Your Only Young Once, or How GenZ Became the Uncontested Arbiter of Youth Culture

Photo by Sushil Nash on Unsplash

I don’t know who needs to read this, but you are only young once. And being young comes with unique characteristics, behaviors, and beliefs commonly repeated across time and cultures. Therefore, just because you are young now does not mean that the characteristics, behaviors, and beliefs of your youth will persist over time. Or, as some have been known to say, when you are no longer a child, it is quite likely that you will put away childish things (or they will be put away for you).

Now, many of you already know this, but there are more of you who do not. Especially because, at this moment, we have entered a period in which the culture of a generation, popular culture, and youth culture are constantly conflated. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I read or see discussions of Gen Z (a generation that is currently young) described through the lens of youth culture and popular culture. Whether on YouTube, TikTok, or even Instagram, Gen Z has become less of a generation defined by who they are (and will be) and more known for being young and doing young things.