Generation Z is often accused of being lazy. But a 60-year-old black-and-white video shows: Such attitudes towards life existed long before Gen Z. Back then, some young people even proudly called themselves “slackers.”
The title image is a symbolic image.
What were the “slackers”? The slackers were a youth culture that emerged in the 1960s in several European countries. Here, they were particularly active in major cities in West Germany.
An old black-and-white recording from SWR shows how a young woman thought about working:
I just had the feeling that I was somehow dead, inside. I wasn’t living at all. And then I got into slacking.
Source: SWR/TikTok
The so-called slackers often wore long hair, extravagant, baggy clothing and gathered in public places. They questioned the prevailing ideal of diligence, work, and growing prosperity.
The then German Chancellor did not like the “slackers” at all
Is Gen Z like that? The discussion surrounding the slackers strongly resembles the present in some aspects. Generation Z (approx. 1995 to 2010) is also regularly accused of valuing leisure and a good work-life balance more than their careers.
However: A few thousand slackers from the 1960s can hardly be compared to an entire generation today. The slackers were not a large movement. The Federal Agency for Civic Education estimates there were about 5,000 to 7,000 slackers in Germany.
Nevertheless, there are astonishing parallels.
How did the older generations react? In parts of the older generation, the slackers were not well received at all. Even their long hair was perceived as a provocation by some.
Even the then German Chancellor Ludwig Erhard spoke dismissively about the slackers. He announced: “As long as I govern, I will do everything to destroy this nonsense.” Source: bpb
However, the old video from SWR beautifully shows that young people who do not want to conform to the traditional lifestyle are not an invention of Gen Z. The clichéd “lazy youth” existed long before TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram.
What do you think? Do such accusations against young people simply repeat from generation to generation? Or is there actually some truth to it? Let us know your opinion in the comments!
Thus, the cliché of the “lazy youth” persists stubbornly. A recent study shows that Gen Z indeed wants to make a career and also take on leadership positions. Just in a different way than Boomers or Gen X did back then. What exactly Gen Z is doing differently, you can find out here on MeinMMO: Gen Z is eager for leadership roles, but not in the way Boomers and Gen X have shown them.
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