"Why Gen Z Might Be the Dumbest Generation Ever"

It all started on a sunny Tuesday morning.

Mr. Raymond, a retired history teacher, sat in his favorite chair, scrolling through his old phone. He stumbled upon a video—someone trying to cook chicken with hair straighteners. The caption? *“Life hack for lazy girls.”*

He sighed deeply. “This generation… what happened?”

That evening, he visited his granddaughter, Laila, a proud member of Gen Z. She was busy recording a TikTok dance in the living room, with three ring lights and a mini microphone clipped to her hoodie. Mr. Raymond tried to ask about her schoolwork, but she was too busy hitting the right beat drop.

"Grandpa, wait! I’m about to go viral!"

He smiled politely, but inside, he was puzzled. This generation had the internet, endless information at their fingertips—but somehow, they seemed more lost than ever.

The Rise of the Dumb

Let’s be clear—Gen Z is not *stupid* in the traditional sense. They’re tech-savvy, creative, and confident. But somewhere between meme culture and microwave education, common sense has taken a vacation.

Take, for example, the "devious lick" trend—where students proudly filmed themselves stealing school property. Toilets. Soap dispensers. Even classroom doors. Not for money. Not for rebellion. Just… for clout.

It’s not just the stunts. Attention spans are shrinking faster than ever. Studies show that Gen Z loses focus in *eight seconds*. That's less than a goldfish. They swipe, scroll, like, and share—but rarely *think*.

A Lost Art of Thinking

Once, people read books. Now, they read captions. Once, we wrote letters. Now, we send emojis. Once, kids asked questions. Now, they ask Google.

Laila’s younger brother, Zayn, once asked Alexa to do his math homework. When it didn’t work, he gave up and asked ChatGPT to write an entire essay about World War II. It was done in 30 seconds. He never read it.

Convenience has replaced curiosity.

In school, teachers complain that students don’t remember lessons. They ask questions already answered. They copy answers from AI, then stare blankly when asked to explain. Knowledge is no longer earned—it’s downloaded.

The Paradox

But here’s the twist: Gen Z is also the most informed generation in history.

They care about climate change, social justice, and mental health. They protest. They speak up. They’re connected to the world in ways previous generations never dreamed of.

So how can the smartest also feel like the dumbest?

Because information is not the same as wisdom.

You can read 100 tweets and still miss the truth. You can have 1,000 followers and still feel lost. You can pass exams with AI and still not understand anything.

That’s the Gen Z paradox: they have everything, but somehow… they’re missing something.

A Flicker of Hope

Mr. Raymond didn’t give up. He sat down with Laila after dinner.

“Do you know who fought in World War II?” he asked.

“Um… was it on Netflix?”

Instead of getting angry, he told her stories—real ones. About soldiers, struggle, and sacrifice. About courage and truth. She listened. For once, without her phone.

Later, she posted a TikTok:

"Talked to my grandpa today. Learned more in 15 minutes than I did in 15 years of school."

It went viral.

Not because it was funny. But because it was real.

The Final Word

Is Gen Z the dumbest generation ever?

Maybe. But maybe not.

Maybe they’re just a generation caught in the storm—of speed, screens, and shortcuts. Maybe they need reminders. Of how to think. How to feel. How to live.

And maybe, just maybe, someone needs to sit them down, turn off the WiFi, and simply talk.

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