Whether you fear it, look forward to it, or are indifferent about it, aging is an inevitable process that every human has to deal with. But while not everybody ages the same way, some generations might be dealing with it better than others.
For example, one TikToker recently went viral with a video in which he shot back at the claims that some Gen Z-ers make about how Millennials look old for their age. Comparing his generation to how Gen X representatives looked when they were his age, he said that Millennials have actually set a new standard for aging, and this set off a massive discussion online. Scroll down to read the full story!
More info: TikTok
A feud between Gen Z-ers and Millennials over which generation looks younger has taken over TikTok, capturing the attention of people online
Image credits: @bautistud
A TikToker explained why Gen Z-ers think Millennials look old and presented proof to the contrary, which compared current 30-year-olds to how Gen X looked when they were the same age
Image credits: @bautistud
"The reason why you think we don't look great for our ages is because we have set the new standard of what it looks like to age"
If you’re not up to date with the latest drama, there now seems to be a beef between Gen Z-ers and Millennials online. Many people from both generations are filling up TikTok with videos calling each other old-looking, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
Yet, some TikTok users, like Chris Bautista, seem to be taking a more defensive position in this online battle. He shot back at Gen Z-ers who called his generation old by declaring, “Millennials look fantastic for our age. And you cannot tell us otherwise.”
However, while he didn’t bash Gen Z, saying, “We'll admit Gen Z, you obviously look younger; you are younger,” Chris did shift the whole matter a little bit more to the previous generation’s side of the table. Most of his video consisted of comparing how much older Gen X members looked when they were the age Millenials are now.
“The difference between us and you is so much closer than the difference between us and them,” said the man, addressing Gen Z. He summarized by saying that this is because his generation set a new standard for aging, and it is for Gen Z to keep up with that once they reach the same age Millenials are now.
This video not only garnered more than 7.4 million views but also started a massive discussion with nearly 26,000 comments. The commenters had different things to say, with some bashing or defending Gen Z-ers and others simply making jokes or expressing their shock over the examples that Chris provided.
Image credits: Anastasia Shuraeva (not the actual photo)
These TikTok fights may seem like empty bickering, but when we look deeper, there appears to be some truth in Millennials' claim that some Gen Z-ers look like they’re aging faster than them. So, why is that happening?
Well, according to Brooke Kato of the New York Post, there are many reasons for this, but some of the most significant ones are injections and fillers, as well as vaping or smoking.
As it turns out, the number of cosmetic procedures among Gen Z is at an all-time high. The problem here is that starting procedures like this too early can affect the natural development of one’s facial features, and while it does make them look better in the short term, it only gets worse in the long run.
A lot of it starts with trends like #BabyBotox, where young women get injected with a tiny amount of botox that prevents them from forming deep wrinkles. However, as social media tends to affirm these decisions, it becomes difficult not to go for more.
A lot of millennials also tend to take better care of themselves and live a healthier lifestyle than Gen Z-ers. That brings us to nicotine ingestion and, in particular, vaping, which, according to Denny Warkins of CHEST, is a highly significant issue that’s being neglected way too much.
Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)
The number of young people vaping keeps on growing each year, and many of them start way before they turn 18, with many cases beginning as early as 12. With nicotine being so addictive, it makes instant changes to the central nervous system the moment it enters a person’s body. And when that person is so young, and their brain is still developing, the damage and the addiction caused by it is a lot bigger than it would be for someone older.
When it comes to how someone looks, Lottie Winter and Fiona Embleton of Glamour gave a simple explanation: Nicotine deprives the skin of oxygen and nutrients, causing wrinkles and making it age faster than it should.
At the same time, it aggravates dryness and can possibly cause the breakdown of a protein known as collagen, without which people often develop puffy eyes and lines around the lips.
So, in the end, while some people might be too harsh with their words, perhaps Gen Z should take these comments as a reason to change their lifestyle rather than as an attack against them. But if it’s hard to let it go, look at it this way: Millennials have set a new standard for aging. The only way for Gen Z to prevail in this conflict is to look better when they hit their thirties. But for that to happen, some adjustments need to be made.
What did you think about this story? Which generation do you think looks older? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
The commenters had mixed responses, with some bashing or defending Gen Z, while others were simply making jokes and expressing their shock over the comparisons
