THE TERROR OF GEN Z

First - last week it was brought to my attention that my love for Jen Psaki got in the way of throwing her a little bit of shade. I shared the clip of her roasting a reporter who asked about Pete Buttigieg going back to work where she started her roast by saying “he is working” and then claiming “I was on a conference call with him this morning.” To be totally honest, as a non-parent who has not had to consider what parental leave looks like, this was obviously a gigantic red flag waving in my face and I didn’t draw your attention to it. Is he on parental leave? If so, leave him alone. The kind, generous, and thoughtful soul who brought this to my attention last week said it best: “He’s entitled to bonding time with his child in accordance with his federal employment status (that’s their policy) and therefore it’s illegal to have him work during his leave and it’s sort of gross if you think about it cuz it displays a lack of real understanding of what parental leave even is.”

Our bigger discussion today is actually sort of #serious, but you guys know me, sometimes I have to hold it down in a more serious tone to reflect the realities of our society. It is… “how I do.” OK so I was reading this article in the New York Times about how “37-year-olds” are afraid of “23-year-olds” who work for them. Personally, as a Gen Z stan, I was mortified by this article which read as Olds talking to fellow Olds. Here is the reality of what I believe to be true: why is anyone afraid of a generation rooted in trying to break down barriers, be more tolerant, and act more human?

Gen Z does what MOST young generations do - question! Lest we forget hippies?? Protests over the Vietnam War?? The Womens Rights Movement?! In the 6th paragraph of this article the author states, “at a retail business based in New York, managers were distressed to encounter young employees who wanted paid time off when coping with anxiety or period cramps.” To these employers I say ...bro, you good?? WHY WOULD YOU NOT HONOR THAT PAID TIME OFF? Lest we forget anxiety is a literal MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER and period cramps plague 50% of the US population. Gen Z isn’t asking for anything insane. They aren’t demanding anyone pay for their face tattoos with their tax dollars (jk I know that is only a small percentage of Gen Zers). They’re just asking for humans to act more ...human.

I am under no false pretenses that I know what is “cool” anymore. I do what I can to stay hip, to stay “with it,” to stay ~relevant~ (i.e. incessantly texting my teen cousins, spending an excessive amount of time on TikTok, and begging my younger coworkers to tell me what the newest equivalent word to Paris Hilton’s “that’s hot” is). But frankly what I DO KNOW IS COOL is that Gen Z is trying to raise their eyebrows at these ridiculous norms and mores that we’ve subscribed to for DECADES, nay, CENTURIES, when the world has changed. Painfully so, it has changed. And we must evolve. Let the youth lead, let them share new ideas, let them challenge the way we think about working, and government, and style, and art. And please stop being so CRINGE about it. The best way? Listen! Hold your judgment. Share your experience with less of tone of authority. And perhaps take something they say to heart without just going bananas that they’re gonna insult your side part. They’re not scary - but they do probably think your jeans are lame. And that is something this newsletter cannot help you with.