Life-changing lessons that older people can learn from assertive Gen Zs

Gen Z protestors along Kimathi Street during the anti government protests held in Nairobi on 16th July 2024. [Denis Kibuchi, Standard]

If there is one thing the older generation may want to pick and learn from Generation Z, it is the power of saying no. No to settling for less. No to being shortchanged. No to living for the gallery. The audacity to demand our worth and the boldness to walk away from systems, relationships and routines that do not serve us.

Most of us who came before them grew up to accept everything without question. We were taught to be grateful even when we were shortchanged. We learned that asking for a full glass when offered half was greed and assertiveness bordered on disrespect. We grew to understand questioning authority was sacrilegious. We stayed in jobs that drained us, put up with obnoxious politicians and suffered in toxic relationships because we were conditioned to conform.