It has become a common trope that the younger generation in America is uninterested in working hard, or at least working a 9 to 5. Millennials and Gen Z have been clapping back at older Americans who criticize their work ethic by explaining that they want more flexible jobs, not that they don’t want to work at all. One Walmart employee took to social media to put the pressure back on Boomers.
TikTok user @chailynt took to the platform to express some of her frustrations with the older generations and defend her own. She explained that she was overwhelmingly frustrated with the way the media has portrayed Gen Z as “lazy” and unwilling to work.
The woman, who works full time at Walmart explained, “I cannot stand how the news has been dogging Gen Z and calling them lazy for not wanting to work 9-5 for the rest of their lives. I work five days of the week, 40 hours a week. I do not make enough money to live on my own”.
The video went massively viral- accruing more than 6 million views- sparking conversation on the internet over the divide between generations, especially as it pertains to work ethic. Naturally, many Gen Z folks commented in support. One commenter wrote, “The older generation thinks working your life away is working hard. That may have been enough for them but I want take advantage of the life I have”.
In the video, she also explains that it is unfair to compare work ethic when older generations were in an entirely different economic reality than the current generations. She states, “Twenty years ago, when you were getting started [in your career], you could live on your own”. She expressed that Gen Z is not lazy, but rather frustrated that they cannot even support themselves even when working 9-5 jobs.
She goes on to say that boomers can name-call all they want but she is “working her tail off” and still not managing to make enough to support herself and that is just not what she wants for the rest of her life. In comparison, she expresses that older generations do not have the same battles since they have had 20 years of working experience to allow them to have higher paying jobs at this unprecedented time with the economy.
She also goes so far as to blame the older generations for the current economic woes that the younger generation is forced to grapple with. It is no secret that inflation is at an all time high and the cost of living is far beyond what it ever was when Baby Boomers were growing up.
For instance, the price of homes has gone up more than 100% in the past 20 years, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Millennials and Generation Z could hardly dream of buying a house in the current economy and so they are forced to live at home for much longer than previous generations in order to save money and afford their bills.
She ended her argument by referring directly to older Americans who she believes are to blame for the economic burdens placed on young workers today. She states, “You let it all run to hell, and now it’s Gen Z’s fault because we don’t want to fix your mistakes”.
The TikTok video by @chailynt is but one example of the constant back and forth we are seeing between the older and younger generations. The generation war wages on as prices continue to rise.
