A viral Threads discussion highlights how pandemic disruptions, school exams, and tech shifts created distinct subgroups within Malaysia’s Gen Z generation.
A SOCIAL MEDIA discussion about Generation Z has gained traction online, with users debating how school experiences, the Covid-19 pandemic and technological changes have shaped people born within the same generation.
The conversation began with a Threads post that received nearly 10,000 likes and more than 500 comments, arguing that Gen Z could be divided into several groups because of the significant changes that occurred during their formative years.
“Actually, Gen Z has many categories because so many drastic things happened during their time,” the user wrote.
The post categorised young Malaysians according to the national examinations they had taken: those who sat for SPM, PMR and UPSR; those who took SPM, PT3 and UPSR; those who sat for SPM and PT3; and those who experienced only SPM.
It further divided SPM candidates into those who took the examination before the Covid-19 pandemic and those who sat for it after the pandemic began.
The discussion also highlighted differences between students who studied under the KBSR and KBSM curricula and those who followed KSSR and KSSM, particularly during the period when home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) was implemented.
The Threads user also grouped Gen Z members by birth year, suggesting that their experiences and familiarity with technology varied considerably.
“Basically, Gen Z born between 1997 and 2003 are Gen Z members who are closer to Millennials in character but are technologically savvy,” the user wrote.
“Those born between 2004 and 2010 are pure Gen Z, but they do not have radical thinking. This cohort also has a very wide gap with Millennials because of Covid.
“They can be pressured, but they cannot be stressed,” the user added.
Those born between 2011 and 2012 were described as the Gen Z cohort closest to Generation Alpha, particularly in their familiarity with artificial intelligence (AI).
“There are only two things that are the same across Gen Z: healing and AI,” the user concluded.
The post prompted others to share their own perspectives on the differences between age groups within Gen Z.
One commenter described those born between 1997 and 2003 as a hybrid generation known as “Z-illennials”.
“I was born in 2000. I still experienced using Nokia phones,” the commenter wrote.
Another user suggested that differences within Gen Z could also be linked to their parents’ generations, including Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennials.
“These three generations have different parenting styles that shape how Gen Z thinks and behaves. That is why there are so many different personalities and attitudes within Gen Z,” the user wrote.
Another commenter compared students who studied under KBSM with those following KSSM, claiming that some teachers had been surprised by the behaviour of younger pupils following the pandemic.
“Gen Z under KBSM was good. They are also surprised when they see Gen Z under KSSM. Post-Covid Gen Z are frightening. Teachers are also surprised by their students’ behaviour,” the commenter wrote.
The user also raised concerns about the influence of gadgets and online content on young people, urging them to be more selective about what they watched.
“I always remind them to watch useful content, not rubbish content that damages the mind. Do not watch Shorts,” the commenter added.