Living as Gen Z: From Fear to Positive Change | Madi Hammond | TEDxMacatawa

[@katherineofarrogant6370]

I remember in english class one day we were having a work period and I was on KZbin instead of working. I saw that there was a school shooting in California on the news feed and said, "huh, another shooting at a highschool in cali an hour ago. That's a shame." My group around me just nodded and said stuff like "thats too bad" or "oh, yeah I got an alert about that. 2 died" Our generation is so desensitized to tragedies and yet people wonder why we're all so cynical.

[@elimuse466]

Whenever I hear about a shooting now, I just go "uhggG," and roll my eyes cuz I'm really done with this sh*t. No one even talks about it anymore :/

[@lilytorres3747]

my parents always get on me for not showing any emotion and it's not even my fault, i'm pretty sure it's become like second nature to see things in a way that doesn't affect me because if i think too much i get really depressed

[@dianaj8153]

Katherine Of Arrogant same thing with amber alerts and stuff

[@dianaj8153]

Lily Torres if we rlly let it get to us there would be no gen z there "would have been" gen z

[@cassied.6731]

Same

[@EphemeralGloom]

The only things that silence the cafeteria: - Bag popping. - Gun shots. They sound really similar, so everyone stays silent for a few seconds, before continuing on talking. Bot even the teachers can get students as silent as they are when someone pops a bag.

[@beamerball666]

Damn, it's sad how accurate that joke is

[@tarrokfrost9000]

This is true only if you don't know the true sound of a gunshot.

[@aldenheterodyne2833]

@@tarrokfrost9000 It's a gut reaction. My parents took me shooting when I was in middle school I think. I knew what guns sounded like. But when you hear about school shootings every other day, we know that every school is a potential warzone. I knew what guns sounded like, but I panicked like everyone else.

[@MantaKizaemonFTW]

Bot even

[@jilliandenali1706]

there's no silence at my school, people yell out school shooter and then laugh

[@dolfuny]

Gen z is singing pumped up kicks during a shooter drill but being low key scared it will actually happen one day

[@hannah-gm4bl]

lol that actually happened in my class. we had a lockdown drill and this girl started humming pumped up kicks.

[@zzzadie5630]

@@hannah-gm4bl same but multiple kids were singing it not just humming

[@girl4nietzsche]

Carter Bohrer yes it is, the artist said it themselves.

[@fnln7436]

Someone started playing it💀

[@amazingnobodylee]

Once I was in my class and there was a lockdown and someone was crying because they were scared it turned out that it was just a error or something

[@velvet8228]

I remember in elementary school when teachers would get mad at you for popping your chip bag during lunch because it was loud and annoying. Now I am a senior in high school and some popped a chip bag by accident at lunch. Everyone went quiet some even jumped under their table. A room of almost a thousand teenagers, the 20 lunch ladies, the security guard, the three police officers, and their two drug dogs. All of them quiet not a sound. Until the security guard realized what had happened and yelled one word no. That was all he could say to the kid. Soon quiet conversations started to start up again. People were laughing saying things like man I thought we were all going to die their others responding I wish we would. They were joking about it. Not because it didn't scare them but because it did. They didn't want to think about it so they jocked but the thought still lingered in the back or all our heads. What if? What if it was a gun? What would I do? What if? But I guess we don't have to worry about things like this any more thanks to COVID-19

[@ahassett37]

Yeah ._.

[@pineapplelegends3477]

I've never had that fear. I think it's because of where I live

[@ratrhythm957]

My friend did that once and almost got detention for popping his bag

[@jadenyuki3138]

I still pop bags 😳😳😳😳😳

[@blackorbman]

yeah but good that the 2nd amendment exists, so everybody could defend themselves in a real situation

[@siennapalusky4428]

She is a great speaker, I love all she talks about and the points she is able to get across. And she’s only 14!!!

[@reversed5552]

Sienna Palusky I lost all respect for her when she said patriarchy

[@mariealaba4160]

Reversed Why?

[@joughnut496]

Reversed: I have to agree

[@carbonwolf1087]

@@joughnut496 ok you understand that i will gladly defend anyone trying to make there point peacefully and now having said that, this is the description of the word patriarchy Patriarchy (noun) 'description 1' a system of Society or government in which the father or eldest male is head of the family and traced through the male line 'description 2' a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it (probably the one she is referring to) 'description 3' a society or community organized on patriarchal lines In short, please look at the discriptions of words before shaming some one about using said word

[@maybethisismarq]

Reversed why?

