OPINION: You know it is serious when Gen Z has not cracked a single joke

By Kaitlyn Fleming, Marshall University

It’s no secret that Gen Z-ers tend to lean towards humor to cope. No matter the gravity of the situation, you can always count on TikTok trends to take the younger generation by storm as a way to manage the stress.

All of this to say, in regard to the 2024 election, Gen Z is in somber spirits. Rather than comical TikTok trends, Gen Z is taking to the platform to share their worries, fears and anxieties regarding the election. 

Political activist Harry J. Sisson took to his 1.4 million TikTok followers to express his disappointment in the 2024 election. 

“America failed women tonight,” Sisson said. “We failed our daughters, mothers, sisters and our wives tonight.” 

With nearly 12,900 comments on Sisson’s post, TikTok creators commiserate with the activist, rather than the typical humor coping mechanism. 

Pennsylvanian Jordan Gillingham said, “I can’t believe we are reliving this.” 

Likewise, TikTok user Isabelle Watts mirrored Sisson’s melancholic tone. 

“Disappointing doesn’t even begin to cover it,” she said. 

There’s a lot on the line for many young people this election. Reproductive rights, economic policies and gun control are just a few at the forefront of Gen Z-ers minds. 

As a woman, it is simply impossible to turn to humor in a situation as grave as this one. Jokes surrounding gas or grocery prices simply don’t cut it–and Gen Z can sense it. 

It feels as though we are rewinding history, not progressing it forward. No bright side can be found in that situation. 

Most of all, Gen Z struggles to grapple with humanity’s persistence in policing women and their rights. 

There are only two options for TikTok trends tonight: relief or grief.