It’s a fact that both Gen X & Gen Z grew up in changing worlds. Yet the kinds of changes that they both had to face weren’t the same, as Gen X dealt with changes that were more physical. Gen Z’s changes tend to be more digital and through screens, rather than anything in real life. Somehow, Gen X seems to fare a lot better with changes than Gen Z. Let’s find out why.
Figuring things out at home
Quite a few Gen Xers came home after school to find that their home was completely empty. It’s mostly due to the fact that their parents worked, and after-school programs weren’t always available, so kids were expected to be able to cope on their own. They’d have to unlock the door & find food without burning the house down.
Doing so was a normal part of growing up, rather than something that was meant to teach them a lesson. Such a routine helped Gen X to become comfortable dealing with small problems that they had to solve independently. Solving problems later became a familiar part of life for them.
Changes in family structure
Gen Xers grew up during a time when divorce and remarriage became far more common in America. They were one of the first generations to move between homes & adjust to new schedules without it being a huge deal. Young Gen Xers had to learn the different rules of each household, depending on the day of the week.
Their last names sometimes changed as well. But none of these behaviors were all that shocking to Gen X children because they were a common part of their childhood. It taught them to take on life changes with ease.
Workplace churn
The older generation entered the workforce when the idea of staying with a single company for decades was starting to disappear. They were used to seeing headlines about layoffs and mergers throughout the 1990s & early 2000s. Gen Xers had to face changing job titles and expectations with very little warning.
That’s not to say that these things don’t happen to Gen Z. But it’s Gen X who faced events like the dot-com crash and the post-9/11 economic disruption, which taught them about the conditional nature of work first-hand. They had to figure out how to adapt or face unemployment.
Going from analog to digital
Life before email and home internet was standard for Gen Xers. They remember a time when the only thing you could do with a telephone was make calls. The arrival of digital tools was something that many of them welcomed with open arms, and they replaced entire systems with these new technologies.
It’s a change that they had to deal with over & over again, with new software and new rules to follow each time. Understanding unfamiliar tools became something routine. Gen Z grew up with all these technologies already existing, but Gen X actually learned how to adapt to them.
Learning new rules
Most instructions were vague or practically nonexistent for Gen Xers, as teachers would show them what to do once, then expect them to catch on. Training at their first jobs would last only a few minutes. They were then put on the floor, with the expectation that they would figure out things as they went. Gen X was sure to hear about any mistakes afterward.
Gen Z has the opportunity to rewatch training videos or search the internet for help until they finally understand it. But not Gen X. It taught them to watch closely and adjust to new situations quickly because they had no chance of waiting for clarity. They keep moving, even when it wasn’t obvious what they should do.
Non-personalized systems
The majority of Gen X systems were completely fixed. Shops would close when they closed, and that meant that missing the window of opportunity would force you to wait until it reappeared. They didn’t have the workaround or customization abilities that Gen Z has become familiar with.
Gen X, as a result, learned to plan around the system because there was no chance of it bending. They expect a little friction to come with a little change. But that’s okay. They’ll adjust their behavior around these changes to make them fit, with very little fuss.
Private emotional regulation
There was no possibility of sharing your feelings in public or in real-time when Gen Xers grew up. They had to deal with their stress & upset feelings quietly. It’s not like school or work would stop to allow you some time to process things emotionally, so you had to show up regardless. Gen Z is used to having the space to understand their feelings.
It wasn’t always great that Gen X was so closed off, yet it did teach them to separate their feelings from their actions. They keep functioning when things change. It’s not that difficult for them to figure out that they’ll sort their emotions later, as opposed to Gen Z, who would prefer feeling settled first.
15 Things Gen X Did in the Past That Would Get Gen Z Cancelled Today
From awful jokes to ridiculous parenting expectations, Gen X did things that just won’t cut it in today’s “online forever” climate. If Gen Z attempted even half of this, they’d get roasted, ratioed, and hashtag-cancelled before the TikTok even finished loading.
15 Things Gen X Did in the Past That Would Get Gen Z Cancelled Today