[@caster863]

"Your generation is screwed! Back in my day..." Me: But I didn't do anything.

[@morganmarsh1276]

"Hey don't blame me; you guys are the reason I'm here..."

[@yarn0v0]

I would’ve responded with “Are we back in your day?”

[@carloslopez3233]

Back in their fukin day they had Jim crow, killed people based on skin color and let the people who did it walk free.

[@MantaKizaemonFTW]

It's screwed, because YOU SCREWED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE

[@padparade]

“Hey, it’s not my fault I was born in this generation!”

[@andreanoirl1196]

Honestly, I want to get those views to go up so badly. This such a powerful and true message, expressed properly by someone that ACTUALLY has experienced the topic, like, lived them themselves. Not someone that had to live that through others and had a revelation that, most times, if not all of them, is just part of the truth, but it’s not all of it.

[@joughnut496]

@AndreaNoir :l I honestly really don’t.

[@kiri8349]

We stan Mr google

[@kristenrobbins7062]

My mom calls it "googlina"

[@real.7773]

WE STANNN

[@slovasky157]

we stan ✊😔

[@Darcactusofficial]

Me

[@notafurry6898]

Yas queen

[@Wint3rFi3ld]

Im Gen Z We are the kids. Weve seen things adults only have. i bet most kids can already have a job because of how they think. Most of use have already matured at 14 and 13 when we should be reckless and have fun but were the most quiet out of middle school while eveeryone is cheering. Its because we have all been through the tough stuff amd are tiredm

[@tatishortcake3196]

Yeah, at age 14 I feel like I’ve matured way to much for my age. Sometimes it does get to me, the thought that I should be enjoying my teenage years. But society man.

[@meme-jl8rg]

Hi you think you're smart i just thought about politics big ideas that could change the world and will benefit thousands of thousands of people and help every single country can i mean philippines in my bedroom just thinking about this stuff i'm just changing the world already Like this is what i'm thinking when people think how to build the bills but not thinking why are the bills are very high in the hospital of course, insurance companies are to blame because of this hospital so not getting that much payment because of them so if you need move insurance from the hospitals and we make it illegal for the hospitals to make the expenses 5% higher then i just save thousands and thousands of people Another one why don't we just make gaming war this america declares war to china and then baby playing call of duty and whoever wins, wins the war I'm like this how to stop corruption from policeman this is a theory i don't think this will work by making it like this they will make a fake crime and try and bribe them the then if it works turn not allowed to become a cop

[@hllyenaylleth9576]

@MJ - 07PB 782202 Roberta Bondar PS sure, even if you are believed, the affects of tech will hamper their minds when they are older, rendering them troubled.

[@A_Strawberry]

I've been numbed to most of it, but I am scared of someone committing a school shooting at my school, and I'm scared of this country nuked and me dying before I can truly live.

[@LilyTheMuggle]

no face belives in lemon tree same. i wish it would stop.

[@catherinejennings5637]

same, i mean its gotten to the point where i doubt i'll get to 30 before getting blown up unless i somehow get money to move somewhere less problematic (im in the us)

[@pagolainaki7175]

If you are scared of that, try to search videos of how to act in those situations. In Argentina doesn't happen this things but it is always good to search how to react.

[@matthewmejia2062]

No one is going to nuke America they would be hit out of the sky in seconds

[@graceelathrop6371]

Come to Europe. Let us lure you in with the exotic boys, delicious food, amazing monuments. Let us keep you in with the cheap rent, high quality food, and almost never being forced to live on junk food. Seriously, Europe is like 100000% better. * C O M E*

[@AL-vq1mz]

The same thing happened to me where we thought we heard gunshots, but it was just balloons. And this was in 2018. We were ready to get on the ground.

