Why Are Gen Z Aging So Fast?
Gen Z’s growing obsession with aging has been met with schadenfreude in some millennial social media communities. In certain millennial social media communities Gen Z’s growing obsession with growing older. Furthermore has been met with a certain amount of schadenfreude. Snide remarks are made Do Gen Z-ers think they stumbled upon aging anxiety in the same way they did with low-rise jeans?
Those who want to place blame have attempted to link vaping, makeup, cancel culture, or karma to Gen Z’s purportedly faster maturation. Some have claimed that Gen Z-ers appear older despite using anti-aging procedures and products.
It’s hardly surprising, according to other young people and experts, that a generation brought up on social media and growing up during the Facetune and filler era would be especially aware of the normal physical changes that come with aging.
Am I Getting older?
In January, a brief segment from the podcast “Staying Up” went viral. Later, when Jordan Howlett, a well-known TikToker, released a response video, which further increased in virality, detailing his personal experience of being mistaken for someone much older than he is 26. Our initial comprehensive analysis of the aging disparities between Gen Z and X in this generation.
Combined with the concurrent furor over tween girls asking their parents for anti-aging products and 10-year-olds taking over Sephora, there’s a general sense that kids today are freaking out about wrinkles and retinol way more than anyone else was at their age.
Jordan Howlett is a 26-year-old man with a thick beard and professorial glasses. He claims in a TikTok video that has received close to 20 million views. Additionally, he believes the stresses placed on Generation Z have made him and other generation members appear more mature.
Skincare And Makeup
These pressures have been effectively marketed by the beauty and cosmetics industries, which are targeting increasingly younger customers. This has led to a change in societal expectations regarding appearance as people age, including at ages 30, 40, 50, and beyond.
Certain dermatologists advocate for the use of “baby Botox” or “prejuvenation” treatments, which have gained significant popularity among individuals in their twenties and thirties. Skin care companies are targeting even younger demographics.
As reported in The Wall Street Journal, Bubble Skincare collaborates with approximately 2,000 youth ambassadors who are 13 and 14 years old. The company specializes in selling moisturizers that provide hydration and creams that brighten the eyes.
Data of Gen X And Gen Z
Given that the oldest individuals in this emerging cohort are only reaching the age of 22 this year, and the majority are still in their teenage years or younger, we initially had reservations about assigning them a specific label. Some early contenders for names included Generation Z, the iGeneration, and Home landers.
In this era of aging disparities between Generations Z and X, people employed the term “post-millennials” as a temporary designation. But over the past year, Gen Z has taken hold in popular culture and journalism. Furthermore, reputable sources like Oxford, Merriam-Webster, and the Urban Dictionary have now adopted the term “Generation Z” to refer to the generation that comes after Millennials.
Additionally, data from Google Trends indicates that “Generation Z” is significantly more popular than other names when it comes to people searching for information about this age group. Although, there is no established scientific method for determining when a name becomes widely recognized, it is evident that Gen Z is gaining significant popularity.
The Generations Defined
The majority of individuals belonging to the Millennial generation were in the age range of 5 to 20 years old when the 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred. Additionally, a significant number of them were sufficiently mature to understand the profound historical impact of that event. Conversely, the majority of individuals from Generation Z have limited or no recollection of the incident.
Millennials were also raised during the time when the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were happening. Subsequently, this heightened their overall perspectives on the political parties. Additionally, it added to the strong political division that influences the present political climate. The majority of individuals belonging to the Millennial generation were aged between 12 and 27 during the 2008 election.
This election marked a significant moment in political discourse. As the influence of the youth vote played a crucial role in the election of the first African American president. Furthermore, the Millennial generation represents the most diverse aging adult generation in American history in terms of race and ethnicity. However, Generation Z, is even more varied.
Written by Shontasia Gregory
Sources:
NY Times: Why Does Gen Z Believe It’s ‘Aging Like Milk’?
Pew Research Center: 5 things to keep in mind when you hear about Gen Z, Millennials, Boomers and other generations
CNN: Debunking this myth about Baby Boomers also reveals something about Gen Z
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Featured Image Courtesy of Jim Legans, Jr-Creative Commons License