In Defence of Gen Z Humour
Why weird memes deserve the attention they get
Over the course of quarantine, we’ve seen a wealth of weird memes gain steam. From the iconic Karen meme to the flippant phrase “Ok, boomer”, it seems that modern-day internet humour is growing increasingly confusing — and perhaps even offensive — to older generations. So, what exactly is “Gen Z Humour” — and what does it have to do with all this?
Generation Z, also known as the “iGeneration” or “centennials”, refers approximately to children born between 1995 and 2015. Most of them would’ve grown up without smartphones, but would’ve spent their late childhoods and most, if not all, of their adolescence witnessing and experiencing the growth of now-popular social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. So, if Generation Z is just a bunch of teens and young adults, what’s so special about their humour that warrants its own unique category?
On the surface level, the phrase “Gen Z Humour”, referring to the out-of-the-blue, occasionally shocking, and mildly nihilistic humour of Gen Z today, sounds like a generalization — and an understandable one, at that. How could it be that a bunch of people born within a certain time frame have the same mindset, humour, and ideas? That seems like an unfair assumption of today’s youth.
While this is a fair point, the phrase “Gen Z Humour” has been used so frequently online that it warrants legitimacy as a generational stereotype. In any case, it certainly isn’t a harmful one. The phrase “Gen Z Humour” is a summary of the typically self-deprecating, random, and sometimes questionable humour that has developed — almost on a global scale — from this generation having spent most of their teenage years online. At the end of the day, this form of humour is so widespread in today’s social media-dominated age that it is inescapable — which is precisely what makes it so relevant. Anyone who has any social media platform is prey to the addictive simplicity of Gen Z Humour — the plethora of random memes, inexplicable trends, and brand-new terminology that surfaces almost every month.
With most of the world having been quarantined for the majority of the past few months, global societies are in a one-of-a-kind position. The appeal and accessibility of the virtual world is stronger now than ever before, resulting in a growing reliance on screen time as a way to escape both the boredom and troubles of reality. It’s the first time, perhaps ever, that everyone, everywhere, is experiencing a similar lifestyle — so it’s perfectly understandable that quarantine, COVID-19, and the unpredictability of 2020 are the butt of most online jokes. People have always liked memes and posts that are relatable and relevant to them — and coronavirus, being a global pandemic, fits that mold perfectly.
It’s these factors combined that have enabled the rise of one particularly infamous meme over the course of the past four months — that acts as the hallmark of what we consider to be “Gen Z Humour”. The Karen meme describes the stereotypical middle-aged white woman whose sense of entitlement, and problematic underlying traits, often creates uncomfortable situations for those around her. This meme is far from novel, but — for whatever reason — over the past three months alone it’s become one of the most popular, trending memes within the online world.
From the perspective of real-life Karens, perhaps the popularity of this meme makes it seem like a dig at members of older generations. It’s not uncommon for adults to denounce modern humour as a whole (particularly this example of it) as the outcome of Gen Z’s disrespectful attitudes towards their elders. And I guess, even as a Gen Z-er myself, I can see why. Disrespect is intolerable — especially to those who perceive themselves to be in positions that demand it. I’m sure if they could, the Karens of the world would speak to our managers. But does that make the stereotypical Karen haircut any less humorous? Not at all.
I mean, look at that thing.
By expressing anger at these trivial, albeit viral, Internet memes, Karens — and even their close relatives, the notorious boomers — play into the jokes about themselves, and confirm the stereotypes they are attempting to defy. The point is that these memes target people who possess a sense of entitlement, and who believe that they can exploit this perceived entitlement against others in order to maintain their own comfort — typically, at the cost of that of others. Most Karen memes are quite tame, referring to the stereotypical middle-aged white woman who, being irritated after waiting in line for a Starbucks coffee for longer than five minutes, demands to speak to the manager. But really, these memes — and their creation — target a more specific sub-group of older, privileged people, and attempt to challenge the anachronistic attitudes they still hold, and exploit, for their own gain.
See, for instance, the case of Amy Cooper, a white woman who called the cops on a black man asking her to keep her dog on a leash, thus knowingly threatening his life.
The internet’s immediate denunciation of her being the typical “Karen” didn’t do much to solve the real problem — that is, her racism — but at the very least, it stimulated a discussion about what makes such “Karens” deserving of their infamy among younger generations. And the Karen meme is only one example. Lest we forget the popularity of the phrase “Ok, boomer” — used to dismiss the problematic opinions and statements of older, typically racist, sexist, and misogynistic people.
Does dismissal solve the problem? Of course not. But it does affirm Gen Z’s unwillingness to listen to, engage with, and deal with out-of-date opinions that, to us, no longer have any place in the future of humanity. Or so, one would hope.
In some cases, Gen Z Humour is so popular that it transcends its virtual influence. The phrase “Ok, boomer” being used in a professional court setting, for instance, exemplifies just how integral meme culture is to both Gen Z and the changes we wish to see in the world, demonstrating the reach and power that we — and our humour, however ridiculous — have over modern society, across both the virtual and physical worlds. After all — like it or not, we are the future.
Besides, not all aspects of Gen Z Humour are related to older generations. In fact, the Karen and “Ok, boomer” memes are the only two that come to mind when I consider memes about adults. They represent the best and worst of Gen Z Humour — the best, in that they’re daring and entertaining for younger generations to laugh at; the worst, in that the criticisms they provide can be frustrating for older generations to understand, let alone accept.
Of course, there are other notable downsides to Gen Z Humour as a whole. For one, it sucks being the butt of the joke — as all people named Karen, who aren’t actual Karens, can attest to. For another, this form of humour, despite being globally accessible, has a very specific target audience — typically, young adults and adolescents, who will understand its references and be able to engage with it more frequently. Because of this, many dismiss this form of humour as being outlandish, nonsensical — stupid, even.
But then again, I’m writing this in the middle of a global pandemic that nobody saw coming. So, really — how outlandish can a couple of memes be?
