Obsessions with quirkiness, oversharing, and much more!
Every generation has trends or characteristics to be embarrassed about. Today, however, we will discuss Gen Z and some of the cringy and embarrassing things that some of its members do. Some of these will also be applicable to generations like the millennials, but the focus of the story will remain on Gen Z. So, buckle up and be ready to possibly relate with these a little too much!
The Obsession With Being Quirky
Being quirky or unique in some way is a phase many in this generation go through. Most will recognize this behavior in those girls that claim they are “not like other girls.” However, this phase goes much deeper than that and can actually be harmful in some cases. Oh, you are clumsy? That is so quirky! Oh, you have dyslexia and can not spell? That is somehow even more quirky! Now, this second example is one of the most common forms of quirkiness within this generation. This is especially the case on apps like Tik Tok, where having a disorder like Tourette’s Syndrome and Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is faked by many as a way of getting attention. Obviously, that does not mean that everyone who claims to have these two disorders are lying.
However, many individuals on this platform have been exposed to faking it for attention or to seem “quirky” and “cute.” This is especially the case with DID since it is actually a very rare disorder. Despite its rarity, Tik Tok would have you believe that it is much more common than it actually is. Therefore, the misuse of disorders like these is very harmful because it glamorizes and romanticizes issues that can severely impact a person’s life. To these individuals, it is not like people with Tourette’s and DID can have their entire lives controlled by their disorders. No, instead, their disorder is something cute to laugh about and gain attention for.
Doing Tik Tok Dances at Odd Moments
Like with the previous category, Tik Tok is largely responsible for this embarrassing behavior. Admittedly, most members of the Gen Z generation do not record themselves dancing at odd moments. However, many avid fans of Tik Tok often partake in this behavior. Have you seen that video of Addison Rae filming a Tik Tok dance in front of a bunch of people? Ooof, how awkward! Under normal circumstances, this type of behavior would not be awkward if the person was not silently dancing and lip-syncing. Since that is the case, however, this type of behavior can be uncomfortable to watch!
Oversharing on Social Media
Sharing one’s experience can be helpful at times when trying to advise others. There are some moments, however, when sharing details of one’s life becomes too much. For one, there is only so much one wants to learn about a person they do not know that well. Furthermore, however, oversharing can oftentimes lead to a person becoming obsessed with gaining validation through likes. A great example of this type of behavior are breakup and crying videos that many people post. While some that post this kind of content do not do it with the intention of gaining attention for it, it is clear in some cases that the ultimate goal is to gain some kind of validation. Gaining likes may feel good in the moment, but will it really fix your situation? In the age when anything can become a meme, is it really helpful for your mental health to post videos and pictures of your breakdowns?
Overuse of Catchphrases
It’s the repetition for me. See what I did there? Admittedly, some Gen Z phrases are not cringe at all, but some make you question how they even came to be. In addition, while some Gen Z phrases are funny at first, the constant use of them soon means that they lose their spark. In fact, some phrases and trends can soon become annoying when one comes across them on a constant basis. For example, anyone that has been on Youtube will have come across overused phrases in comments sections. They may have been funny the first few times someone used them, but after several uses, these phrases become annoying and give off the impression that a person is simply trying to be relatable.
Written by: Saraleim Mozqueda Saldana
Graphic by: Liza Larrabee
