They say every generation thinks the next one is more rebellious, more entitled, or just different. But nothing really prepares someone for the reality of working side by side with Gen Z until it happens.
Recently according to #XUAN解忧树洞, someone in their early 30s started a new job, excited to meet new people and grow in their career. However, just within weeks, they found themselves completely baffled and sometimes irritated by one of the particular Gen Z colleague.
It wasn’t about small quirks or harmless habits. It was the attitude, the things said so casually, that made the older colleague finally understand what people mean when they talk about “the generation gap" and also why so many of the older people always criticizing about Gen Z now because sometimes they are really brainless. So what happened here is this younger coworker constantly teased them for being “old,” calling them aunty just because they hit 30. I think no one here likes people who are young than you not that much, but she keeps calling you “aunty,” right? She bragged endlessly about her iPhone, mocking Android users as “poor people,” even though the other phone such as a Samsung Ultra was more expensive and fully paid off,
It didn’t stop there. When she saw her senior colleagues being picked up after work by a boyfriend driving an Axia, she sneered and questioned their “standards.” of why choosing such a “poor or no quality boyfriend”. Little did she know, that car actually belonged to the very person she was mocking and it was perfectly fine because, to them, a car was simply a means to get from one place to another, not a symbol of worth.
The same colleague even joked about the boyfriend’s body, calling him “fat.” Yes, he was 100kg but at 180cm tall, strong, kind, and dependable. It's definitely a normal weight for a person with 180cm height tall right? That's only the normal BMI at his height. He was exactly the type of man most people would be lucky to have. Meanwhile, her own boyfriend, as it turned out, was nothing like the image she bragged about online.
What really made things worse wasn’t just the immaturity, it was the constant need for validation, the obsession with trends, and the arrogance that came with youth. If someone didn’t follow the latest influencers or viral challenges, they were immediately labeled as “boring” or “outdated.” At work, shortcuts were the norm. Commitment seemed optional. The goal wasn’t to do well, it was to do the bare minimum while still demanding recognition.
Maybe it’s unfair to say all Gen Z are like that. After all, not everyone behaves this way. But experiences like this one reveal how strong the generational divide can be. For some, it’s not just a gap, it’s a whole canyon of different values, work ethics, and perspectives on what truly matters.
Perhaps one day, when the Gen Zs hit 30, they’ll look back and realize…. it’s not about who’s old or outdated. It’s about respect, empathy, and the willingness to see beyond your own little bubble.
Jovy Jing (ndreagoh@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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