Julius OkorieHe walked into the saloon, greeted everyone who cared to acknowledge and proceeded to take what has become his favourite spot. What will it be this time enquired the hairdresser?
He has become known for changing his hair style every fortnight, practically competing with working class ladies and house wives alike in the ritual of making their hair periodically.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelSometimes the pedicures and manicures follow in that order, depending on how buoyant he is that week.
As if that were not enough, he appears to enjoy the never-ending saloon gist, where all the details of people’s private lives are laid bay as if preparing to write JAMB examination with the information being consumed with relish.
Straight to business, he told the hairdresser, no attachment today, just simply style, “All back and base.”
Two weeks back and other weeks before that, he had settled for Shukkuu, Patewoo, Evelyn King, Feathers, Snake and ladder, C and O, Mikky Mouse, One nation to mention just a few. Younger ones in the neighbourhood love to see him and never miss an opportunity to hail and shake hands with him.
Interestingly, he is not the only guy that frequents the saloon for hairdo and other make-ups hitherto considered an exclusive for young ladies and women. He is only 25, by implication a bit older than the Gen Zs.
By virtue of his age, Smart, the young man being described above may not fit in squarely among the Gen Zs but certainly the millennial or immediate elder brothers and sisters of the Gen Zs. Interestingly his likes are the ones being looked upon and copied as role models by the Gen Zs.
Generation Z or Gen Z, refers to people born between 1996 and 2012. They’re the second-youngest generation, between millennial and Generation Alpha. Gen Z identity has been shaped by the digital age, climate anxiety, a shifting financial landscape, and COVID-19. They are sometimes called fast lane generation.
And by the way there are four Generations categorised in terms of age excluding those before and immediately after the world wars.
Gen Z those born between 1996 – 2012, Millennials born between 1981 – 1996, Gen X born between 1965 – 1980 and Boomers II (a/k/a Generation Jones, born between 1955 – 1964.
Fashion And Going With The Flow
While older generations tend to frown and hold tenaciously to long hold traditions Millennials and following are indifferent. Magnus Deribe who is 25 never misses his periodic hair do re-touch and on reasons why it has become a normal way of life, he said “For me it is fashionable, it is about fashion and it is about doing what makes you happy. It is about going with the flow. You need to be happy and the way to be is to do what gives you joy irrespective of what anyone else feels. People and what they say should not decide how you live your life” he said with an air of finality.
Formative Age And Need To Get It Right
Gen Zs are growing fast globally, and will make up a quarter of the population of the Asia–Pacific region by 2025. They’re the second-youngest generation, after Millennials and before Generation Alpha.
According to Researchers, in Africa, Gen Z currently comprises the majority of the population. In 2017, 60% of the 1.2 billion people living in Africa fell below the age of 25.In 2019, 46% of the South African population, or 27.5 million people, are members of Generation Z
Having been born into the Internet age, their constituency is not just their location but the world is their global village and as such they link up with peers across the globe copying the good the bad and the ugly from peers and others of interest.
This is the formative age and indeed very important to what eventually becomes modus vivendi of the individual as he or she grows up.
Characteristics Of Gen Zs
One of the characteristics of the Gen Zs is that they spend more time on electronic devices and less time reading books than previous generations. Fast solution to immediate problem is their stock in trade. Ironically, if the saying that knowledge is what is left when the book has been taken away, is correct, it portends danger for a non-reading generation where every problem is solved by the computer. Little wonder, every assignment in school is now done with the phone, even the smallest of calculations.
Their exposure to the Internet though considered an advantage has also become a source of worry as it exposes them to lot of dangers. The world being a global village via the Internet opens them up to emulating the good, the bad and the ugly.
In Australia, a law is being passed banning U-16s from the social media; the idea is to curtail their exposure to unwanted influences. Although the bill is not expected to come into force immediately and is being opposed by some including X owner Elon Musk, many still believe that there is need to curtail what the Gen Z group assimilate.
They are future -oriented and have different values and ideas about the future than older generations.
Search For Role Models
Because they are outspoken and have different values and ideas the Gen Zs are in constant search of role models to fashion their own life style. The exposure to the social media which serves as open market encourages them to align with anyone they fancy not minding whether or not the ideology of the person is in tandem with norms and values considered important concepts in sociology that help to maintain social order.
Transgender Issue And Conflict of Identity
It is common these days to see this generation question their gender showing preference for the gender other than theirs and making effort to change their gender if they so desire by acting in such form emulating those who have achieved such dreams. Little wonder the likes of Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, popularly known as Bobrisky attract a lot of followership even among the Gen Zs. The controversial social media personality has about 5 million followers on Instragram. How many of their teachers and everyday fellows can boast of such followership? That is the irony and the confusion they have found themselves. Many say it is the price they have to pay for being born into computer age where the web is at their beck and call or better put at their fingertips.
Great Battle Between The Old And The Young
The Internet generation otherwise called the Gen Zs have independent mind and have their own values. They may be young and no doubt need the guidance of elderly ones who have experienced life to guide them. But alas their early exposure to the internet has given them a feeling of know it all syndrome, they are ready to argue on every matter and cite examples of those who have done what older generations consider taboos and are living their lives thus demystifying hitherto held opinion.
READ ALSO: Australia To Ban Under 16 Children From Social Media
The resultant effect is a battle between the old and the young. Parenting has become serious business as parents must be ready to prove that suggestions they give and solutions they proffer are indeed workable and must be seen to be. Otherwise there are countless solutions at the disposal of the average Gen Z.
Looming Danger
Because of addiction to social media, Gen Zs deprive themselves of sleep. This is considered by researchers as a serious problem.
Consequences of sleep deprivation include low mood, worse emotional regulation, anxiety, depression, increased likelihood of self-harm, suicidal ideation, and impaired cognitive functioning. In addition, teenagers and young adults who prefer to stay up late tend to have high levels of anxiety, impulsivity, alcohol intake, and tobacco smoking.
No Dull Moment
While no one can claim that early exposure of the Gen Zs to the Internet is entirely bad, it is no doubt a fact that it has its own negative effect, leading to confusion in identity in cultural affiliation and choice of role model.
Those seen and taken as role models by the generation make older generation wonder where the society is headed. When you have a Gen Z in the house monitoring become inevitable and that is certainly not easy considering their hyper-active nature and knowledge of electronic devices which serves as source of positive and negative formation alike.
What People Say About Gen Zs
Shruti@Shruti_tayal04
Gen Zs are obsessed with a competition to look and live a life more aesthetic than the others. Everybody is racing to be in the prettiest cafe, own an iphone, capture sky pictures, dance at nightclubs.
Claire Kyle @ThatClaireKyleG
Gen Z drinks less than everyone else because they are doing more HARD DRUGS than any other generation before. They even have a Tik Tok challenge right now that has to do with inhaling fumes. They’re literal junkies. This is not a flex.
Stephanie 🇺🇸 @StephHoover8
- Gen Z is big on posting and watching TikTok videos, not so big on doing the work, let alone any besides talking, necessary for change. It’s a performative generation, not a substantive one. They want to be “influencers” rather than doers. This is a generation that believes saying something is the same as doing it.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