[@mrchalice8152]

A L when’d I read gunshots I just heard fire crackers

[@Ethan11892]

Boomer Humour: My kids wanted “Minecraft” for Christmas.. *got them Mein Kampf instead* Gen X Humour: *Minion Impact Font toptext bottomtext memes* Millennial Humour: *Boomer Hypocrisy* Gen Z Humour: *S U I C I D E I S B A D A S S*

[@land_and_air1250]

Ethan R you can’t say ending your life with a higher kdr then 99% of the population isn’t legendary

[@danmcshane6004]

Bruh

[@danmcshane6004]

Mood

[@nicolettekorpershoek5298]

danny devito

[@dusknightwings7821]

Mood

[@Yuumi03_]

Gen z can hear a news about a mass shooting and 5 seconds later say "so anyways"

[@Superbatmanbro]

we seriously got an F up sense of humor

[@jay-pw7vx]

Yeah it’s quite drepressing

[@Ghost-bs7oq]

My sister is preaching and is only a year older than me. We love her and she’s an amazing speaker

[@thomasv6617]

I can't believe she's 14

[@hannahwicks7197]

I can.

[@danmcg_4727]

And this is deep

[@trivkypeak-eye3557]

@@danmcg_4727 hello fellow redditor

[@lo.lo713]

it makes me feel like i haven't really done anything lmao

[@jadenyuki3138]

She doesent look 14

[@smallseal17]

"And this age, is our age But our age is rage sinking to beige And yes our children are brave, But their mission is vague"

[@bookworm272]

What is this from, is it a song? I love it

[@hescrem9316]

“Anyone remember October 2016?” My first thought was “oh god shes gonna talk about the clowns isnt she”

[@heath6802]

What a fever dream, but now we’re in a weird time yet again

[@namanashi-chan1238]

Clown?

[@justa_snowmothblm7656]

Namanashi - chan if you are confused on what they are talking about I’ll elaborate. In 2016 there were stories about killer clowns harassing and killing people. It was chaotic. People weren’t going outside after dark anymore, almost no one walked alone, and for the first time in (probably) forever kids refused to trick or treat because they thought they would get killed by the murder-clowns

[@heath6802]

Justa_SnowMoth BLM It sounds so fake, but that genuinely happened, my school shut down fall events left and right because of it. Murder clowns were the nation’s biggest fear those couple of months

[@slushzilla6230]

I dont remember the clowns but I do still remember the mannequin challenge.

[@chasemonfette3194]

Am I the only one that thought that when she talked about not being able to Express emotions reminded me of how guys feel all the time

[@sunboy1111]

Yeah it stared with guys and spread till now when everyone’s a mess :/

[@ahassett37]

No I think most Gen Z kids here resonated with that

[@dontcallmeriles]

Yeah, everybody's being pushed into toxic stereotypes of masculinity because "crying means you're weak" and all that. No, it just means you're human and have to express emotions because they can't stay bottled up forever. I only cry at in my room, or at night so people can't see me. I've been taught by society that being "human" means showing no emotion at all. It sucks

[@gewishworm4724]

As a guy imo you should only cry around people you trust or love (e.g spouse, parents, mentor, etc)not saying that you can only cry alone or not at all, just being able to withhold emotions till your able to share them with someone you trust is far more masculine than any boomer/xoomer could tell you.

[@dontcallmeriles]

paco garza // absolutely. i’m not a boy, but i grew up with a hyper masculine father and brother, so i don’t show my emotions to anyone. i can appear as stone cold as my father. he was in the army for 30 years, and taught me that emotions are for the weak. i can’t even be happy without feeling like i’m not strong enough. i can only let everything out in the dark, and even then i feel guilty about it

[@skysmindgarden]

Amazing how loud pops affect us gen Zs. We're probably one of the loudest rowdiest generations and then go deathly silent when a balloon is popped

[@ahassett37]

Ofc like 70% of it is we're loud into mics with headphones on while gaming with friends so...

[@Menon9767]

I'm pretty sure this is the American bubble

[@justa_snowmothblm7656]

Someone popped a bag and the entire cafeteria was silent for probably a minute.

[@finnjeffrey572]

What

[@avahamlincoln874]

Yet we are the most generous generation so two faced?

[@phantomvampyressshadowkiss4690]

My oldest daughter she's going on 11 dec 18 is gen z she has anxiety and she doesn't like to go anywhere much

[@LilyTheMuggle]

phantomvampyress shadowkissed Give her lots of love.

