From napkins to traditional weddings, here's everything the youngest generation is supposedly 'destroying' — and why most of it probably needed to go anyway.
The 9-to-5 Workday
Turns out, sitting in an office for 8 hours straight isn't actually optimal for productivity OR mental health. Gen Z is demanding flexible hours, remote options, and actual work-life balance. Revolutionary, apparently.
Diamond Engagement Rings
A tradition invented by a diamond company's marketing campaign in the 1940s? Gen Z saw through that real quick. They're choosing meaningful alternatives, lab-grown stones, or skipping the ring entirely. The diamond industry is shook.
Cable TV
Pay $150/month to watch commercials and shows on someone else's schedule? The streaming generation said no thanks. Cable companies are still trying to figure out what went wrong.
The Stigma Around Mental Health
Going to therapy is normal. Taking mental health days is valid. Having anxiety doesn't make you weak. Gen Z normalized these conversations and honestly, thank them for it.
Traditional Gender Norms
Boys can cry. Girls can be strong. Anyone can wear anything. The binary is boring. Gen Z is just letting people be who they are, and the gender reveal party industrial complex is not happy about it.
Landlines
Why would you have a phone that stays in one room when you can have a computer in your pocket? Landlines are basically decorative at this point. Even grandma has an iPhone now.
Paper Receipts
Email receipts exist. They're searchable. They don't fade. They don't add to landfills. Paper receipts are basically just anxiety triggers about returns you'll never make.
The Expectation Of Forced Happiness At Work
You don't have to pretend to LOVE your job. Work can just be... work. Getting paid for labor instead of passion isn't a failure. This might be Gen Z's most radical idea yet.
Car Ownership As A Status Symbol
Between Uber, public transit, and working from home, many Gen Zers don't see the point of a depreciating asset that requires insurance, gas, and parking. They'd rather spend money on experiences.
The Side Part (Temporarily)
Look, the side part discourse was overblown. Both parts are valid. The real legacy here is that Gen Z taught millennials not to take themselves so seriously. The side part survived. Everyone calm down.
Hustle Culture
Rise and grind? No sleep? Work until you burn out? Gen Z watched millennials destroy their health chasing 'success' and said 'actually, no.' Rest is productive. Boundaries are healthy.
The Belief That Customer Service Workers Deserve Abuse
Gen Z worked those jobs. They're not taking the Karen behavior. And they're calling it out online when they see it. The 'customer is always right' era is OVER.