Get Practical Gen Z

Reinyar
Reinyar
Mar 4, 2019 · 2 min read

Today’s Generation Z, which are the people born from the mid-90s to the mid-00s, have been told time and time again to follow their passion. Whether it be their parents, celebrities broadcasting the notion to their followers, or the countless TV shows that reiterate this concept. This idea is ingrained in childhood and marinated in adolescence. By the time Gen Z reaches 18 and should be thinking about their careers, they believe it is more important to follow their passion, see the world, and make an impact. This is only exacerbated by seeing photos of their friends or Instagram influencers “living their best life” on social media. Despite the fact that most of their Gen Z peers are simultaneously experiencing similar ideas of pursuing one’s own passion, everyone believes they are a unique snowflake and have what it takes to make it. Thus, resulting in an abundance of people attempting to become fashion designers, Instagram influencers, or famous YouTubers.

What happened to practicality? The idea of having an office job seems so alien and unappealing to so many young people. However, several decades ago a stable and guaranteed source of income was considered the pinnacle of success in the US. Now young people are forgoing the guaranteed prospects of the middle-class lifestyle of their parents in order to pursue a precarious future of internet stardom, believing that if they follow their passion success will follow. Young people are basing their ambitions on a whim. In truth, many people fail to realize that for each success story touted by those who “made it,” there are hundreds, if not thousands, who failed and do not get discussed. The people advocating everyone should follow their passion are the 1% of the 1% who have reached internet stardom. In reality, most people flounder and are lucky if they can reach ten thousand followers on Instagram

Parents who want their kid to be practical are told by their kids that “you are from a different generation when things were structured. Things are different in 2019.” This is a valid point; the internet has allowed for a broader range of online careers. However, the field is saturated and increasingly inundated by aspiring internet celebrities. When truly contemplating the sagacious advice of older generations, immutable truths that are only learned through time and life experiences can be extracted. When it comes to being practical, the age-old advice is that there is a consistent source of tranquility when someone follows a routine with a guaranteed source of income from a profession in Accounting or Engineering. This peace of mind is absent for internet celebrities and Instagram influencers who are subject to trends and publishing content that needs to be validated by followers.

This video from PragerU illustrates the importance of being practical.

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