你也许听说过 “九五后” 这个称谓。在西方很多国家，人们把出生于九十年代中叶后，2010年前的年轻人统称为 “Z世代”。有人认为，出生于互联网时代的他们对科技产物有着天生的敏锐感。你了解这代人吗？你同意这种用年龄归类的方式吗？

 

When were you born? If it was in the late nineties or early noughties, then you've been classified as being part of Generation Z. But what does that mean and is it necessary to group people according to their date of birth?

 

People have always been defined by their generation. We had the baby boomers of the 1960s, followed by Generation X and then Generation Y, often referred to as millennials, and the'new kids on the block' are Generation Z – aged¹ between 16 and 22. It's easy to classify these young people as all being the same, sharing the same attitudes towards life – but is that fair?

 

A survey by the BBC's youth radio channel, Radio One, found that people from Generation Z, informally called 'Z-ers', may be viewed by others as shallow digital natives, incapable² of real-world friendships. But they actually view themselves as hardworking, entrepreneurial and about to change the world for the better. It's an ambitious aim.

 

The previous generation, born between the mid-1980s and late 1990s - the millennials - were also thought to have these characteristics. But according to Hiral Patel, an analyst³ from Barclays, many people view this new generation as "mini-millennials" She told the BBC that Z-ers are different "they have their own set of values and preferences which consumer brands need to cater⁴ for. Our research found that Gen Z are tech-innate, hyper-informed consumers, and extremely savvy⁵."

 

It's true to say that technology is playing an important part in the lives of Generation Z, particularly in the area of social media. In fact they have not known life without it and using it to communicate, share ideas and campaign is second nature – it is their norm. It means they have more of a say on what we eat, drink and buy than any generation before them. These young people certainly need to be listened to by retailers⁶ and businesses – they are the people with time on their hands and money.

 

But being a Z-er comes with pressure. One young person told the BBC survey "many people in Generation Z have mental health issues because they're unsure what the future will bring." The future always brings uncertainties⁷ but maybe there is pressure for this generation to be the most successful ever. If you're one of them, how do you feel about your future?

点击收听单词发音