Gen Z is often portrayed by the media, celebrities, and politicians as being ineffective to our society, and as an emotional and sensitive generation.
Variety Magazine interviewed Jodie Foster, a well-known American Actress, about Gen Z. “They’re really annoying, especially in the workplace,” Foster told the publication. “They’re like, ‘Nah, I’m not feeling it today, I’m gonna come in at 10:30 a.m.’”
Yes, we are deemed emotionally intelligent and are therefore sensitive, but these character traits can be a sign of strength. Maybe we are not as strong, or dismissive of our feelings and thoughts as other generations before us, but I don’t understand why we are looked down upon for that reason alone.
Throughout the last few decades as a society, we have picked up the word “soft” showing a negative connotation.
Empathy, sensitivity towards others, and our feelings, in today’s society, are considered strong traits we have developed in our generation. I don’t think that makes us a better generation than others, it’s just different times than older people in our society.
At times I have heard my parents or my grandparents say “Oh they are softer than we were,” or “We never had a life quite like theirs,” or certain remarks along those lines.
According to an article in Forbes, Nathan Blain, a General Manager at Udemy Business Leadership Academy, said that their data shows that Gen Z is curious, motivated, and engaged. “Yet many Millennial (55%) and Gen X (51%) employees surveyed were quick to label Gen Z employees as ‘lazy,’” Blain said.
One way that we are a softer generation is because we didn’t go through the things our parents went through, but because of them, and others around us, we have become more emotionally empathetic.
“But I feel like it’s great to be emotionally open and vulnerable in today’s society. … It’s different between time periods, but overall in my parents’ eyes, it has been a softer generation in a sense,” said Michael Gonzalez ’25.
As a society, kids grow up in a world where we are able to show our emotions, becoming more empathetic, and being able to talk about certain situations with others without being deemed as “soft.”
While many jokes and statements call us a “softer” generation, this is not a bad thing. Instead, I feel it makes us stronger as a society.
