[imagesource:gencraftai]

I must admit that I get confused with all the monikers attached to the various generations. I know that Gen Z is whiny, Millenials are confused, and Gen X are bulletproof. At least that’s what Instagram told me.

Now, the newest addition to the generational labels, Gen Alpha, is being called the ‘Honey Badger Generation’.

As a Gen X with a Millenial spouse and Gen Alpha son, I want to know why the young’ uns are being compared to an animal that seems to be better suited in nature to the Gen X group. If you’re confused, you’re likely a Millennial, so let’s explain.

The term Honey Badger has become popular on TikTok with several experts weighing in on the definition. By experts, we of course mean parents at their wit’s end.

@thatpsychnp #thatpsychnp #greenscreen #DidYouYawn #gena #honeybadger #honeybadgerdontgiveashit #fyp #fypシ #FlexEveryAngle #foryou #yourpage #momsoftiktok #dadsoftiktok #teachersoftiktok #kids #child #children #genalpha #genalphaparent #theyrecoming #politics #learnontiktok #news #viralvideo #millennial ♬ Sweet Dreams Drill – Instrumental – KAIOTHEGREAT

“Honey badger generation includes children born after 2010,” says Courtney Morgan, LPCC, the founder of Counseling Unconditionally. “This generation may be described as strong-willed, ambitious, fierce, and wildly confident.”

This doesn’t sound too bad to me, but it becomes evident that Gen Alpha can be a bit too confident when you consider how they challenge authority (including yours) with zero fear and a maddening insistence on fairness – best illustrated when “Because I said so” is no longer sufficient.

The honey badger metaphor first appeared over a decade ago, when the eldest members of Generation Alpha were infants and young toddlers.

The “Honey Badger Don’t Care” meme originated in a 2011 YouTube video that mixed National Geographic footage of the animal being completely unafraid when confronted with jackals with tongue-in-cheek narration. Honey badgers, members of the Weasel family, are known for their aggressive, quarrelsome personalities.

“The metaphor captures the essence of being bold and resilient, qualities that are admired in today’s society,” says Daniel Rinaldi, a therapist who treats children and teens and the founder of MNTL Town, a therapeutic puppet platform for families. “This depiction of the honey badger has become a cultural symbol of courage and determination, inspiring people to adopt a fearless approach in their own lives.”

This fearlessness seems to extend to Gen Alpha’s relationship with adults, which is perhaps in small part thanks to the changes (for the good) that we adopted with parenting. I never talked back to my parent because I would get pakslae. I would never raise a hand to my child, so the fear of getting the belt is no longer a deterrent for questioning my authority.

These days, I need to justify a chiding to my honey badger, often with PowerPoint presentations and research anecdotes. My dad simply said, “Don’t talk back”.

“Generation Alpha can oftentimes challenge and refuse to accept the status quo, questioning rules and customs that may seem arbitrary or hypocritical.”

Most of Generation Alpha is being raised by Millennial parents, who employ different strategies than previous generations.