Understanding Gen Z and Gen Alpha

We are officially in the second half of 2020. With time racing, the start to a new decade is almost reaching its end. Generations have gone by and the millennials have become mighty parents to new toddlers. But, it was hard to decipher what would be the children of the Millennials called. The successors of the golden period, ironically came at a time, when the world population had exhausted all the 26 alphabets in the English language. But, as long as the world lives, new generations are bound to emerge and so should their names. 

Mark McCrindle, a social researcher, deciphered the name Generation Alpha to the infants born between 2010 to 2024. The official successors to Gen Z who were born between 1995 to 2009. 

Generation gaps have been prevalent since the planet started developing at faster rates than they were doing before. So, does the crib about the newer generations being far more privileged yet ungrateful than the previous generations began. The debate about Gen Z versus Gen Alpha, the two relatively newer generations, is never-ending. But, it is time to accept that the times have changed, developments have touched roofs, but the challenges are still there and have only transfused forms. 

Gen Alpha

Predictions and analysts conclude that, by 2025, the last year of generation alpha, the world will be home to around 2 billion people belonging to the alpha generation. The gen alpha is nicknamed iGeneration. They are the first to be born completely in the 21st century and in an era that’s at an all-time high technical advancement.  

Essentials becoming tablets, smartphones, and more, Best friends being found on social media, Siri, Alexa, and other parts of the neighborhood. This generation is different from all their predecessors, and AI and deep learning are not a concept of newness anymore. 

The Alphas have Health-trackers being used from the very first day. Alphas have a strong inclination towards technology. And, there are no wonders, the gifts from Santa Claus, is majorly iPad over a pet dog if given a choice. On the brighter side, the creativity of them is quite high and the resources to learn are at an all-time high. 

Gen Z versus Gen Alpha 

Generation Z would be the last generation that traveled through change and has seen the pre and post-eras of development and technological advancement. Although generation Z has seen almost equal amounts of advancements, generation Z was part of the journey to change, making the difference. 

Generation Z has seen a lot of engineers, doctors, officers emerging, but Alphas would turn more into entrepreneurs. A more drive towards the creative field has seen the trend getting fueled and the prediction is going towards a reality. Also, both generations have no backlogs in terms of technology, and technology is not any kind of tool to them, but essentials. 

The increase in the degradation of mental health has been prevalent as well. The degrading mental health in the younger generation is a result of over-exposure at a young age along with increasing peer pressure. Constant worries about career and bright futures haunt them. This trend is seen as something that brings them down. Although this has been on the rise, proper talk and de-stigmatization of the taboo against the negligence of mental health help in improving the situation.

In a few years, we will be welcoming a new generation to our home. We are in need to set better examples for the generations to come. A step towards, keeping a balance between technology and everything else is important. A better world awaits us only when we work towards a change, a change that should last longer for the generations to come.