- Twitter erupted Sunday over screenshots of
TikTok comments of Gen Zers dunking onmillennials for things like knowing their Hogwarts house. - The original video, from user @mayalepa, expresses frustration at boomers frequently lumping millennials and
Gen Z together. - This isn't the first time that Gen Z have dunked on millennials, or vice-versa, with the most notable example being the "OK, boomer" meme.
This past weekend, Twitter erupted in discourse over the newest generational divide as screenshots of Gen Z TikTok users dunking on millennials for things like openly professing their Hogwarts house went viral. No longer was it Boomers condemning the oft-maligned millennials for not buying houses or eating too much avocado toast — this time, zoomers (members of Gen Z) clowning millennials broke through to mainstream Twitter.
—commie cornhusker (@local__celeb) June 14, 2020
A tweet from @local__celeb sparked the discourse on Twitter, apparently alerting a slew of millennials to the things that teens were saying about them for the first time. The comments poke fun at millennials, saying things like, "they're the reason forever 21 had shirts that said 'IT'S FINALLY FRY-YAY' and 'rosé all day' for so long" or "just gonna drink my coffee bleh :P," poking fun at Millenial coffee
The original TikTok video is from @mayalepa, who said, "Tired of Boomers bunching Gen Z and millennials together, because I personally don't wanna be associated with people who still think that 'Harry Potter' movies are a personality trait."
@mayalepa inspired by @wholesam
♬ original sound - mayalepa
The description on @mayalepa's video lists @wholesam as an inspiration; some of @wholesam's videos also poke at millennials, featuring lines like, "All millennials know is go to coffee store, read a book, BuzzFeed, wear jeans with sneakers, take awkward coffee selfie, and be cringe as f-ck." Another video calling for people to "stop bullying millennials!" also features glittery edits of things like "#adulting" and "#coffeebreak."
@wholesam Stop bullying millennials! They’re pretty cool
♬ original sound - undergroundish
Once the discourse spread off of TikTok (which, although typically construed as a "Gen Z app," has plenty of users of millennial age and older), it exploded: @local__celeb tweeted the screenshots early in the morning on June 14, and later that day, the term "Gen Z" was trending on Twitter as people shared their thoughts on the "generational war."
—Paul McCallion (@OrangePaulp) June 14, 2020
—Anya Volz (@AnyaVolz) June 14, 2020
— zilly ✨ | TWEWY... (@ZillySqueaks) June 14, 2020
—Maddox (@yaboymaddox) June 14, 2020
Those born between the years 1995-1999 — generally considerd to be the millennial/Gen Z cusp — found themselves at a unique place in the discourse.
—spencer. (@hipster_shit_) June 14, 2020
—gwen!!!!!!!!!! ✌️✌️ sorry for party rocking (@mrpibmo) June 14, 2020
This isn't the first time that Gen Z have clowned older generations on TikTok or other social platforms. The most notable example was the "OK, boomer" meme, which famously "[marked] the end of friendly generational relations" and had already become cringe by the time it broke into mainstream consciousness.
Gen Z, however, are frequently subject to online scrutiny, whether it's through well-meaning "the kids are alright" posts from older generations or a consistent spotlight on teens' activities on TikTok. After getting dunked on for things like doing TikTok dances or turning to socialism, it makes sense that Gen Z would dunk on millennials for knowing their Hogwarts house or old pieces of cringe millennial culture like "rawr means I love you in dinosaur."
- Read more:
- Gen Z sparked backlash by calling coronavirus the 'boomer remover,' but actual teens say it's not a series trend
- 'OK, boomer' made it to the Super Bowl, but it's already cringe. Its downfall demonstrates the new life cycle of a meme.
- OK boomer — middle-aged adults are gaining millions of followers on TikTok, proving the app isn't just for Gen Z
- 21 slang words teens and Gen Zers are using in 2020, and what they mean