An open letter from a Gen Z: Are we really the problem or just the mirror no one wants to look into?

To the generations that raised us, taught us, and now often critique us—consider this an open letter. Not a fight, not a manifesto, but a Gen Z’er trying to bridge a widening gap. Because for a group often labeled “chronically online,” “entitled,” or “too sensitive,” it’s ironic how rarely we’re truly heard. We’re told we don’t understand “how the world works.” But we’re living in it too—just on a timeline shaped by decisions made long before we arrived. So here’s a little context from our side. One of the biggest misconceptions about us—call it confusion or plain bias—is that older generations still mistake what they see as a “trend,” an “aesthetic,” or a set of quirks for the entirety of who we are. To many, Gen Z becomes oversized hoodies, matcha cravings, curly hair, performative i