Let me start by saying that I have great respect for young people today. They’ve inherited a world that’s more connected, more complicated, and more chaotic than ever before. That being said, I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with Gen Z, especially when it comes to the treatment teams at places like Telecare, and I can’t help but wonder sometimes: how dumb is Gen Z?
Now, don’t get me wrong. Gen Z is incredibly educated. They’ve grown up with the internet, they can fact-check anything in seconds, and they’ve got more degrees than a thermometer. But when it comes to basic human skills—empathy, common sense, and, let’s be real, grammar—something’s seriously lacking.
I’ve been around the mental health system long enough to know that it’s often more broken than the people it’s supposed to help. But nothing could prepare me for the sheer absurdity I encountered with some of these Gen Z professionals at Telecare.
Let’s start with a real gem of a conversation I had recently. There was a resident in my housing who was violent and high on drugs. I was scared out of my mind and ended up hiding in the bathroom. When I finally got a hold of the office worker to report that the housing situation was dangerous, do you know what he said? “There’s different levels of danger.”
Really? I mean, what kind of response is that? The man’s basically telling me, “Yeah, sure, you’re in danger, but it’s not that dangerous.” As if there’s a sliding scale of danger that makes it okay for me to be in a life-threatening situation as long as it’s not the worst possible scenario. What kind of logic is that?
But wait, it gets better. I called another staff member, practically begging for safe housing because my life was literally being threatened. Her response? “Define your definition of safety.”
I’m sorry, but what? Not only is that a sentence that makes zero grammatical sense, but it also shows a complete lack of common sense. How do you even respond to that? Should I have broken out a dictionary on the spot, or should I have started listing synonyms for "not being in danger of getting killed”?
These aren’t isolated incidents either. It’s like the people who are supposed to be helping are stuck in some kind of dystopian customer service loop where they just throw out meaningless phrases instead of actually addressing the problem.
So, back to the question: how dumb is Gen Z? Maybe “dumb” isn’t the right word—maybe it’s more about a lack of real-world wisdom. They’ve got all the book smarts, but when it comes to dealing with actual human beings in crisis, they’re out to lunch. They’re quick to diagnose, quick to prescribe, but when it comes to listening—really listening—they’re MIA.
This generation has mastered the art of setting boundaries, but they’ve confused boundaries with building walls. They talk about self-care, but it seems more like an excuse to avoid difficult situations rather than helping those in need. They’ve forgotten that working in mental health isn’t just about protecting your peace; it’s about reaching out to those who have none.
If there’s one thing I want to say to the Gen Z treatment teams at Telecare, it’s this: put down your phones, stop hiding behind vague, meaningless phrases, and start engaging with the people you’re supposed to help. Your degrees and online courses might have given you a foundation, but it’s empathy, common sense, and a genuine desire to make a difference that will actually get the job done.
We need treatment teams that see beyond the diagnoses, that understand what it means to be in real danger, and that don’t need a grammar lesson to comprehend a cry for help. Gen Z has the potential to be great, but they’ve got to learn that working in mental health is more than just a job—it’s a calling. Until they do, the people they’re supposed to help will continue to suffer for it.
But hey, maybe I’m just old-fashioned. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s time for Gen Z to wise up.
by Dan and Bonkers
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