Perhaps no two groups are seen as more dichotomous than Gen Z and baby boomers. To Gen Z, boomers are old white men deeply out of touch with societal problems. To boomers, Gen Zers are lazy idealists who traded work ethic for participation trophies.
So, there is no way to reach both groups at once—right? In fact, these cohorts are unexpectedly similar and there are opportunities to create shared communities where both feel heard. To do so, we need to bust three myths about their incompatibility.
[Also read: 20 brands catching baby boomers’ attention]
Myth No. 1: Boomers are a traditional, collectivist cohort
As the first truly individualistic American generation, boomers actually ushered the shift away from a collectivist culture—rejecting the Vietnam-era military draft, growing out their hair, taking pride in deviating from the conformity of previous generations.
As young people, boomers experienced a spike in technology that fueled individualism—and creativity. “It’s difficult to imagine Steve Jobs being the same person or helping to create the same innovative products if he entered young adulthood in the communal 1950s instead of being born in the 1950s and entered young adulthood in the individualist 1970s,” writes Jean Twenge, Ph.D., in her book “Generations.”