Gen Z Speaks, part 3: "Friday for Future"

STORY BY: Ava Hoechsmann
YEAR: 2019
LOCATION: Germany, Victoria

Ava continues to share her Gen Z perspective with us:
"older generations (especially boomers) like to resent gen Z. “put down your phones” is their number one complaint. but we have complaints for them too. on behalf on my generation, i’d like to say:-you guys invented cell phones, not us-trump is your fault-he’s also one of you- how does it feel to be the demographic that voted for brexit?-your CO2 emmissions are way more dangerous than my iPhoneal. most/all of the people in high ranking, decision making positions of power are terrible. and let’s review- who chose them? oh, right, older generations. they dug this grave and now WE have to lie in it. and then of course, our grandparents complain that we take antidepressants and use the internet. i mean, are we expected to just be okay? in a world that’s on fire, underwater, and running out of food? some people do better than others. like greta thunberg, who skips school every friday to stand outside the swedish parliament, striking for the climate. Fridays for Future. there’s kids all over the world who follow her movement. last year, i was on exchange in germany, and i went every week. i made a sign that said ‘save earth it’s got led zeppelin’. there was always parents who would join, or old ladies who’d clap as our march passed her on the sidewalk. but the politicians would tell us to shut up, and say kids don’t know what we’re talking about. we’re talking about our future. we’re talking about wanting to feed a family two decades from now. we’re talking about not wanting to fucking die because of the oil all those old people in alberta are so desperately trying to dig up. gen Z is pretty messed up; we all have anxiety problems and internet addictions. it might not be our fault, though. this climate stuff is serious in a whole new way. if the world ends in 2050, the boomers still get to die of old age."
Thanks again for sharing, Ava.