Meet Generation Z, the 'millennials on steroids' who could lead the charge for change in the US

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Meet Generation Z, the 'millennials on steroids' who could lead the charge for change in the US

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Diego G Diaz / Shutterstock.com

Hope you're ready.

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  • Generation Z is the youngest American generation.
  • In many ways, it reflects and amplifies the millennial generation that came before it.
  • It's the most diverse and inclusive generation yet.

Millennials are old news.

Generation Z is up next.

Gen Z was born between 1998 and 2016, meaning the oldest members are just 19.

That means they're the teenagers entering college, soon to join the workforce and spark their own round of why-young-people-are-the-worst think pieces on the internet.

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But who are they, really? What can we expect from them? A new report from boutique research firm 747 insights, in partnership with consumer research platform Collaborata, sheds some light on the up-and-coming generation.

Michael Wood, a principal at 747 Insights, told Business Insider he's heard Gen Z called "millennials on steroids" because the generation tends to exhibit similar opinions and beliefs to the one before it - just more.

"In many ways, generational change is like the seasons," he said. "The changes are very gradual, and if we're looking at society as a whole, it's this millennial mindset that has influenced Gen X and the older generations, but also definitely has had a strong influence on Gen Z."

One of the standout findings of this report, he said, was the lack of patriotism among Gen Z. "I think it has strong implications for how supportive they're going to be with government moving forward," he said. "They may be even interested in going a different route altogether, one that does a better job of embracing their acceptance and their belief in being inclusive."

Wood also thinks the findings have strong implications for marketing. Gen Z "may not be as willing to accept those pro-America brands as perhaps previous generations did," he said. "Or think about something like the military - maybe they won't necessarily respond to the same messages in terms of recruiting. I think this is a generation we're going to see really demand things being done differently."

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Scroll down to learn more about what we can expect from tomorrow's generation: