'Gen X decided not to bother teaching their children how to have a conversation': Older generations complain about Gen Z's communication skills

Ally Perry • Writer and Editor

May 22, 2024 6:00 PM EDT

The generation wars are always a rich source of online conflict, and that is never truer than when people are finding reasons to criticize Gen Z. We're still a few years off the first Gen Alpha cohort entering young adulthood, so it's the 2000s kids that still remain in the spotlight when it comes to the failings of modern society.

This time around, the criticism comes down to communication skills. One woman bemoaned how Zoomers were difficult to work with and interact with because they were addicted to screens and had not been well-parented when they were growing up. She was not short on people who agreed with her, or at least felt that they had the misfortune of having some direct experience of her point. However, it was also pointed out that older generations seem to have had similar complaints about younger folks throughout history, even without cell phones.