[@phantomvampyressshadowkiss4690]

@@LilyTheMuggle i always do i have anxiety too it's in alot of women in my family so I'm always understanding with her. Our children need to be able to talk to us and not be afraid . I believe that's why some kids are happier than others Rhett have emotional support and needs met

[@chloelehew4504]

phantomvampyress shadowkissed Happy Birthday to your daughter

[@phantomvampyressshadowkiss4690]

@@chloelehew4504 thanks

[@abhyuday911]

phantomvampyress shadowkissed you should read any article about this ,why children don’t want to talk to you and you may find something that you need to change the way you do some things

[@justa_snowmothblm7656]

I just wanna leave this here to simmer: laughing and joking at the expense of tragedy is a form of coping that our generation practically lives by because of the sheer amount of tragedy we are exposed to

[@vivofoottheseventh7393]

That's why we are super pessimistic

[@pwnedeful]

Which is funny because they're also the generation that wants to censor it.

[@anniewit2491]

Madi. Oh my gosh, Madi. This is absolutely beautiful and you did an amazing job! Everyone needs to see this because your message is so important. Never stop speaking up :)

[@ConcaveDave]

Beautifully spoken, but what really got me is when she spoke about the 3 year olds and their ‘hopefully long years’ of their life to come. She doesn’t bring attention to that. She, and many others in this generation, have come to terms with the fact that death at a young age is a normality.

[@hllyenaylleth9576]

Not at all, she has yet to realize, that the majority of the human race is still incompetent. That things really haven't changed. Some people out in the world go above the heights, while many still won't. So what if there is that one women in the middle East, kinda like Gandhi in being unique for her generation. Greta is a political joke anyway, so she sums more of this generation then many others. Shallow and hollow, more then usual, a failing generation.

[@belowaveragegamerman9844]

Shoutout to this girl for the incredible courage it takes to send this message at her age. I wish she had more time.

[@RavensCake]

I rember the clowns my school banned that costume that year

[@LilyTheMuggle]

Phoebe Raven I remember the clowns. I was worried even though I wasn’t near the affected area. I never really liked clowns

[@crow764]

Clown costumes are still banned in the schools I've been at.

[@yan_yy3826]

I remember in middle school (during the clown crisis) a lady at my school said if on Halloween a child over the age of 12 came in her yard dressed like a clown they’d get shot :|

[@koichihirose1021]

I lived where the clowns were, but I never saw any. I remember being afraid of them but it was kind of like a joke at the same time. Weird times.

[@yaboiiyadudee3644]

a clown came @ me near my neighborhood,,, then my dad caught up to me and dude noped tf out

[@Malally2]

"its so easy to laugh is so easy to hate, it takes guts to be gentle and kind.... over and over and over again..." this lyric, I feel, speaks out to our generation

[@wafflezthesquid6116]

I feel as if half of these comments could come from a boomer and I wouldn't notice

[@Temi222]

Anyone who is a Gen Z can relate to her. And can know what she is doing, is what everyone wants everyone else to do but are to scared to.

[@nottristan6300]

I’m to young of a gen z

[@cutiedopo17]

too old gen z

[@livholmhansen656]

Her: 'I didnt want to cry, because I didnt want to seem weak' Me: *cries myself to sleep everynight*

[@ahassett37]

Well I go and watch anime/read webtoons and cry over them So I kinda make myself cry myself to sleep lol But it actually helps release pent up feelings and stress so I guess it's helpful

[@stargacha2453]

i think its actually good for u,otherwise u would be holding it in

[@frogs_frogs6670]

I dont cry but I will fell into a depressing hole that has a lot of anxiety and depression in it I cant sleep just bcs some mistake I did 5 years ago or 1 week ago will come to my mind that night.. that's why I cant sleep until 4am I will look into phone bcs if I dont make myself busy I will start thinking about the mistakes I made or what bad thing will happen in the future

[@DeborahRichmond]

She’s going to take over the world! And I can’t wait to see what she does with it! Impressive!

