The Rise Of Gen Z

Love them or hate them, you can't ignore them. The power and reach of the zoomers, thanks in part to their hold on the internet, is undeniable. In our youth special, hello! Discovers the influence they yield the world over

- SHRADDHA CHOWDHURY

“This generation will never understand how we did things.”

How often have each one of us heard someone older spew this very dialogue? The answer: a little too often. Over the years, researchers and popular media have labelled different generations with a variety of monikers. We’ve had baby boomers (loosely, ones born between 1946 and 1964), Generation X (1950 to 1980), and millennials (1981 to 1996). But today, it’s the reign of Gen Z (1997 to 2012), a new group of multitalented and genre-bending up-and-comers, gaining ground to cultural ubiquity and defining pop culture.

Call them post-millennials, zoomers, iPad babies or the TikTok generation with short attention spans, Gen Z always has something to say. And when they do, the rest listen. Using their platforms with gigantic followings, they bond over glamour and fame as well as sensitive matters such as mental health and inclusivity. And in every realm, be it entertainment, business, sports or art, their influence is undeniable and remarkable, far more than the impact their preceding peer groups had — thanks in part to the advent of technology and the reach of social media. But what is it that makes them stand out and attract the spotlight?

DISTINCTIVE ATTRIBUTES