42 Tiny Observations About Gen Z Culture That Will Be Seriously Enlightening To Other Generations

    You can thank Jodie Foster for this post.

    Matt Stopera
    by Matt Stopera

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Last week, Jodie Foster went viral for explaining why she thinks Gen Z is annoying.

    Close-up of Jodie smiling
    Chris Delmas / AFP via Getty Images

    She told the Guardian, “They’re really annoying, especially in the workplace. They're like, 'Nah, I'm not feeling it today. I'm gonna come in at 10:30 a.m."

    Close-up of Jodie looking sideways
    Chris Delmas / AFP via Getty Images

    She added, "Or in emails, I'll tell them, 'This is all grammatically incorrect. Did you not check your spelling?' And they're like, 'Why would I do that? Isn't that kind of limiting?'"

    Close-up of Jodie on the Golden Globes red carpet
    Axelle / FilmMagic / Getty Images

    Because Gen Z culture is in the news again, let's take a look at what people on X, previously known as Twitter, have to say about it:

    Gen Z culture is...

    1. These emojis: 😙✌️

    ✧ ︎𝕎 𝔸 ℕ ✧ @AvatarVVan

    Gen z culture is saying something very traumatic and depressing then go 😗✌️

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    2. Not knowing how to watch cable:

    gen z culture is not knowing how to turn the tv on to watch cable

    — m (@idiottrain) January 12, 2020
    Twitter: @idiottrain

    3. Making an Instagram account for disposable cameras:

    🦋belly furtado🦋 @staple_tits

    Gen Z culture is making an Instagram account for your disposable camera

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    4. Having multiple conversations with the same person on different apps:

    tristan™️ @tr1stans

    Gen Z culture is having two different conversations with the same person on different apps

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    5. Weird movie/song references:

    Trivia Crack Addict @MikeyDuffy_

    Gen Z culture is hearing a really famous song from the 80’s and only knowing it from some movie like Paul Blart: Mall Cop

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    6. Adding "just kidding" to everything:

    Hamsini @clumsynee

    Gen Z culture is adding "just kidding" after stating a fact, to convince ourselves that we're doing okay.

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    7. Memes and moods:

    perlin dsilva 🕊 @perlindsilva_

    gen Z culture is rlly just about posting an abstract meaningless meme on story and everybody replying to it with a ‘moood’ 🥴

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    8. Making typos on purpose:

    Pingou 💜 @Pingou_Mrngstr

    gen z culture is making typos voluntarily to accentuate the lol

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    9. Always having their phones on silent:

    Gen Z culture is to have my phone on silence from the very moment I bought it.

    — Andrés (@Damndres) November 26, 2020
    Twitter: @Damndres

    10. Saying "This is so much":

    Gen Z culture is saying “this is so much” whenever something mildly inconvenient happens

    — Dizzy Izzy✨ (@whip4equality) February 12, 2021
    Twitter: @whip4equality

    11. Reposting videos before watching them:

    gen z culture is reposting a video before you watch it

    — ΛVᎶZIᏁᎶ (@AvgZing) February 18, 2021
    Twitter: @AvgZing

    12. Never updating Facebook profile pictures:

    gen z culture is having a facebook profile picture that isn’t been updated in 4 years

    — anna shea (@ashea1099) April 15, 2021
    Twitter: @ashea1099

    13. Chucking phones across rooms to show people things:

    Gen Z culture is chucking your phone at someone across the room when you want to show them something

    — uh-lean (@izaliney) May 3, 2021
    Twitter: @izaliney

    14. Never using voicemail:

    gen z culture is not knowing how to set up voicemail

    — Trip (@tripishot123) July 3, 2021
    Twitter: @tripishot123

    15. Astrology:

    peak gen z culture is consulting the stars and horoscopes to see if we should do something or not that day

    — nat 🦋 (@luneclarity) July 30, 2021
    Twitter: @luneclarity

    16. Being terrified to call people:

    gen z culture is trying to go out for dinner and no one wanting to call the restaurant for a reservation 💀

    — jayla ☆ (@withloveyooh) August 28, 2021
    Twitter: @withloveyooh

    17. Over-apologizing:

    tine⁷ @roihobi

    Gen z culture is over-apologizing or over-thanking people for your parents when you're out with them

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    18. Teaching parents that weed isn't actually that bad:

    Gen z culture is teaching your parents weed isn’t as bad as they were told growing up

    — Ari (@arii_923) September 18, 2021
    Twitter: @arii_923

    19. Not knowing who Ryan Seacrest is:

    𝓑𝓪𝓽𝓽𝔂𝓑𝓸𝔂💋🇳🇮|Black Lives Still Matter @islandgyalspams

    Gen Z culture is hearing the name Ryan Seacrest in every movie and tv show yet still having no idea what he looks like