[@latihunte5213]

TheBlondie well don’t take it at face value.. fill in the blanks blues clues

[@Listen1111]

I cry, tears of sorrow and joy. This was a beautiful, inspiring speech! Crying is how we heal. May we all do it more openly. I appreciate so much this message of awareness of the effects of the internet and all the powerful children who want to use it as a tool for good

[@first-namelast-name5956]

Oh just remembering the clown incident scares. My older sisters high school was 30 minutes away from Chicago and a group of clowns only 3-4 people at the end of school day were waiting on the football field they did not do anything outrageous but the next day the school was closed for a week because men that described themselves as clowns have threatened to kill and blow up the school multiple times. I didn’t live far from the high school and my sister, only a freshman was terrified.

[@kieranholcombe5248]

I’m impressed. She was 14 and did a Ted Talk. Good for her

[@Wordsbyk]

I liked the way she get high and speedy when its needed and it actually hears better than other speakers !

[@katebykerk]

madi you did so good i’m so proud of you! this was such a good video and and you are the best!!

[@ilmitabassum172]

2:32 “We just have a depressing sense of humour. It’s fine” *cries in depression*

[@akkros707]

Laughs in depression

[@thenihifilaeist]

Laughs in dark humor

[@Not_Renn]

I love her speech. GEN Z FOR THE WIN

[@ellahornquist4803]

She's such a great speaker!

[@gaberioux6244]

I refuse to believe anyone born in 1977 is a millennial

[@bananablues142]

@Judas Priest1989 there's a gen alpha now? Damn I'm moving too slow

[@ahassett37]

_Same_

[@Mortis33-o4b]

I refuse to be called a millennial lol

[@jahnavibhargava2572]

@Judas Priest1989 lol so then my mom is a millenial? Nah fam nah

[@javoaquiesta]

@Judas Priest1989 my bro have 27 years is a young millenial

[@athenamcnvl]

She's 14 and doing a ted talk I'm 15 and can't do 3 x 3

[@elimuse466]

3x3=9 3+3+3=9 if that helps, but also mood

[@MantaKizaemonFTW]

9

[@SinoLegionaire]

@@KayAvalon It's 69420, I have a degree in quick maffs at the Big Shaq Institute of Technically Technical Technology.

[@parrotpepper502]

Its 21

[@bell3287]

Bro....its 0

[@eleanorsinfield1080]

Interesting! Congrats on being able to stand up in front them at 14

[@Superbatmanbro]

Me at 18 now turning 19 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿congratulations to her

[@avahamlincoln874]

She's going to grow up to PREACH for gen z

[@koichihirose1021]

1:48 What a freaking casual, you already know the way to go is lighter fluid.

[@frogs_frogs6670]

If your talking about the cereal I think using liquid detergent is better at least your gonna die clean who doesn't want that right

[@starwizzyy]

​@@frogs_frogs6670 I personally prefer the scented ones, make sure to stay fresh

[@fork75]

I drink lighter fluid and practice fire eating, it's a fun hobby

[@iignoremyhusband4737]

I prefer to use battery acid and I sprinkle some tide pods on top :3

[@BugsAreCoolIGuess]

Fantastic talk. She gives me hope. We'll make it.

[@MurderSkatez]

i wanna give her a hug now

[@YatharthCreates]

What a great, inspiring and real talk!🙏 I'm proud to be a Gen Z!👍

[@AshMillr]

Wait I thought that generation z was from 1995-2010 *Edit* and that 2011-now is generation alpha

[@NikolaiWowe]

You are correct

[@rustybookshelf8566]

Every country shifts their based on events . But it mostly starts at those who weren't aware during 9/11 . So 1997-2012

[@AK-js8mr]

@@am-nc6yl definitely

[@dusknightwings7821]

Why do they get a cool name? Lucky.

[@rustybookshelf8566]

@@am-nc6yl no someone born in 1995 is a Millennial , it ended in 1996. Millennial - 1981 - 1996 Generation Z - 1997 - 2012 Generation Alpha - 2013 - 2028

[@paulbirkner2997]

I`ve spent the last 3 hours watching TED talks on youtube and this one amazes me the most, because it just captures the core problem our generation faces so well. Paramedics used to be the most cynical people on this planet, now it´s kids and teenagers. Dark humor is the only thing keeping most of us from breaking down and having to be admitted to a mental hospital.

[@revafarleyleebiit]

This needs ted talk needs to be talked and viewer more. Not only because it is an important not talked enough about topic, but because she has courage and confidence to do this. Im 16 I can barely even say hi to someone without stuttering or shifting. And when I was like 12 I was the most outgoing kid.

