Zillennials: From the Analog Sector to Modern Digital Life

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Do you remember a time when cassette tapes, landline phones, and television without internet were part of everyday life? but today, smartphones are used for almost everything. This experience is common among a group often referred to as Zillennials—people whose formative years fall between the Millennial and Generation Z eras.

The term Zillennial is not an official generational label and does not have a universally accepted birth-year range. As one reference, the Pew Research Center defines Millennials as people born between 1981 and 1996, while Generation Z begins with those born in 1997.

Pew also notes that generational boundaries are not absolute, as social experiences and changes in society can shape each generation differently.What makes Zillennials interesting is their experience of growing up during the transition from a largely analog lifestyle to one increasingly connected to the internet. During childhood, their entertainment may have included television, radio, cassette tapes, CDs, or playing with friends.

As they entered their teenage years, computers, mobile phones, the internet, and social media began developing rapidly and became part of everyday life. This technological shift gave some Zillennials experience with two different forms of communication.

They grew up familiar with face-to-face interaction and relatively simple devices, while later adapting to increasingly fast-paced digital communication. The transition also influenced how they communicate, access information, and consume entertainment.

In Indonesia, technological development has also been considered in discussions about generational characteristics. The Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), through the Jurnal Masyarakat Indonesia, has discussed post-Millennial generations and their relationship with the development of information technology, which has contributed to shaping the characteristics of younger generations.

Growing up amid this technological transition gave some Zillennials the opportunity to experience communication patterns both before and after the internet became an integral part of everyday life. They can relate to a time before smartphones and the internet became essential, while also adapting to social media, digital applications, and rapidly evolving technologies.

For this reason, Zillennial is better understood as a term describing a generational experience shaped by technological transition, rather than an official generation with a specific age range. Their experience illustrates how technological change can play an important role in shaping the way people communicate and adapt to their surroundings.

From cassette tapes and landline phones to smartphones and social media, this journey reflects the experience of people who grew up during a period of rapid technological change. Zillennials offer one example of how technological developments can create distinct generational experiences within a relatively short period of time.