You know that age-old, ever-problematic saying ‘I was born in the wrong generation?’. Well, we may have found one scenario when it very much applies. Because if 2020 has proven anything, it’s that Gen Z might just save the world.
For evidence, look no further than their disruption of Donald Trump’s re-election campaign. Last weekend, the US president was set to hold a rally in the sold-out Bank of Oklahoma Centre, in Tulsa, where over 19,000 seats were reserved and plans to extend it to a spill-over venue were even put in place. Except only 6,000 people turned up.
What Trump had gloated about being a sold-out event was actually a protest at the hands of the Generation Z (or 'zoomers' as they're often called) all through the power of TikTok. Posting on the video app, one teen known only as Aleysha encouraged people to reserve the free tickets, verify their attendance with a fake Tusla postcode and then not turn up. As others jumped on the bandwagon and celebrities like Elijah Daniel shared the idea, over one million fake requests were said to be made for tickets to the rally.
The result was an embarrassingly empty rally, with a bewildered Trump forced to cancel his address to the expected outdoor crowd. All the while Generation Z sat at home laughing on TikTok.
It’s one of many ways teens have showed up in the last few months, proving themselves to be the generation millennials could only dream of being. Scores of black teens were celebrated for their unwavering bravery during the Black Lives Matter protests, with viral TikToks joking that ‘generation Z can’t answer a phone call but will start a fight with a police officer firing rubber bullets at them.’
In fact, as the protests following George Floyd's death unfolded, K-pop fans – usually teens - on social media were particularly savvy at drowning out hashtags against Black Lives Matter, by spamming popular hashtags with videos of their favourite artists.
Rumours of an inter-generational clash between Generation Z and Millennials have been greatly exaggerated
When their cultural icons include Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafzai and Yara Shahidi, it’s no wonder the generation is proving to be the most promising yet when it comes to fighting for what really matters.
For any of you who aren’t on TikTok (erm why not?), you’ll be happy to know that rumours of an inter-generational clash between Generation Z and Millennials have been greatly exaggerated. While Generation Z may rag on us like we do to Boomers, they’re well aware that we have far more in common than other generations.
After all, we're the only two generations for whom things like property ownership and a job for life feel like a distant dream. We’re all victims of the same economy generations older built. The only difference is Generation Z accepted their fate a lot earlier than us and actually have the energy to do something about it. Maybe this is what makes them so passionate when it comes to the things they truly want to change for the next generation.
Honestly, generation Z are the kids millennials wish they could be – no wonder punk rock is coming back with a bang.
Read More:
A List Of The Things Millennials Have Already 'Killed' This Year
Meet The 16-Year-Old Who Sums Up Generation Z With Her Talk "What Adults Can Learn From Kids"