Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban Praises Zoomers as the Greatest Generation, Knocks Baby Boomers

Billionaire Mark Cuban sang Generation Z’s praises for potentially being the greatest generation while lamenting the failed baby boomer generation.

Mark Cuban made his pronouncement about Generation Z, a.k.a. “Zoomers,” during an interview for the Re:Thinking with Adam Grant podcast, praising those born between 1995 and 2010 for their holistic view on the work-life balance philosophy.

“I think that’s beautiful and it’s very analogous to when I was getting started and technology was just happening or the internet was just happening,” said the Dallas Mavericks owner, adding that “organizations will have to understand that more and more and more as we go forward. Not only for how you treat your employees, but what your customers expect as well.”

Cuban said that the Baby Boomer generation will “go down in history as the most disappointing generation ever, from sex, drugs, and rock and roll to what we have today.”

In terms of the work-life balance philosophy, Fortune noted that Zoomers often live by a practice known as “quiet quitting” by detaching their career from their identity.

Quiet quitting, Thrive Works CEO Arianna Huffington told Fortune, is Gen Z’s reaction to the burnout culture that dominated their parents’ lives.

In a survey by the talent firm Lever earlier this year, 42% of zoomers said they’d rather be at a company that gives them a sense of purpose than one that pays them more.

They prioritize flexibility, too, with 66% saying they’d switch jobs for more control over their work schedule, assuming the salary and job description remained the same, according to a survey by Adobe entitled “The Future of Time.”

Jason Dorsey, Gen Z expert and founder of the Center for Generational Kinetics, told the outlet that the supposed burnout culture of generations past likely fueled the practice.

“Whereas other generations thought that their identity started at 9 a.m. and ended at 5 p.m., Gen Z often feels that their identity starts outside of work,” said Dorsey. “That puts less pressure on them to define themselves through their current employment.”

The Center for Generational Kinetics added that the coronavirus pandemic marked the turning point for Zoomers.

“In the area of employment, there is significant government data that shows Gen Z leaving current jobs, starting new jobs, and reconsidering career paths and work styles,” it said.