[@cassied.6731]

I felt safer at my community college campus than at my high school campus. Welcome to Gen Z.

[@eddy-currents]

Excellent content in her speech, wish someone told her that her body language and tonal variation would really amplify that when she continues to speak in the future.

[@ahassett37]

She was 14 I can't freaking speak to a Flipgrid video, let alone live in front of an audience of strangers

[@nicholasavasthi9879]

I know I literally cannot cry any longer.

[@emo_skeleton4239]

Honestly, she is preaching the truth here. I remember I was in middle school when the entire clown situation was going down, it was my 7th-grade year (I'm a Sophmore in High School now) and EVERYONE was either freaking out or taking it as a big joke and saying "lol I want to die anyway". I remember one day VERY distinctly, it was the first period of the day and I was in a study hall, talking to my friends and looking on my phone. My friends had started talking about their being threats that clowns were going to the high school to do something (from what I heard they were going to shoot up the school, but all the info was from stressed and scared middle schoolers so idk), and then they were coming to the middle school to get us next. We kept making jokes about it, but you could tell kids were genuinely afraid. It got to the point where kids were having their parents take them out of school, and the High Schoolers even got on a stay put (basically the pre-lockdown, you work as you normally would in class but NOBODY can leave, not for the bathroom, nothing). I remember everyone being scared on Halloween, telling all of your friends, "If you see a clown while trick or treating, RUN!". Of course, it wasn't any real threats, and nothing happened from what I remember, but it was terrifying for some kids. What made it worse was teachers calling us overdramatic, only some taking it seriously. Teachers told us that if a shooter comes to the school they are barricading the door, and others saying we'd go through the window and run to the elementary school. Looking back on it now it's like a fond memory, "oh haha remember when clowns were trying to kill us and we had fidget spinners and flipped bottles?". No October will ever live up to that October.

[@shwetalkhetade9209]

She's a year younger than me and she's more talented, confident than i could ever be

[@somebodylikesbacon1960]

8:19 As a teen boy, I still relate to this.

[@perhapsadog7130]

Yep, pretty much every dude feels that way

[@shantanupandey4768]

I really can't stop thinking about how much this video would have changed a 14 year old me.

[@melinapaz2831]

I’m 19 years old and VERY stressed about high school and life in general. The world is so messed up... how do we even start the process of fixing the world when we have to worry about what those at the top will do to us?

[@m.m8555]

I felt the thing about crying I promise myself I will never cry in public since I was 13 years old. (Now 19).

[@theMOAwhoSTAYedanENGENE]

I remember seeing a lot of horrible stuff on the news while having food with my family and being scared. This was before i got access to my laptop tho. Now when i see stuff like that it feels sort of like the norm and after like a minute or two i go back to normal. I started to feel like I was a monster cuz of this. On top of that I was being bullied. I kinda just bottled up all these feelings cuz like mentioned in this amazing video I felt pressurized to be "strong". This backfired and I spiraled into depression. I've pretty much recovered now but I still cant get rid of these habits. What I mean to say is that this video felt really personal to me(in a good way) and that I loved it. :)

[@IGNACY-fp8zo]

Ignorance is Bliss or Knowledge is Power You choose

[@lsporter88]

I think we should pay close attention to what she's telling us. Great video.

[@cirobarzollini6745]

1995 - 2010 gen z

[@ActuallyRocatex]

2000-2015

[@garrachan1]

@@mars.is.red. nah its actually 95 to 2015

[@xxnelliexx]

Everywhere else says 1997-2010

[@koichihirose1021]

Peak gen z is 2000-2009 lmao

[@rustybookshelf8566]

Omdz it's 1997-2012 . Born after/toddlers during 9/11

[@ShinyEvergreens]

I'm a millennial and yall gen z'ers give me hope.

[@ahassett37]

:D

[@carjis]

💕💕💕✨✨✨✨✨

[@ShinyEvergreens]

@@jamesjohnson9554 because they are more open minded, educated, accepting, and connected than any previous generation.

