Decoding Gen Z: From 'simp' to 'stan,' the lingo your kids are using that you need to know
Americans in New York City tried to decode the most popular Gen Z slang words. They guessed the meaning of slang words like "living rent-free" and "ghosting."
My social media feeds are filled with reposts from TikTok videos featuring Gen Z having a lot of issues with work.
"Lazy Girl Jobs" encouraging women to seek out low-stress, minimal-effort, possibly remote jobs (but of course, high-paying ones) became a viral phenomenon. One young women shared an on-camera breakdown over working 9-5, because, with commute, she was tired and didn’t have enough "free time."
While it’s easy to dunk on these young people, I really blame the parents. This hurts, because Gen Z is being raised in large part by Gen X, which should make the kids awesome and self-sufficient.
Gen Z is being raised in large part by Gen X, which should make the kids awesome and self-sufficient.
But alas, as we keep witnessing across social media, many young people are struggling. Here’s where they have been let down and how they can change it around.
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Not Preparing Gen Z for Work
With young people consuming so much Marxist propaganda online and even in school, it is not entirely surprising that young people want to do as little work as possible and just expect that food, clothing, shelter, entertainment and more will just fall from the sky for them.
When you are young, you start from square one. You probably don’t have much of a net worth (or perhaps a negative one like I did from college loans). You don’t have a lot of experience. So, yes, you have to work hard to take care of your needs and wants. And then, over time, you can earn extra free time if you desire it.
That doesn’t mean you should neglect self-care, it just means you need to be realistic and efficient. If you are too tired to work out when you get home because of a long commute, work out closer to your work’s location when you have more energy. If meal prep is getting you down, prepare your meals on Sunday evening for the week.
Finally, give it perspective. If you have a job you love or a great opportunity to learn, focus on what is amazing about those opportunities to which others don’t have access.
Not Giving Them Self-Worth
When I was young, my father instilled in me a sense of pride for whatever I did. Whether it was making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as a worker in the kitchen of a day camp (yes, I did that job) to writing bestselling books now, whatever I do, my name goes on it and I take putting my name on my work seriously.
Many young people don’t have pride in themselves or their work, which is their personal art and contribution to the world. The idea that you are seeking to be a lazy girl is absolutely emblematic of not having pride in yourself and how you spend your time.
It doesn’t mean that you have to kill yourself with work, but you have a privilege that very few people around the world and throughout history have had – you can choose how you want to earn a living and support yourself, and you have a wide variety of choices, which you can change fairly easily and frequently throughout your life.
A DISTURBING GEN Z SOCIAL MEDIA TREND THREATENS AMERICA'S MOST IMPORTANT INSTITUTION
Whatever you do, give yourself your all and be proud of what you are contributing to others and to your own self-fulfillment.
Teaching Them About a Diary
When I was growing up, young people who were going through challenges worked out their problems in a couple of ways. One was a diary, where they could vent their frustrations on paper, and nobody was meant to read it. Or, perhaps, we sought counsel via a phone call with a friend or a discussion with a sibling.
What we did not do is create a production to share with the world and for millions of strangers to comment on (like I am doing here).
Personal growth can be a challenge at any age, but it is amplified when you are young. As a young person, that’s your personal struggle, and you do not need to broadcast that to the world (again, something that your parents should have taught you).
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Trying to use every aspect of your personal life for clicks or other attention isn’t healthy and will end up causing more harm than good.
In fact, it would be healthy to step away from the phone and learn to live in the moment in all that you do. Try to get outside and just enjoy it. You don’t need to share what you are doing, you don’t need to do a broadcast or view nature through a phone camera lens. Just take the time to be present and enjoy the world yourself without feeling the need to include everyone or get their approval.
Mentorship for Gen Z
Mentorship can help Gen Z reach their potential. Where their parents may have failed, other people in their life can help. Young people should seek out relationships with people that they admire (in real life, not on TikTok and Instagram) and get feedback when they are struggling.
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There are plenty of people who have decades of experience that can help make them more at ease with their personal and professional choices and with their perspective. And, people are usually very willing to help if you ask kindly and make it easy for them to do so.
What Gen Z needs to learn is that growth, challenges and struggles are all a normal part of life, but broadcasting those to the world is not.
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