Millennials Are Sharing Things They Actually Like About Gen Z'ers, And It's Surprisingly Heartwarming
We recently asked millennials of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us what they actually like about Gen Z'ers — and despite their differences, they had a lot to say.
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Here are the fascinating — and heartwarming — results:
1."They call out things better than millennials do, definitely."
"Things like homophobia, racism, and economic inequality I didn't get until my early 20s. They know about it and call them out so well. I admire them and learn from them a lot, and for that, I'm grateful."
2."I love that Gen Z is destigmatizing mental health and seeking therapy!"
"They talk about it so openly and seem less judgmental on the subject."
3."Overall, compared to the kids I graduated with, my Gen Z students have more empathy, more awareness for the world around them, and more willingness to demand fair treatment for everyone."
"I graduated high school in 2005, which makes me an elder millennial. I'm in my 11th year of teaching, and my group of tenth-graders were all born in 2005, which blows my mind. They are very attuned to the current issues plaguing society and the planet, and if we do right by them, they’ll have the tools to be able to fix the things that we could not."
4."Gen Z fashion is original, unapologetic, and honestly, they won’t look back on their teen years and regret things like low-rise jeans, thin scarves, or any other embarrassing early 2000s fashion."
"While a lot of their fashion could be considered 'I peed my pants at school and these are the only clothes in the lost and found box,' I kinda love it. They are also so body positive that I imagine I would have been much happier if I was growing up with a Gen Z mentality."
5."Their nihilistic attitude. 'Nothing matters. Don’t be so serious.' Yes. I love it."
6."They care deeply about justice, equity, climate change, and mental health. And personally, I find their brand of gallows humor hilarious and relatable."
7."I do appreciate how they’re unwilling to work themselves to death like millennials are."
"I also like how open they are about mental health. I think the stigma will end with their generation."
8."As someone who was at a college that had a school shooting back in 2010, I really love the way Gen Z is speaking up about gun violence."
"I feel like when we were their age, society gaslit us into thinking that it was something we couldn’t change and shouldn’t talk about. But the kids at Parkland really stood up for themselves, and I’m so amazed and proud of them for it. For a long time, unfortunately, school shootings were run as tragic human interest pieces in tabloids to satisfy people’s morbid fascination, and the survivors were never talked to or interviewed (or if they were, it was in a super exploitative way). But Gen Z has flipped the script and made survivors of gun violence's voices loud, clear, and important — and I really thank them for that."
9."They're unapologetically themselves. I wish I had that level of strength and courage when I was a teen."
10."Their spirit! And don't tell me it's because they are young. I've been tired and over it since high school — the Gen Z'ers out here are ready to take on the world."
"They are unstoppable."
11."They are less obsessed with/ashamed of going against gender norms. Boys wear whatever colors they want. They are normalizing men showing emotion. Things like that."
12."I think they’ll be the generation to mend a lot of what previous generations have broken. They’re educating themselves and other generations on issues that affect all of us and how we can solve them."
"I like a lot of things about Gen Z and really admire them. They have been fighting for social change, for inclusivity, and against climate change."
13."They have a passion for learning and I love that. I genuinely think they love bettering themselves, and I think that’s awesome."
"My daughter is Gen Z, one of the older ones, and I’m always astounded at her drive for knowledge and furthering herself. She’s just about to self-publish her second poetry book, and I think she’s awesome. It’s something I only dreamed of."
14."They’re more outspoken and unique. They fearlessly pursue their goals and don’t get disheartened easily."
15."Body positivity! I grew up with blonde, skinny, completely flat stomach, big boobs, and sex icons being the ideal body shape. Now, I see all types of bodies and more self-love than ever."
16."They seem wonderfully compassionate, wanting to change the world for the better. I think it’s a pretty awesome generation so far."
"PS: Love the TikTok dances!"
17."I'm a millennial, and overall, I'm a big fan of Gen Z. I love how they do not give one f**k about fitting into the status quo."
"When it comes to work, they are generationally tearing down the idea of changing your whole personality to fit in some company."
18."I’m a young millennial, and my sister is an old Gen Z. I love that she wants to work at a company that truly makes a difference in the world and that’s run by women."
"It’s so representative of Gen Z as a whole — they may be nihilistic, but they still believe in supporting progressing the world forward."
19."I love Gen Z's wide use and acceptance of makeup. I love seeing natural looks being more accepted, but also going all-out colorful as well."
20."I love their passion for change. They remind me to keep trying to make the world a better place."
And finally:
21."Gen Z is like a beloved younger sibling who learned from their flawed, but well-intentioned, older sibling and became twice as incredible at everything they tried! And millennials couldn’t be prouder for it — keep being amazing, guys!"
"They are more empathetic, open-minded, and active in their communities than we were when we were the same age."
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Millennials, anything you'd add to this list? And Gen Z'ers, what do you actually like about millennials? Let us know in the comments below!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
