Article: How Gen Z Became Known as the ‘Christopher Columbus Generation’
How Gen Z Became Known as the ‘Christopher Columbus Generation’
In this Newsweek feature, I shared my perspective on the "Christopher Columbus Generation" label and what it's actually telling us about the way we talk about younger generations.
Because here's the thing: we've been doing this for decades. Every generation gets a dismissive label that flattens who they are into a single, usually unflattering, behavior pattern. Boomers were self-indulgent, millennials were entitled and obsessed with avocado toast, and now Gen Z is apparently out here "discovering" things that already exist and claiming credit. The label changes. The criticism doesn't.
What I find more interesting than the label itself is why these conversations keep happening, and what they reveal about society's discomfort with the way younger generations engage with culture, technology, and history.
Gen Z interacts with information differently, through TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, and yes, sometimes that means a familiar idea goes viral as if it's brand new. But every generation has taken existing ideas and reshaped them for their moment. That's not a flaw. That's just how culture moves.
The "Christopher Columbus Generation" label also carries an irony that's hard to ignore. Gen Z has been one of the loudest voices challenging Columbus's historical narrative and advocating for Indigenous Peoples' Day recognition. Using his name as their defining criticism is, at best, a missed opportunity for a more honest conversation.
Read the full Newsweek article to see where the conversation goes from here.