5 Similarities That Debunk the Millennial vs. Gen Z Debate

I have an unpopular opinion: The Millennial vs. Gen Z debate shouldn’t exist. I know it’s fun to talk about generational differences, but the idea that we’re so different or can’t get along is confusing.

The debate might initially stem from the fact that everyone seems to lump Millennials into a permanent state of being in their twenties—akin to our Gen Z counterparts—but that’s not true, and it only seems to pit us against each other. Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, while Gen Z spans the period between 1997 and 2012 (via Search in Beresford). Both generations are younger than Gen X and the Baby Boomers before us, but we are each in our own phases of life, bringing a unique blend of experiences and perspectives to young adults around the world.

My sister and I are both Millennials, which was shocking to learn considering she was born in 1984 and I was born in 1991. Technically, that puts me on the verge of being a Zillennial which covers the years over a shorter period of 10 years, according to CNN—which makes me a Millennial with slightly more Gen Z leanings than my sister. Still, the differences I’ve noticed aren’t enough to have such conflicting conversations between us. We feel pretty much the same way, more or less!

If you want to sort it out, it’s obviously going to be a little harder for a 40-year-old to fully identify with a teenager or even a 20-something—that’s a fact. But I still think there are more similarities between Millennials and Gen Z than society has fed us. If you’re still not convinced, here are five reasons why I think the Millennial vs. Gen Z debate isn’t that important.

Millennials and Generation Z both live in the digital age

Millennials vs. Generation Z

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Millennials grew up in a time before the digital age, but we’ve seen it grow and change the way the world communicates. The internet launched in 1993 and connected people in ways no one could have imagined (via NPR).

I remember when MySpace, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LTK, Snapchat, and other popular apps were launched – literally from the beginning. Growing in the digital age as we know it today, I can confidently say that Millennials and Gen Z are still finding their footing thanks to all the technology – and constant connection – at our disposal.

We both watched how social media and algorithms changed the way we think. We saw the rise of content creators and highly politicized messages filtered down to us. We scrolled, curated, shared, liked, and kept trying to find the balance that would finally work for us.

We all live this online experience together at the end of the day.

Millennials and Generation Z value flexibility

Millennials vs. Generation Z

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Starting from my 1920sBeing in my 30s has made me realize how much flexibility I need as a Millennial. I feel like I was born to look at certain aspects of traditional ideals and say, “That’s not going to work for me.” It’s even more apparent now that I’m older and have discovered that my approach to my career and family life doesn’t quite align with what I was taught. And it’s not so different for Gen Z either – check this out!

Career Approach

More than 80% of Millennials and Gen Z believe it is important to work in a place that gives us meaning in our lives. DeloitteBoth generations also value work-life balance that doesn’t require us to pretend we don’t have a life or other obligations outside of our work.

As a mom, this was one of the biggest issues I faced because I realized how society doesn’t accommodate working parents. The number of times I’ve heard a stranger say, “Parents should have someone stay home,” as if that would solve the problem is ridiculous.

Whether we have families to raise, hobbies to juggle, or anything in between, it’s clear that Millennials and Gen Z crave balance in their careers.

Views on the nuclear family

Speaking of motherhood, I like to think that Millennials and Gen Z aren’t that different when it comes to our views on the nuclear family. Pew Research Center show that we are not as critical of single-parent households as previous generations, and that only 44% of Millennials were married in 2019.

This idea that families have to look a certain way to be legitimate is something that Millennials and Gen Z continue to question—and even despise—but not because we don’t value family. We’re just less likely to stress ourselves out by thinking we’re failing or falling short because we don’t have or want the traditional nuclear family model. Both generations approach relationships and family on their own terms.

Millennials and Generation Z gravitate toward the same pop culture

Millennials vs. Generation Z

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Did you know that nearly half of Millennials enjoy listening to music in their free time (via Spotify), while 43% of Gen Z love to stream it (via E-Marketer) too? It seems that music still makes the world go round.

Additionally, Millennials and Gen Z remain the driving force behind what is considered trendy and what is not in popular culture. Gen Z is generally considered to be the trendsetters on TikTok, but reports of Announcements Newsshows that Millennials are “…2.3 times more likely to be the ones fueling this online content engine by posting videos and tagging brands.”

Basically, we both push pop culture forward, consuming and creating trends on every platform! So, remind me, how different are we?

Millennials and Generation Z Value Diversity and Inclusion

Millennials vs. Generation Z

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I grew up in a time where certain internal biases were presented as fact and it was always a strange pill to swallow. I didn’t understand why I would hear “Love thy neighbor” in church and see some of those same people openly treating the LGBTQ+ community like hell. We could talk about what’s in the Bible all day, but I was never a fan of picking and choosing who deserves to be treated with love and respect.

Clearly, I’m not alone in rejecting these notions. First, more and more young adults are identifying as queer. As of 2022, 19.7% of Gen Z and 11.2% of Millennials identified as LGBT, compared to 3.3% of Gen X and 2.7% of Baby Boomers (Gallup).

Beyond gender identity, there’s also the racial aspect of how Millennials and Gen Z embrace differences. According to a report by Integrated48% of Gen Z is racially diverse, and Millennials are 19% more racially diverse than Baby Boomers. This leads me to believe that both generations know that the world is not one, and therefore respect and understand that diversity even more than previous generations.

These shared qualities and values are just another way that Gen Z and Millennials are more alike than they are ultimately different. But in our differences, both generations would know how to celebrate this diversity, right? 😉

Millennials and Generation Z are not fans of injustice

Millennials vs. Generation Z

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Compared to previous generations, Millennials and Gen Z have found ways to speak out against injustice. Both generations believe that systemic racism is still a problem in society (via Forbes) with 92% of Generation Z willing to participate in public protests (via Oliver Wyman Forum). Despite the growing number of Gen Zers actively participating in the protests, Millennials have changed their tune.

Social justice organization, Points of light We found that 50% more Millennials believe in civic engagement now that we live in a post-pandemic era, which is not hard to believe. We are in the midst of a major political, racial, and social debate that is causing more young people to speak out than ever before.

Part of me remains hopeful that this debate between Millennials and Gen Z doesn’t rob us of all the ways we can come together to continue to change outdated ideals and policies. It seems that together, we can create positive change in the world around us.

I know social media loves to create divisions on many topics, but there is no reason why the debate between Millennials and Gen Z should be so important. We can all learn something from each other to help make society and the world a better place to live.

Plus, you have to admit, we both have a totally unmatched sense of humor. 😉 So here’s to Millennials and Gen Z coming together, one shared meme at a time.

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