I actually see this as a millennial trait, and something that (most) zoomers lack. While online, they are on a power trip and enjoy proclaiming whatever their flavor-of-the-month opinion is, offline they almost seem fatalistic to an absurd degree. There is a learned helplessness and a severe external locus of control which dictates the large part of the zoomer's belief systems. Honestly I can't blame them; very few of them can afford to live on their own, and the only place they can affect change is in their own little corners of the Internet. You'll still have your Greta Thunburgs and David Hoggs, but every generation had squeaky wheels. I do not forsee zoomers at large marching in protest in any degree like the older generations have, both due to laziness and also because most realize it doesn't do anything.
This is an essay post. Sorry.
Don't take it that seriously, but this is just an expression of my outlook rather than anything really concrete with facts.
This is basically a summary of my outlook with various first-hand experiences as evidence.
I'm not sure, but I find that zoomers aren't actually lazy.
Successful zoomers tend to be real go-getters when they actually accomplish natural sources of fulfillment.
Most aren't able to be successful. My theory on the "zoomer fatalistic diesease" is a bit more different.
It stems from a form of escape rather than inherent laziness. They are just unoccupied with anything serious in the real world, so the virtual one is the most appealing space for them. Ask the average zoomer about their time spent of devices, it will probably horrify you if you are a past generation.
Millennials grew up during the 90s and early 2000s, where creativity, social interaction, and "discovering yourself" was all the rage.
A good chunk of them remember 9/11 and the subsequent wars after, and they were more or less at the best age for major technological advancements (iPhone, social media, etc). They were essentially geared to sharing opinions with the masses.
Millennials might have had severe ecomomical downers, but they pretty much rule the social media landscape. The changes they "make", exaggerated or not, is displayed for every zoomer child to see.
Millennials changed the world by simply existing at the right place right time, in some respects.
They are a large part of why the current media landscape is why it is.
What millennials complained about in the job market about boomers is essentially the same with zoomers in terms of social media influence.
Zoomers get to have both at the current time.
If you see that the millennials haven't made uprooted boomer influence after decades, you can either help with their cause or write it off. Naturally, a lot of Zoomers have written off the millennial route and focused on trying to seize some of that social media slop gold for themselves. Some join the millennials plight, but few of them will ever really have to heavyweight influence they desire.
They are chronically online because that is the "great battle" of their generation.
They are fatalistic in person because that battle is already lost for them.
Time changes the hands of power through death, and eventually the baby boomers will die out.
Zoomers will pretty much reiterate what millennials do to boomers, with much more extremity.
No one is lazy when they believe their lives are on the line. Sadly, their lives are essentially internalized politics.
Millennials might have created the system, but they aren't truly "in" the system because they weren't raised by it.
Zoomers are direct products of this system; evolution of online culture seems inevitable and will split from millennial ideals.
The zoomer playbook will be the extremist millennials' with boomer-inspired inspiration.
I can't imagine what it will look like, but it's something I'm not gonna be looking forward to.