In Defence Of Gen Z: Why Millennials And Gen X Need To Stop Mocking The Young

In today's India, a discussion of Gen Z (born roughly 1997–2012) and the emerging Gen Alpha (2013 onwards) often elicits furrowed foreheads and squinted eyes. They're labelled as lacking work ethic, embracing laziness, running low on energy, having attention spans shorter than politicians' promises, and even avoiding traditional fun in terms of partying. Office gossip and family WhatsApp groups buzz with complaints about their "quiet quitting", doing just the bare minimum, or their endless scrolling instead of grinding like we did.

Meanwhile, Millennials and Gen X take pride (bordering on arrogance) in being among India's "greatest" generations. We navigated the Licence Raj, witnessed economic liberalisation's boom in the 1990s and 2000s, hustled through IT jobs, startups, and family responsibilities. We built careers from scratch, often leaving villages for metros, embracing the kaam karo, paise kamao mantra. Our pride in hard work is like a medal from the battlefield of life.

(As someone born on the cusp of Generation X and Millennials, the author proudly identifies as a Millennial.)

From this vantage point, it's hard to accept fuzzy boundaries in relationships or "work-life balance" over overtime. But we must be kind to Gen Z and Gen Alpha, not from sympathy, but through self-reflection and understanding historical patterns.

We Were Rebels Too

Every generation rebels against the one before. Our parents (Boomers and the Silent Generation) called Gen X "lost" for our TV addictions and questioning of authority. Millennials were mocked as the "pizza-burger generation" for our job-hopping and coffee shop dreams, accused of killing traditional values.

The Indipop and A.R. Rahman's fusion beats in the 1990s were dismissed by older ghazal-lovers as "Western noise." Today, Gen Z's Anirudh remixes, Badshah rap, or viral Punjabi tracks seem stomach-upsetting compared to our Dilwale days. And there are far too many niche artists to keep track of.

The same goes for Bollywood films. From the Shah Rukh Khan era, we now have Gen Z-driven stories tackling mental health, LGBTQ+ issues, and social justice in films like Badhaai Do and The Lunchbox.

Architecture, fashion, even food follow cycles of rebellion and revival. Gen Z isn't destroying culture; it is simply that Millennials struggle to accept that even extended adolescence has a shelf-life.

India, nevertheless, continues to stay young.

Don't Dismiss Them on Social Media

One of the biggest mistakes we make is publicly mocking Gen Z and Alpha on social media through memes, tweets, or viral posts ridiculing their habits. These platforms amplify negativity, turning generational differences into public shaming. This creates resentment instead of dialogue.

A kind comment or supportive share goes further than a sarcastic reel. Our words shape how they see us and how we see ourselves as elders.

Genetic Makeup Hasn't Changed

Human biology doesn't evolve overnight. The genetic makeup of Gen Z and Alpha is essentially the same as ours. They possess the same potential for ambition, resilience, and creativity. What has changed is the environment: intense competition, economic shifts, digital overload, and societal pressures. We cannot blame them for responding differently to a world that we helped shape.

Digital Natives with Compressed Childhoods

Gen Z and Alpha are true smartphone natives, growing up with Jio, Instagram, and endless notifications. Many come from single-child or nuclear families in urban India. While Gen X and Millennials faced smothering parental expectations amid cut-throat competition for IITs, NEET, or jobs, Gen Z's childhoods have been compressed and spread thin with tuitions, screens, and mental pressure, leaving little room for carefree play. The recent triple-suicide in Noida is a sad reminder of the mental struggles facing a relatively prosperous generation.

Gen Alpha is attempting to curate calm in an always-on world. They are under more pressure than Gen Z was at similar ages. They're turning down the noise and opting for lighter content, podcasts, and offline activities, while staying selectively connected. This shift toward balance aligns with broader unplugging trends, where digital detoxes and intentional boundaries foster mental recharge.

Gen Alpha's Growing Influence

Gen Z is global in every sense. They easily identify with young people around the world. Their tastes are global too. They are already powerful tastemakers today.

In India, Gen Z and Alpha actively shape family travel plans, with parents choosing destinations based on their children's interests. Gen X folks, for whom travel even within India was a luxury, secretly envy Gen Z for being spoilt for choice.

As "mini bosses," they assertively advocate for what they want, from food to fashion, reshaping retail and brands early. Millennials who shopped for Diwali, Dussehra, and Sankranti and ate out once a week enjoy these luxuries while also harbouring a boomer-like superciliousness.

From Job-Orientation to Health-Orientation

We older generations oriented our lives toward jobs. Survival demanded secure government posts or long Narayana Murthy hours in the private sector. Credit goes to Gen Z for prodding many of us toward health: prioritising mental well-being and fitness apps. What we once criticised as "laziness" is today "self-care". Recognising this shared evolution bridges a gap. Their focus on health is the next logical step in what we're already doing.

Learning from Them Keeps Us Young—and Relevant

As the first true AI-natives, Gen Alpha converses naturally with tools like voice assistants, seeking autonomy and less perfectionism.

This has sharpened unique skills: coding from school, navigating global trends, and showing deep empathy. They champion environmental causes and advocate for mental health openly, unlike our generation's silence. Their sensitivity to climate, inequality, and animal rights should be seen as evolved awareness.

We must learn from the young to stay youthful. Generations aren't worlds apart. They are just one cycle away. Our desires for family, success, and peace mirror theirs.

Ancient wisdom echoes this humility. From the Yoga Vashishta comes the teaching: "Even a young boy's words are to be accepted if they are words of wisdom; else, reject it like straw even if uttered by Brahmā the creator." This reminds us to value insight over age and to listen openly to the young when their ideas hold truth. (There is a Thirukkural with the same theme.)

So, Be Nice, Uncles

Jobs are tougher now because of automation, AI, and the gig economy—all innovations from our Gen X and Millennial tech boom. We built the systems; they navigate the fallout. Quiet quitting? It's often a quiet protest against toxic workplaces with 12-hour days and no boundaries, something many of us endured but now question.

The onus is on us to adapt. Blaming the next generation dodges our responsibility to mentor with kindness. Mutual learning is the way: sharing our resilience while absorbing their tech fluency, pragmatism, and new way of seeing the world.

As parents and mentors, we should upgrade ourselves in nurturing wise, capable youth in this VUCA world. Our role is to guide with empathy, not judgement, and become partners in the shared pursuit of truth.