Gen Z vs Millenials: Three lessons on generation gap

When he, a member of Generation Z, learned that we (two other Millennials and I) went to a coffee shop and ate at a fast-food restaurant without him, he felt sad and disappointed, cried (according to his older brother), and questioned his self-worth. His note on the Messenger app at the time said: “Naghahanap ng validation kay ChatGPT. Three crying emojis.”

For context, he is 26, while my two other companions and I are in our 30s. I did not invite him because I was not the one who hosted or initiated the lakad. It would have been disrespectful to the person who invited me and treated me if I had invited another person. Plus, it had long been planned before he was even hired by the company we work for. He is relatively new to the office.

I had only hung out with the guy twice. I have never been involved in such drama before, so I did not know what to do or how to handle it. This is an eye-opener. Gen Zs are experts in conveying their feelings and emotions, while Millennials tend to keep things to themselves.

The following day, the Gen Z’s older brother asked me why we treated his brother that way. Although I did not owe him an explanation, I answered his question. His question was: “Bakit hindi niyo sinama ang kapatid ko (Why didn’t you include my brother)?” I told him that his younger brother knew that someone had invited me for coffee and dinner and that I was not the host.

Clearly, I did not have the right to invite another person. The Gen Z’s kuya did not seem to appreciate my explanation. How else could I have defended myself and my group? I was not prepared for the confrontation. I was at a loss as to what to do next. Since I was a child, I had not understood the concept of establishing boundaries and maintaining my peace. I did not question people’s actions. I did not go against the norm.

Inasmuch as I do not want to believe that Gen Zs are too sensitive (sorry for the term), this experience only shows that it might be true. Do not get me wrong. I do not generalize. Maybe this is just an isolated case. At any rate, I learned a lot from it. This generation gap taught me three lessons. First, we must be sensitive to other people’s feelings. Second, we should maintain constant communication with our partners, friends, and families. Third, we need to be articulate. We should say what we mean and mean what we say.

Now, I am proud of this guy. I can see that he has matured a lot. He has the potential to lead and bring people together. Welcome to adulthood, man.

Each generation has its own strengths and weaknesses. We should not clash. Instead, we must learn to coexist. We must build a better world not only for ourselves but, most importantly, for the generations to come.

Leonard Kristian Mesa Gelacio,
Cauayan City, Isabela