“People think my mom is my younger sister,” says a TikToker from Gen Z. A generational researcher explains what’s behind it.
“Have you heard that Gen Z ages faster?” a millennial podcaster asks her friend. “No wonder, they are online all the time, chronically depressed and stressed,” is her answer to the TikTokrumor. Jordan, a TikToker, responds to this statement. “Yeah, it’s mostly the stress,” he explains while filming himself in the bathroom mirror.
At 26, Jordan is part of Generation Z, but “nobody believes me.” Many people think he’s over 40. He’s not the only one who experiences this: “Today, people from Gen Z look much older and millennials look much younger,” he claims. But is that really true? BuzzFeed News Germany from IPPEN.MEDIA asked generational researcher Rüdiger Maas.
Gen Z appears older than Millennials: “This is new, it has never happened before”
“Gen Z has always been ‘older-looking’. That is part of their description. They not only appear more conservative and conventional than Gen Y, they are. We have been able to prove this in many studies,” confirms Maas. BuzzFeed News GermanyHe emphasizes that he is not talking about biological age, which depends on other factors, but about “mental” age or external perception.
The majority of Gen Z is less progressive, creative or innovative than their predecessors. One example of this is the trend of trad wives on TikTok. “Gen Z is much closer to their Parents than Millennials,” says Maas. “The members often adopt the values of their parents – which makes them seem even more conservative and conventional.” The Boomer dream of owning their own home also lives on in Gen Z.
This behavior is referred to in science as “neo-conventionalism.” The problem is that there is less differentiation from the previous generation. “This is new, it has never happened before,” says the expert about Generation Z.
“Gen Z are ultimately very rule-abiding, which also makes them seem older”
In areas such as work and leisure, the “mental” age of Gen Z is reflected in the fact that everything has to be predictable. “Safety is the top priority and ideally everything is pleasant, snackable and can be implemented quickly,” says Maas. This also applies to leisure time. If something doesn’t work, Gen Z immediately switches to something that is “even simpler, safer and more predictable.” This could of course also be a stress factor.
“Gen Z are ultimately very rule-abiding and often stick rigidly to the rules, which also makes them seem older,” says Maas. He believes that this is more a result of insecurity than a sign of maturity. “So Gen Z has always seemed older than Millennials, but not necessarily more mature.”
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