The Witty Stride

– Satyakam Ray

The entire population has been divided into four prominent demographics. Each generation has different aspirations, opportunities, and challenges, and the demographic variations among its members shape each generation’s perspective.

Types of Demographics:

• Baby Boomers– Those born between 1946 and 1964. The age range is 57-75. Primarily, this group comprises individuals who are retired or nearing retirement. In the Indian context, they are referred to as senior citizens.
• Gen X—Those who were born between 1965 and 1980. The age range is 41-56. They have well-settled families and successful careers.
• Gen Y- Those who were born between 1981 and 1996. The age range is 25-40 years old. In other words, they are commonly referred to as millennials. Many have started their careers in this demography. They want to create a family or already have one.
• Gen Z—Those born between 1997 and 2015. The age range is 6 to 24. This group primarily consists of recent college graduates or individuals starting their careers. Additionally, people in the 25-30 age range are often called zillenials.

Gen-Z problems:

The younger generation, Gen Z, was born into a gadget-savvy world with abundant resources for learning and growth. But they still face problems that previous generations didn’t.

• Economic crisis—The tumultuous international market has led to many job losses in the formal and informal sectors. Economic growth is at an all-time low, causing considerable anxiety among the newly job-seeking population. Those already earning money are now in money-saving mode, as the future is uncertain. Unlike millennials, who value experience more, Gen Z is more concerned with the immediate consumption of material goods.
• Recession: AI and machine learning have become the primary concerns for job cuts across technical Domains. As a society that has already digitalized, creating jobs for manual labor in other sectors is a significant challenge. The concept of universal basic income will come into play. Many Gen Zers will remain jobless despite having degrees. They must be more adaptable to learning and relearning to survive cutthroat competition. 
• Healthcare—New diseases, such as the coronavirus, are emerging. Old fungal infections are resurging. Gen Z individuals are increasingly susceptible to illness. Lifestyle changes, including consuming less nutritious foods and career stress, contribute to poor health records among Gen Z individuals. 
• Climate change: Global temperatures and sea levels are rising daily as glaciers begin to melt. It won’t be surprising if many modern cities soon sink into the sea. Ozone layer depletion has already impacted the planet’s sustainability. Increased carbon dioxide emissions, the rise of concrete jungles, and global pollution contribute to this issue. Those will become reasons for future crises. Young activist Greta Thunberg is doing her part to educate the world about saving the future for Generation Z.
• Resource scarcity—The non-renewable energy resources will be depleted shortly, leaving Gen-Z with scarce resources. Essential renewable resources, such as air and water, will become so polluted that reusing them will become prohibitively costly. According to Einstein, the third world war will happen in the race for essential resources. Gen Z should be more mindful of conserving resources for future use.
• Social fabric change – In the 21st century, extreme ideologies have expanded their reach. This expansion endangers the fabric of social norms and democratic principles. Mass shootings, racial supremacy doctrines, and social media vulnerability have increased Gen-Z’s inclination toward violence. Gen-Z individuals are more inclined toward intolerance and hatred.
• Relationship chaos– Gen-Z people are more prone to experimentation with sexuality from a very young age. As a result, many young girls reach puberty at a surprisingly tender age. Social norms and structures discourage the formation of relationships. However, the brat within them pushes them to form relationships. This is to regain a socially superior position within their peer group. Things have become a new norm among Gen-Z people, from heartbreak to emotional breakdown at an early age.
• Addiction issues– Early exposure to the internet has made Gen-Z people think about the sinful culture of partying. It’s a quintessential social norm, they claim. Teenagers are introduced to addictive substances like drinks, weed, or drugs at these parties. The addiction issues of teenagers across the globe are a reason for concern for health experts.
• Reduced Attention Span—After growing up with smartphones and other digital devices, Gen Z’s attention span has decreased significantly. A brief internet outage or buffering can cause anxiety among youngsters. Listening to long lectures is a thing of the past for most of them. The immediate consumption of information and rapid analysis have become hallmarks of Gen Z.
• Mental health and aspiration– The need to be the best has caused much stress in youngsters. It also leads to mental health problems. High ambition and skyrocketing aspirations cause mental trauma in the adolescent period.

Over time, today’s Gen Z individuals will overcome these challenges to ensure a smooth and happy life for themselves. Each older generation has experienced such ups and downs. Gen Z individuals have much to catch up on. They need this to gain maturity.