Ejercicio Modelo A - 2 · Inglés PAU Navarra Extraordinaria 2021

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT GENERATION Z

Aged between eight and 23 years old, generation Z or the post-millennial generation will lead the world in a few decades. Also labelled as centennials, for having been born into the world at the turn of the century — the oldest were born in 1995 and the youngest in 2010 — they arrived with a tablet and a smartphone under their arms. What makes them different from the millennials?

A distinct difference between Gen Z and millennials can be seen in the difference between technology addiction vs. technology fluency. Gen Z’ers are significantly more dependent on technology, while millennials would be considered technology-fluent: they possessed an inherent, intuitive understanding of technology and how to use it but were not hooked on it. Gen Z’ers go far beyond fluency, they view their mobile devices as “extensions” of themselves, they can feel anxiety without them and they use their devices to the extent that their use causes them to lose sleep. The internet is part of their DNA: it storms into their homes, their education and their way of socializing. They are unable to imagine a world without technology.

Another difference is that Gen Z’s mastery of technologies may make them neglect their interpersonal relationships to a greater extent. On the other hand, Gen Z members are the ones who give more of a voice to social causes. Compared to the millennials, they have a much more definite idea about equality and racial and cultural diversity because that is what they have grown up with. Neither race, sexual orientation nor religion are identifying characteristics for them. People are just people to Gen Z. Gen Z is more likely to judge someone for what you are, rather than for who you are.

Similarly, Generation Z is also much more demanding in relation to sustainability. When they went to school there was a great deal of focus on that area and they grew up with an environmentally-friendly mindset, the result being they see it as a major determining factor when it comes to consumption. So much so that they demand that brands exhibit genuine environmental commitment rather than being taken in by empty posturing.

2. Read the following statements, decide whether they are true or false and justify your answer by quoting evidence from the text (1 point, 0.50 each).

a.

Millennials may neglect their interpersonal relationships but not as much as Gen Z'ers.

b.

When members of generation Z were children environmental issues were barely present.