The many Gen Zs
It’s tempting to talk of Gen Z in the singular. The example of three Asian countries shows that, in reality, it should be very much in the plural! These disparities are a reminder that generations are, in part, fashioned by their economic situation, local events, and family culture.
So the Japanese Gen Z, which only represent 14% of the Japanese population, one of the lowest rates in the world, were affected by the Fukushima disaster and the 2011 economic crisis. Those Zoomers are acutely risk-conscious, and have proven to be savers in order to be able to ride out any drought years in the future. They tend to be pessimistic and frugal, while trying to free themselves from the shackles of work.
In China, Gen Z are subjected to intense parental and educational pressure from a very early age. Their only means of escape is through social networks or online shopping, since they don’t have time to actually go to the mall in person.
In Europe and the US Zoomers suffer from eco-anxiety and job insecurity, but is there somewhere in the world where they are happy? Yes: India! 72% of young Indians (390 million people!) say they are happy, despite major social inequality. They enjoy their interaction on social networks and display ambition and confidence.
While social networks seem to define Gen Z, watch out for generalizations!
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