[@anajulia509]

wow that was so.... true? I don't know i just love to hear abour gen z in ted talk having a gen z speaker thats great

[@ahassett37]

Yeah

[@beyourownhero_222]

it's 100% okay to show emotion and be vulnerable, it doesn't make you weak.

[@notemmafrantz7094]

Preach. You're not alone

[@jokesetal]

Don't blame me for existing, *you're the reason I'm here*

[@JetInAJar]

“It’s not the media, it’s the expectations” *Proceeds to talk about how all of the negative news is scarring us.*

[@RangersGirlJackie99]

Jeez, can we get a new generation between Millennial and Gen Z? Like, I'm not a soy drinking, Mandelorian binging 30 year old, but I'm definitely not some sobbing pro-am fortnite kid. '95-'00 should surely be its own thing?

[@ahassett37]

Yeah I feel like there's transitional periods, especially between recent generations, like Gens X, Y, and Z, and between Boomers and Gen X too

[@martinachione4451]

I was born towards the end of December, 1995, so I sit on the fence. I relate to Gen Z's and Millennials as I was caught somewhere in the middle.

[@Soy_boy-by8ez]

2020 gen z is rocking it with these new event and pranks

[@nicholasofficial4141]

This was a great speech! Go madi!

[@luci.fer.003]

I'm a gen z, I was watching this thing with my headphones on and thinking like "nah...", then I heard my little sister scream from her bedroom. I panicked and rushed to her bedroom asking what happened. She just wanted to show me she was having online classes with a former teacher of mine.

[@ahassett37]

Jeez Oof

[@andymessick5964]

When she said knowing how to say dolphin in Chinese I thought it was the most beautiful thing ever

[@ria7844]

wow she's 14 and doing a ted talk and then here I am, 18 and can't talk in front of people without having an anxiety attack

[@lonesoul17]

Idk about changing the world but gen z has a *k* *i* *l* *l* *i* *n* *g* sense of humour.

[@scar.3y]

yall this is such an amazing presentation- the crowd was bland af

[@ghostlytea355]

When I was 10, we had the Arianna Grande concert incident. Loads of girls in my school went to that concert. We made jokes about it because that was the only way we could make light out of it.

[@perhapsadog7130]

Could you fill me in a bit on what happened

[@oce6606]

@@perhapsadog7130 there was a suicide bomber and a lot of people got injured and died

[@raodenraoden9796]

Goosebumps

[@afkwarrior2846]

Its really hard nowadays to distinguish actually depressed kids from those who just joke about it.

[@afkwarrior2846]

Ethan Sturm i am clinically diagnosed depressed. Its a coping mechanism.

[@lesliegale8458]

Her examples about the newspapers is how newspapers have generally been this way. Discussing the internet for answers is scary. Where is the critical thinking involved to find if the answers are correct. We had bomb scares in the 70's. The evolution is school wide shootings. Other articles I have read about Gen Z is they are a creative bunch looking to be part of the change and expecting it. Her young age is really showing. I hope she comes back in 5 years to hear her talk.

[@hdhashbrown6726]

Word

[@rowanmary4351]

Anybody else start crying when she mentioned Parkland?? Or just me?

[@mimanelakquer6172]

Im gen z and a CHILD this is very relatable fear is my fear

[@EtherealFireflyVA]

I can relate to the not crying thing only because I would be more emotional than my family while watching movies and they'd always look at me and say "aRe YoU cRyInG?" and would make fun of me so I trained myself to hold back my tears

[@katzekii5715]

I remember during back in high school, which was just a few years ago, when we had 'shooters' on campus. While they were students with prop guns and perhaps one real firearm, you could tell just how scared we were from the thick stress you could feel around campus. However, unspoken and spoken plans were being made, and you could tell as students grabbed just about anything they could get their hands on and glanced at the door. People were visiting campus and were stuck within some classes, I heard that they were preparing to break windows and figure a way down from the second floor to get a baby out. I would even venture to say that many of us were possibly prepared to be unalived. We were scared sure, but the thought of going down without doing something scared us more.

[@dudedude315]

I was born in December 2009 and I'm late Gen Z and it's great you hear our side. Also, people confuse me with gen alpha but I'm around late gen z, close...