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    20. Having conversations on Google Docs:

    Lucy Baumann @LucyBaumann

    Gen z culture is having a conversation on a google doc

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    21. Doing the "Cup Song":

    piss baby @swanky__sydney

    Gen Z culture is doing the cup song on random cylindrical objects when bored

    Reply Retweet Favorite
    Twitter: @swanky__sydney

    22. Only using dark mode:

    vinodhini 🦋 @salvadormonela

    gen z culture is bullying ur friends for not having their apps on dark mode

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    23. Being obsessed with manifestation:

    Ricardo_Andres @Ricardo_Andr3s

    Gen Z culture is replacing religious faith with ✨ manifestation ✨

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    24. Taking pictures while having mental breakdowns:

    sofia @SofiaEsmeraIda

    gen z culture is taking pictures of yourself while you’re having a mental breakdown

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    25. Never charging phones:

    ACABel @AnnabelAsher

    gen z culture is letting your phone die bc the charger is too far from the couch

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    26. Switching between "u" and "you":

    Joe Elexotica @yourauntdebbie

    Gen z culture is switching between u and you in text messages

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    27. Typing in either all lower- or all uppercase letters:

    mac @macimaredith

    gen z culture is typing in all lower caps or all upper caps w no in between

    Reply Retweet Favorite
    Twitter: @macimaredith

    28. Live-tweeting doctor's appointments:

    mr struggle @mctleycrxe

    gen z culture is live tweeting ur doctors appointments

    Reply Retweet Favorite
    Twitter: @mctleycrxe

    29. Listening to vinyl with AirPods:

    Allie @Allie_EdKarriem

    Gen Z culture is listening to vinyl with airpods

    Reply Retweet Favorite
    Twitter: @Allie_EdKarriem

    30. Redoing keyboard smashes:

    gen z culture is redoing a keyboard smash bc the first one was ugly

    — Lyle⁷ | Horizon out now! (@BTS_mp7) November 20, 2022
    Twitter: @BTS_mp7

    31. Cryptic Instagram posts:

    Gen z culture is posting 16 pictures on Instagram of a streetlight that aren’t in focus with the caption “last week 💓”

    — Casper (@brandon__casper) December 7, 2022
    Twitter: @brandon__casper

    32. Always checking pronouns in bio:

    Gen Z culture is checking the bio for pronouns before you go off on them

    — tee (@terri_zhane) January 23, 2023
    Twitter: @terri_zhane

    33. Wearing their parents' vintage clothes:

    gen z culture is wearing ur mom's pearls and ur dad's vintage button down to the club

    — big bowl of homemade pasta (@ZoeInTheory) February 6, 2023
    Twitter: @ZoeInTheory

    34. BeReal:

    gen z culture is finding out your friend has covid from their BeReal

    — meg 🌲 (@megparker20) February 15, 2023
    Twitter: @megparker20

    35. Being dramatic:

    Gen Z culture is calling yourself unhinged when you’re literally just listening to a Taylor Swift song

    — hopbub (@hopeybubs) November 12, 2021
    Twitter: @hopeybubs

    36. Texting with friends who are 3 feet away:

    gen z culture is texting full convos with your friend when they're 3 feet away

    — jenna (@pnwjenna) December 2, 2021
    Twitter: @pnwjenna

    37. Being both hypersensitive and desensitized to everything:

    Gen Z culture is being both hypersensitive AND desensitized at the same time towards a lotta things, change my mind.

    — Callahan Clarke (@CalmThyPalm) February 12, 2022
    Twitter: @CalmThyPalm

    38. Never learning their friends' addresses:

    gen z culture is not knowing your friends’ actual address (like floor and shit) because you always text them so that they open the door

    — mj (@idkcaseywtv) April 14, 2022
    Twitter: @idkcaseywtv

    39. Not drinking soda:

    gen z culture is having friends that have done every drug under the sun but dont drink soda bc its “unhealthy”

    — m o n k e y b r a i n (hot girl era) (@boiarmadillo) May 25, 2022
    Twitter: @boiarmadillo

    40. Speeding up old songs:

    Gen z culture is just speeding up throwback songs from like 2010

    — bmo (@dhozv) September 20, 2022
    Twitter: @dhozv

    41. Adding "-ussy" to every word:

    gen z culture is putting "ussy" after every word and thinking you're original and funny

    — mikhail (@mikhailcazi) October 13, 2022
    Twitter: @mikhailcazi

    42. And lastly...

    Gen Z culture is just Millennial culture remastered

    — Yo Gabapentin (@SomeTweeter420) November 16, 2022
    Twitter: @SomeTweeter420