations. It is a rather myopic view. How are we to improve society if we only seek to improve the worst possible sectors? These people typically don't advocate for aid to countries in worse situations. Rather, they loudly voice their opposition to programs intended to better the lives of other people within their own country simply because they do not personally benefit from it.

The real truth is that there is nothing wrong with finding something you're passionate about and fighting for it. When you loudly sneer about how someone is a social justice warrior, it says more about those who strongly oppose the tenets of social justice than the person you're attempting to humiliate.

Equally mystifying to some generations is what they call "cancel culture," which is when individuals post large collections of evidence of poor behavior from a celebrity, brand, or even another individual and encourage others to take action. This action could come in the form of a boycott, demanding an apology, or simply ostracizing someone from spaces where the presence of such a person is harmful. Detractors call those involved "oversensitive" and claim they would have never survived in "the good old days." However, when we look at the behavior of the older and more conservative generation, they are truly no different.

When Bud Light partnered with transgender activist and influencer Dylan Mulvaney, there were widespread calls from conservatives for boycotts. Conservatives widely canceled Colin Kaepernick for refusing to stand during the National Anthem to protest police brutality, and NFL executives have admitted that his choice to engage in activism was what ended his career. This behavior isn't new either, when The Chicks (then known as the Dixie Chicks) criticized George W. Bush's decision to invade Iraq in the early 2000s, there were widespread calls demanding that they be removed from the radio and calling for boycotts of their upcoming tour.

However, therein lies the difference. Typically, when the "social justice warriors" revolt against a company or celebrity, they start with evidence of misdeeds. When conservatives do it, it's usually because of "wokeness," which isn't in and of itself a misdeed. The real sensitive snowflakes who can't handle real life… are inside the house.

There is a genre of images that exist on the internet that pretty much goes like this: "Boomer Humor: I hate my wife. / Millennial Humor: I hate my life. / Gen Z Humor: beesechurger" What follows can also be some absurdist image that would not make sense or even be remotely funny to someone older than Gen Z. However, that's the magic of it, isn't it? Humor is often unique to a generation and the magic is that it brings that generation together and sets them apart from the generations that came before them. My dad, a baby boomer, thinks boomer humor is hilarious even though I think it's kind of off-putting. I know a fair few Gen Z-ers who will send me these bizarre images, like a negative photo of a bird with the words "egg peter" on it, and they think it's peak humor.

What I've learned is just to stop picking on people for finding things funny unless they're actively harmful. Like, how does the "egg peter" picture actually hurt me? I'm a little confused maybe but that's not going to hurt me. The biggest difference between boomer humor and millennials and Gen Z is that boomer humor does have a habit of punching down. In many cases, they will pick on people less powerful than them for laughs and that is notably harmful. However, millennial and Gen Z humor tend to punch up or in, taking shots at people more powerful or oneself, or in some Gen Z cases, not punch at all. These aren't harmful. So, there's no reason to pick on them.

Look, the 9 to 5 workday isn't for everyone. People who have a later chronotype or a sleep disorder may not be able to adjust to this schedule without harming their overall health and reducing their productivity. The advent of artificial light has even produced a new phenomenon of the nocturnal ultra-introvert. These folks work jobs that allow them to choose their own hours—many of them choosing to freelance or work for overseas companies to allow them more flexibility—and choose their hours during the night. Incidentally, I am one of these people. I typically get up in the late afternoon and go to bed when the sun comes out.

However, the Gen Z rejection of the standard 9 to 5 is more than just a desire for solitude. It's a bid for a stricter enforcement of work-life balance. Gen Z doesn't want to live to work; they want to work to live. While many older folks lament that "no one wants to work anymore!", these comments lack a basis in reality. Most of Gen Z is either participating in higher education or gainfully employed. The only difference is that they're not willing to work overtime—especially unpaid—or spend more time working than they do living their lives. (Is it a generational thing? Here are 28 things that were considered rebellious 50 years ago.)