28 Jul 2021 | 3 mins
Overview

Not too sure where you side with in the generational wars? TikTok puts it plain and simple - skinny jeans are no longer it.

This is an in-depth analysis of the divide between Millennials and Gen Z. If you’re on the cusp like I am (I’m an old Gen Z’er but I’m a Millennial at heart) or older, then this article will serve you well.

If you’re not too sure where you fit - here is a definitive list of where you sit.

@theendlessshow

Technology: Generation Z vs Millennials! #deaf #asl #fyp #foryou #foryourpage #generationz #millennials #babyboomers #tiktok

♬ Humble (In the Style of Kendrick Lamar) [Karaoke Version] - Instrumental King

What makes you a Millennial:

  • Likes Harry Potter
  • Lives for 90s nostalgia and TV shows
  • Loves skinny jeans and grew up with low rise jeans
  • Grew up with a Nokia brick
  • But first, coffee.
  • Misses the six-second long video making app, Vine

What puts you in Gen Z:

  • Wears a middle part
  • Think Millennials are lame
  • Will only wear loose pants because skinny jeans are cheugy (wtf does this even mean)
  • Can’t get off their phones because they were born on an iPad
  • It’s the sheeeeeeesh for me.
  • TikTok and only TikTok

You get the picture. It’s a generational war that has stemmed from Millennials being out of touch with Gen Zer’s and Gen Zer’s taking the piss out of Harry Potter lovers. So, that begs to the question, are Millennials too old for TikTok?

Well, the short-form video-sharing app has impacted a massive amount of cultural defining moments. Who can forget the bloke sipping cranberry juice on a longboard that shot up Fleetwood Mac’s 70’s hit Dreams to number one, four decades later?

@420doggface208

 

♬ Dreams (2004 Remaster) - Fleetwood Mac

Its never-ending scrolling feature and hilarious content creation lends itself to anyone that’s got a short attention span and inevitably bloomed in the midst of a global pandemic. In our 2021 Gen Z report, we found that 71% of females and 48% of males regularly use TikTok and are continually on the rise compared to Instagram.

Maybe it’s only because Millennials grew up on dial up speed, a GameCube and MySpace that we think Gen Z have got it so easy but hey, we’re all going to suffer from the same economical existential dread that our boomers left us with, right? On a broader level, we’re not that dissimilar.

I gotta admit though, I suck at making TikTok’s. I don’t really get it and I feel like a 50+ year old trying to navigate an app. I totally understand how them oldies feel when they think we’re geniuses when we connect them to the WiFi because that’s how I felt.

TikTok is a platform that is suitable for all ages - the majority of the videos are funny (sometimes filled with dark humour), silly, smart and creative. Hey, without it, I wouldn’t have made the delish dalgona whipped coffee, the baked feta recipe or focaccia bread. Hey, it may take you a little longer to understand what “sheesh” or “chupapi munyayo” means but the app has much more to offer.

@matthewdavidjohnson

Watches one ep of @luxelistingssydney …

♬ original sound - Matty J

You’re probably finding small businesses you would have never heard of or influencers within your age demographic - start liking some vids and your For You Page will be tailored to your preferences! Trust me when I say you’ll find some gems on there - it’s undeniable that you’ll have some big fat laughs while you’re endlessly scrolling.