Gen Z: A snowflake generation?

Adults have constructed an image of this young generation, based on our own conceptions and experiences of the "what should be" that we had at that stage of life. This adult-centric view makes it possible to understand why they have been unfairly named the "crystal” or “snowflake” generation. 

All new generations have to carry the stigma attached to them by past generations: that they are lazy, that they are too idealistic, that they don't want to grow up, and so on.

Even today, many adults still repeat what they think about Generation Z; phrases such as "they are not like us, because we overcame our problems without anyone taking us to a psychologist". Remnants of a time when the adult's word was not questioned, when bullying had no name and everyone celebrated the funny classmate who picked on the weakest, when we solved our problems on our own, when we faced our sorrows without crying.     
What is said of today's young people? That they are flimsy, fragile and delicate; that at the slightest conflict they break down, fall apart, exaggerate; that they are extremely sensitive, with no tolerance for frustration. A generation of the immediate, the disposable, the fleeting, the visual; an exhibitionist generation that needs to live its life through the showcase of social networks. A generation unwilling to wait, unwilling to persevere, less willing to make an effort.

Children of their time

To understand this generation, we must place them in the context in which they are being brought up and trained: they are the children of parents who are in a process of trial and error, based on new paradigms they have adopted regarding parenting. They are new mothers and fathers who are trying to leave behind older and more rigid parenting models in order to try out more flexible formulas, relating to each other by listening and giving space for dialogue. In addition to the above, we must also add other factors that are relevant to the development of Generation Z, such as being digital natives and the accelerated social and cultural changes that force them to deal with uncertainty.

Young people today face these new paradigms at a time when they are shaping their own identity, which allows them to incorporate social and cultural changes with less resistance than at older ages. In this sense, they feel freer to explore, to believe in different ideas and where consumption is increasingly liquid.

If I don't wear a bra, it's a way of rebelling. I don't have to hide my nipples. If you get caught up in it, learn to govern yourself, I don't have to repress myself.

Female, university student, C3^[ii]

They have a strong awareness of the future, but from a realistic and more hopeless point of view, which sometimes depresses them as they feel they can do little individually. They adhere to causes that resonate with them and are capable of sacrificing for them, such as going vegan not only for the sake of animal welfare, but as a concrete way of protecting the planet from the erosion caused by meat production and the consequent damage to the ecosystem.

There was the documentary Cowspiracy, and I remember I was always very concerned about the environment, but I didn't know the damage I was doing by eating meat. I used to recycle and stuff, but with that documentary I realised that I was still a super harmful person for the planet. I saw it and the second I saw it, I was like, "wow! I was shocked and I never ate meat again.

Male, university student, C2^[iii]

They are a generation connected to others, to their environment and, above all, to themselves. The pandemic was a turning point for them in the sense that it connected them to their deepest vulnerabilities. It led them to isolation, but also to reflection on their own existence.

Masculinity, we still question even that. I don't like that word very much, it's full of stereotypes: big-haired, hairy-chested, bearded

Male, university student, C1

With the crisis lingering 

Our children and adolescents have been the protagonists of some of the most relevant phenomena of our history in this century, in Chile and across the world. They have had to grow up in the midst of one of the most important health crises in the history of the last hundred years, undergone great social changes (some not exempt from violence) and are witnessing an economic crisis that is already being felt in homes everywhere.

According to UNICEF, at least one in seven children and young people during the pandemic suffered anxiety, depression and isolation^[iv] . How does one survive childhood and youth in the midst of this context? It is not surprising that this is a generation more willing to talk about what they feel, to be vulnerable and to ask for help.

They feel disenchanted and deeply distressed by a future that looks increasingly uncertain and grey. All these difficult experiences have left Generation Z with a certain air of melancholy and lack of hope for what is to come. How could they not be the ones who are most sensitive to what is happening?

The curious thing is that while in the intimate sphere they recognise themselves as more vulnerable, in the social sphere they have been the architects of relevant transformations, which shows that they are a generation willing to fight for the changes they feel are necessary and just: gender equality, defence of sexual diversity, defence of the ecosystem, social justice, and opportunities for the most vulnerable. The recent experience in our country shows us, moreover, that by mobilising they managed to overcome the barrier of the impossible and felt empowered about what they can achieve together. And this greater honesty with which they live their lives is also beginning to be demanded of society as a whole, from institutions, businesses, church, family, or friends.

They are a generation that demands consistency and coherence between discourse and action, traceability in processes, transparency and honesty in storytelling. This leads them to take action against industries or institutions that do not have a credible storytelling that matches their storydoing.

The role of brands 

So, what do we need to do if we want Generation Z to consider and choose us? Let's ask ourselves: are we listening to them, how much do we know about what really concerns and matters to them, what stresses them, and how do we accompany them on the road to being happier?

We must start by accepting them in their differences, validating their emotions; but also sharing our own learning, which is still valuable, even more so in this world of immediacy. What we learned the hard way, today we can teach with love: resilience, the value of effort and patience, the idea that behind every sacrifice does not always come success and recognition.

We must stop forcing children and young people into our moulds and allow them to teach us about their values, what we call reverse education: it is the children and young people of today who teach us adults about the new paradigms of society, and education is no longer a vertical model that is transmitted from the top (adults) to the bottom (young people).

We must begin this journey by debunking myths. And for this, qualitative research plays a crucial role: let children and young people tell us about their dreams and failures, their joys and fears, their doubts, fun and sadness. Today more than ever we need brands committed to society, because accompanying this generation in their growth allows us to understand their needs as a group, to respond with solutions and messages that accompany them on this hard road of personal and collective development.

Table of content 

1. An introduction to Flair Chile 2023: A historic year?
2. Global view of Chile
3. Gen Z: A snowflake generation?
4. Feminism in Chile: A movement that is progressing, albeit slowly
5. The chilean route to sustainable development
6. Is it possible to innovate in a disruptive way in Chile?