MIND THE GAP

Millennial humour or Gen Z brain rot? While the online debate rages on, a closer look reveals that these two generations might be staring into the same mirror-realising they are not so different after all. So why does it seem like the two generations are always lost in translation?

- Asha Farisha

Does a weekend plan include another session of screen-time maxxing, consuming brain rot content, doom-scrolling TikTok the "For You" page to escape any form of original thought? If the above is sentence overwhelming, you are not alone. The internet has long been a place where culture and language intermingle. This shared online experience has produced a lexicon comprised of inside jokes, memes, and viral trends, resulting in a subculture that those who are not chronically online may find perplexing - if not alien.

Millennials who first encountered the internet during their teenage years once believed that their early exposure gave them a natural edge. They were, after all, the first generation to adapt to social media, blogging, and the first wave of digital entertainment. But this comfort zone was quickly disrupted when they met Generation Z- arguably the first cohort to come of age fully immersed in online culture. With internet challenges and viral content marking their formative years, Gen Z has lived much of their adolescence in the public digital eye, leaving behind a huge digital footprint. And now, even Gen Z is confronted with Gen Alpha, a generation that is for the first time in history - fully raised online.

From the early 2010s to the present day, these shifts have ignited countless debates - especially between Millennials and Gen Z, whose online interactions sometimes feel like an endless cultural tug-of-war. One of the most glaring disconnects between the two generations lies in their sense of humour, often leading to the question: Are they laughing with each other or at each other? The memes, jokes, and references that resonate so deeply with one group can leave the other bewildered - or worse, defensive. Is it simply a case of cultural misunderstanding, or is there something deeper at play in these online exchanges?