How Gen Z Became Known as the ‘Christopher Columbus Generation’

Quiet quitting. Silent walking. Rawdogging commutes. While you may not have heard these exact terms before, you definitely know the actions.Slacking at work, going for a walk without any technology, or traveling without using your phone, reading a book or listening to music.Some of the most everyday, mundane actions have been repackaged by Gen Z with a catchy title and presented via viral videos and posts as though they’re a brand-new thing.And people are noticing.Urban Dictionary describes the Columbus generation as the “official unofficial generation nickname for Gen Z,” using the example: “I just discovered Quiet Walks! It’s where you take a walk without your technology with you!”—otherwise known as “just walking.”The name comes from explorer Christopher Columbus, known as the man who “discovered” America—leading to its European colonization—despite long-established communities and indigenous people already living there.The terms "Christopher Columbus generation" and "Columbusing" have seen spikes in searches in the past year. Gen Z’s new nickname comes after a series of high-profile viral moments in which influencers and content creators appeared to have discovered something for the first time, not realizing that it has been around for years—and in some cases, decades.Searches for "quiet quitting," "silent walking" and "Coke float"