Trent Patton
Viewpoints co-editor
There’s a major issue with my generation: everyone is too cool to have fun. Everyone wants to be nonchalant, appearing bored and apathetic to everything. Being “dark and mysterious” has become “quiet and antisocial.” Giving someone else my age a compliment is not met with a “thank you,” instead it is met with a look of confusion with a touch of disgust. Gone are the days of striking up a conversation with peers you don’t know (probably follow on social media).
I understand we are living in quite bleak times. Honestly, it is not dramatic to say the world is falling apart right now. Being a 20-something year old and having even an ounce of joy is quite rare currently. However, you do not have to be alone during these hard times. Sometimes friendships can blossom from shared concerns, and when you find people who want to make a change, you can build a community. Now more than ever, community building skills are in dire need, as our government continuously abandons us. Many people my age will speak out about all of the work that needs to be done to get ourselves out of this mess yet refuse to take the first step of saying “hello.”
The deep fear of being negatively perceived has stopped Gen Z from going outside of their comfort zone. People don’t dance at parties, instead, they simply stand still with blank expressions on their face. With social media, there is always a chance that someone could be posted online and mercilessly bullied by the internet. Escaping the fear that everyone is looking at and judging you takes some time. But it feels like no one is trying to get over that fear.
Everyone needs some way to let all of this stress out, and you can’t do that if you’re too busy trying to look cool. Even at concerts, where you should be having fun, singing and dancing to the performing artist, Gen Zers will appear still, unimpressed by everything around them. The emphasis on looking cool instead of being cool has also led to many vapid “alternative” people; the girl who bullied the weirdos back in middle school now has big eyeliner and a stretched septum. It is absolutely heartbreaking when someone who doesn’t follow the mainstream beauty standards laughs and makes me feel dumb when I try to strike up a conversation.
Some of the coolest people I know do not look “cool.” I know so many people would listen to them and call them a friend if they stepped outside wearing the small-top and big-pant combo though. What makes them such cool people is that they’re authentic; they don’t care what other people think, they’re not scared of being embarrassed and, most importantly, they know that not everyone likes them. They are also some of the most fun people I have been around and have taught me the value in not caring. Once you give up the boring persona Gen Z has labeled as cool, you can finally have real fun!