[@ocbee6175]

SGTpengu you are quite literally the end of Gen Z. Welcome to the club

[@ahassett37]

Bruh you're younger than my younger sister Idk why I find that weird Lol

[@perhapsadog7130]

I am 2008 and feel the same

[@aceb1249]

"i hear i wanna die a lot, but our humour is just depressing it's fine"

[@shadowfansonicx]

I graduated from high school in 2018 and we went into shooter or threat lockdown maybe 10 times within my junior and senior year- after the parkland shooting

[@funnature8679]

You cannot change the outside world's influence, but you can always find peace within yourself,your soul/perception. get rid of the news media.

[@ireaut9322]

2:55 i'm DYING😭😭😭

[@imjustasconfusedasyou]

I love this but can I just say, for the first meme I would’ve said,”you put cereal in your bleach?!!”

[@ahassett37]

Lol sounds like something that would happen in class

[@frogs_frogs6670]

I put bleach on a cereal

[@galagx0113]

Good job! 👌

[@halloweenbaby4192]

Gen z is hearing about school shooting beckoning obsessed with the stories then feeling bad for people and then praying that it will happen to your school so you can either experience it or have an excuse that people will actually listen to, to be traumatized or depressed

[@fi7564]

We all should have been laughing, reckless kids enjoying our lives. But in reality, all the stress and anxiety people put on us has made us tired. No longer the reckless and carefree children we could ever be.

[@dustinmyers5559]

Being born in 1992 as a younger "Millennial" I fully remember how horrifying Columbine was and I witnessed the the absolute rise and fall and repercussions of social media considering high speed internet came out at age 12, and twitter fully by age 20. I feel bad for kids that are younger than me, who are utterly confused and scared because they weren't allowed the memory of normalcy and actual reality. Totally bizarre and deserving of being steered in more positive directions for sure. we are all a part of it.

[@1312Johnny]

You could: 1-Switch off all devices occasionally 2-Enjoy the moment 3-Experience yourself in truth (alone) 4-Stop blaming everything and everyone else 5-Swap ‘victim hood’ for GRATITUDE! 6-Stop and smell the roses……

[@thewatcher2623]

I heard a loud bang and thought it was a gun but lucky for us it was just the bus hitting the school

[@ahassett37]

:OOO

[@thewatcher2623]

Áine Hassett Don’t worry it was just right beside of my classroom which my friend was in so yea very scary since they wouldn’t let us see the room

[@ahassett37]

@@thewatcher2623 eek o-o

[@paulaskywalker3725]

I don’t want to go back to school. Quarantine has been hard for me, I even got the virus, but this global pandemic is so much less scary then school. Right now I’m home and I don’t have to worry about school shootings, or overwhelming amounts of work. I just want to stay home where I can at least feel safe.

[@chesspiece4257]

Every time there’s a fire drill everyone in the class waits for gunshots

[@ahassett37]

You mean lockdown drill

[@alicat7633]

We are scared of so much that in order to get through it, we have become numb. We are much too used to these horrors. Terrible things happen that are a very big deal and they get forgotten about a week later. When we were in school I never thought taking kids out of school was how school shooting a would stop. We would read about a shooting and get angry but unless people were fighting to keep it in the news, it would no longer be a big deal. That is until another big shooting happened and people say the same things, this needs to end, gun control, children are traumatized, people kill not guns, 2nd amendment so we have rights, and the dreaded thoughts and prayers. I can’t even say those words in any context now because it doesn’t stand for “ a horrible thing happened and I can’t do anything about it but I want good things for the people involved and I want them to know I am thinking of them and they are supported.” Now it stands for “ a horrible thing happened but I am not going to do anything about it even though I can help because I don’t want to give up my guns just because an entire generation is traumatized.” ( collective trauma) we are doomed. Even people that want change in our generation are going to burn out. We are just kids. We should not have the fate of the world on us. Grown adults ( not Gen z adults who do not have fully developed brains) still have a good while left before we have to take over. We should not have to spend our childhoods fighting! Jesus Christ people say America is one of the better places to live but with young people getting hero complexes forced on us that are going to screw us over, it doesn’t feel like it. People complain about the world being centered on America. Yes it is because we are self centered but part of that is so much goes on that it is hard to care about other countries when you can’t convince your own relatives to care about other people. Hearing about the horrors in other places like the genocide in Myanmar just. makes me feel more helpless than I already do.