From the 1990s to 2021: How Things Have Changed, and Stayed the Same

Life from Gen X to Gen Z: the Similarities and Differences

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I’m Gen X, and my kids are Gen Z. There’s a gap between our generations, no doubt, but we’re not that different. Technology changed many things, from online dating apps and social media to have all the information you need online. In the 90s, the internet started for many of us with those dial-up modems and frustrating glitches. Despite these differences, we were all looking for the same thing: connection.

While Gen Xers anxiously awaited the outcome of Y2K and a better way to access the world wide web, Gen Z embraces technology with much more confidence. Their entire social life, education, career prospects and future are intertwined online, often blurring between work, school, and play. We did the same in the 90s too, when we exchanged jokes at work and met later for drinks at the club. Workplace politics and school were discussed between gossip and casual conversation. Our circle of friends and colleagues comprised of friends from college, work, neighbours, and people we met through them. It’s not much different now, except we stay connected online, and moving across the country or overseas means we can continue communicating efficiently.