In a conversation about my plan to write Book 4 of Jillian’s story, a friend suggested I research the Gen Z (or Zoomer) culture to ensure authenticity for my characters and an awareness of their era. Is it possible my own Baby Boomer mindset might be quite different?
Hello Google. Research is a fabulous procrastination technique to avoid writing
the story. And it took me down a rabbit hole.
Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. The Gen Z population were born between 1997 and 2012.
Google says the most significant difference between the two generations is their relationship with technology. I groan. Of course Gen Zers are better with smart phones, social media and getting information from the web in just a few taps. They’ve had access to it since they could walk. Baby Boomers got it in stages ... often over many years.
In 1982, I was introduced to the Wang Word Processor. My secretarial gig just got easier. No more scrunched paper in the trash. No more white-out. No more attempts to match the sheet of paper exactly in the typewriter so the corrector ribbon could fix the error. Okay, maybe our technology progression was slower, but it did progress.
Gen Z believe in a work life balance. So did I. I worked. And after work, I had a life. Same same, but different?
Gen Z expect a sense of fulfillment from their work. Is that the same as expecting a paycheque every two weeks? If so, I’m still on the same page.
Gen Z grew up with complete access to the Internet. When the internet became public in 1993, I had access. It was dial up. Often I had time to make a coffee … and drink it before the internet connected. But it worked. So did patience.
Gen Z are money driven. So was I. Back to the paycheque.
During this research, I got sidetracked with the similarities and took a dive down another rabbit hole to check out my parent’s era. They were part of the Silent Generation (born between 1928 – 1946).
The Silent Generation was known for keeping their heads down and working hard. That definitely describes my folks. The Silent Generation weren’t risk takers – stop the bus! My parents left Germany and came to Canada in the 50s. They left their family and friends behind. They didn’t speak English. And they knew no one. What a huge risk. But they never regretted it.
The Silent Generation were disciplined, respectful, resilient and cautious with their money. Bang on. My parents excelled in each one of those categories.
Depending on how
you analyze it, there’s a combination of differences, similarities and
generalizations between the generations. And enough fodder to continue writing
Jillian’s story as she grows into a young adult totally immersed in life.
Enough with procrastinating. Enough with research. It’s time to settle in and write.
If you’re still looking for a summer read, here are the links to my Summer of Lies series:
