I have an unpopular opinion — the Millennials Vs. Gen Z debate shouldn't exist. I know it's fun to talk about how different each generation is, but the idea that we're so different or can't get along is confusing.
The debate may initially stem may from the fact everyone seems to lump Millennials into a forever state of twenty-something — á la our Gen Z counterparts — but that's not true, and seemingly only pits us against each other. Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, while Gen Z covers the period between 1997 and 2012 (via Beresford Research). Both generations are younger than the Gen X and Baby Boomers that precede us, but we're each in our own phases of life, bringing a unique mix of experiences and perspectives to younger adults across the world.
My sister and I are both Millennials, which was shocking to learn given that she was born in 1984 and I was born in 1991. Technically this puts me on the cusp of being a Zillennial which covers the years a smaller 10-year period, according to CNN— making me a Millennial with slightly more Gen Z-coded tendencies compared to my sister. Still, any differences I've noticed aren't enough for there to be such divisive conversations between us. More or less, we feel about the same!
If you want to break it down, of course it's going to be a little harder for someone in their 40s to completely relate to a teen or even someone in their mid-20s — that's a given. But, I still think there's more similarities between Millennials and Gen Z than society has spoon-fed us. If you're still not convinced, here's are five reasons I think the Millennials vs Gen Z debate isn't actually that big of a deal.
Millennials And Gen Z Are Both Living In A Digital Age
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Millennials grew up during a time when the digital age didn't exist, but we watched it unfold and change the way the world communicates. The internet launched in 1993 and connected people to each other in a way no one could've expected (via NPR).
I remember when MySpace, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LTK, Snapchat, and more popular apps launched — literally started from the beginning. Growing during as the digital age became what we know it as today, I can confidently say that Millennials and Gen Z are still finding our footing with all of the technology — and constant connection — at our disposal.
We both watched as social media and the algorithm change the way we think. We saw the rise of content creators and heavy politicized messages filtered to us. We doom scrolled and curated and shared and liked and kept trying to find the balance that would finally feel just right.
We're all in this very online experience together at the end of the day.
Millennials And Gen Z Value Flexibility
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Going from my 20sto my 30s has seriously made me realize the flexibility I crave as a Millennial. It seems like I was born to look at certain parts of traditional ideals and go, "That's not going to work for me." It's even more evident now that I'm older and have found that my approach to my career and family life doesn't completely match what I was taught. And it's not that different for Gen Z either — check it out!
Approach To Careers
Over 80% of both Millennials and Gen Z believe it's important to work somewhere that gives us a sense of purpose. According to Deloitte, both generations also value work/life balance that doesn't require us to pretend that we don't have a life or other obligations outside of our jobs.
As a mom, this was one of the biggest issues I faced because I realized how much society doesn't make room for working parents. The amount of times I heard a random stranger say, "Parents should plan for one person to be at home" as if that solves the problem is ridiculous.
Whether we have families to raise, hobbies to juggle, or anything in between, it's clear that Millennials and Gen Z crave balance in their careers.
Views Of The Nuclear Family
Speaking of motherhood, I like to think Millennials and Gen Z aren't so different when it comes to our perspective of the nuclear family. Studies via Pew Research Center show we're not as judgmental about single-parent homes than prior generations, and that only 44% of Millennials were married in 2019.
This idea that families are supposed to look a certain way in order to be legit is something Millennials and Gen Z continue to raise their eyebrows at — and even scoffed at — but not because we don't value family. We're just less likely to stress ourselves out believing we're failing or behind because we don't have or want the traditional nuclear family model. Both generations approach relationships and family on our own terms.
Millennials And Gen Z Gravitate Towards The Same Pop Culture
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Did you know almost half of Millennials love listening to music in our spare time (via Spotify), while 43% of Gen Z loves to stream it (via EMarketer) as well? It seems like music still makes the world go around.
Besides that, Millennials and Gen Z are still the driving force behind what's considered in or out in pop culture. Gen Z is usually regarded as being tastemakers on TikTok, but reporting from Ad Newsshows that Millennials are "...2.3 times more likely to be the ones fueling this online content engine by posting videos and tagging brands."
Basically, we're both moving the pop culture needle forward, consuming and driving the trends across platforms! So remind me, how different are we again?
Millennials And Gen Z Value Diversity And Inclusivity
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I grew up during a time where certain internal biases were stated as facts and it was always handful of weird pills to swallow. I couldn't understand why I'd hear "Love thy neighnor" in church only to watch some of the same people blatantly treat the LGBTQ+ community in hellish ways. We could talk about what's in the Bible all day long, but I've never been a fan of picking and choosing who's worthy of being treated with love and respect.
It's clear I'm not the only one who rejects those notions, though. First of all, more young adults are identifying as queer than ever. In 2022, 19.7% of Gen Z and 11.2% of Millennials identified as part of the LGBT community compared to 3.3% of Generation X and 2.7% of Baby Boomers (Gallup).
Outside of sexual identity, there's also the racial aspect of how accepting Millennials and Gen Z are. According to reporting from Built In, 48% of Gen Z are racially diverse, and Millennials are 19% more racially diverse than Baby Boomers. This leads me to believe that both generations know that the world doesn't look a singular way — and therefore respect and understand that diversity even more than previous generations.
These shared qualities and values are just another way that Gen Z and Millennials are more similar than they are different at the end of the day. But in the ways we are different — well both generations would know how to celebrate that diversity, now wouldn't they? 😉
Millennials And Gen Z Aren't Fans Of Injustice
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Compared to prior generations, Millennials and Gen Z have found ways to speak out against injustice. Both generations believe that systemic racism is still an issue in society (via Forbes) with 92% of Gen Z willing to be a part of public protests (via Oliver Wyman Forum). Despite the higher number of Gen Z that are actively participating in protests, Millennials have changed their tune.
Social justice organization, Points of Light discovered that 50% more of Millennials believe in civic engagement now that we're living in a post-pandemic era, which isn't hard to believe. We're in the midst of a great political, racial, and social reckoning that's causing more younger people to speak up than before.
A part of me is keeping hope alive that this Millennials vs. Gen Z debate doesn't take away from all of the ways we can align to continue changing outdated ideals and policies. It seems like together, we can create a positive change in the world around us.
I know social media loves to create division about so much, but there's no reason why the Millennials vs. Gen Z debate should be so huge. We can all learn something from each other to help make society and the world better places to live.
Besides, you have to admit — we both have a sense of humor that's totally unmatched. 😉 So here's to Millennials and Gen Z coming together, one shared meme at a time.
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