{"id":6225,"date":"2025-09-02T15:56:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-02T15:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/?p=6225"},"modified":"2025-11-20T16:38:39","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T16:38:39","slug":"how-does-gen-z-define-intelligence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/how-does-gen-z-define-intelligence","title":{"rendered":"Memes, Money, and Elon Musk: How Does Gen Z Define Intelligence?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6243\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Cover.png\" alt=\"How does Gen Z define intelligence\" width=\"760\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Cover.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Cover-300x150.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<blockquote style=\"color: #303a4e;\"><p><strong>Key takeaways:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>37%<\/strong> of American Gen Z insist they\u2019re smarter than past generations, citing adapting to trends (<strong>85%<\/strong>), AI prompting (<strong>48%<\/strong>), and understanding memes (<strong>46%<\/strong>) as clear signs of intelligence.<\/li>\n<li>Just <strong>54%<\/strong> see college as useful, with a desire for higher education to teach modern subjects such as mental health first aid (<strong>70%<\/strong>), climate survival (<strong>50%<\/strong>), and AI prompt engineering (<strong>30%<\/strong>).<\/li>\n<li>Finance is an area of struggle for many Gen Zers, with <strong>46%<\/strong> unable to understand cryptocurrency, <strong>33%<\/strong> unsure about inflation and interest rates, and <strong>8%<\/strong> unable to identify the number of cents in a dollar.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Generation Z has had their brains melted by social media, their laid-back attitude is telling of their intellect, and the infamous Gen Z stare? It\u2019s proof of their low IQ. According to some, anyway.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, the \u201cstupid\u201d Gen Z stereotype seems silly when you consider they\u2019re the most highly educated generation yet, tech comes naturally to them, and they recognize the importance of ethics and the environment \u2013 pushing for societal improvement in ways their predecessors struggled with.<\/p>\n<p>EduBirdie surveyed <strong>2000<\/strong> Americans aged <strong>18-27<\/strong> to find out how they define intelligence, what makes someone brainy, and whether there\u2019s any truth to claims that intellect is in freefall. The results show that Gen Z doesn\u2019t lack smarts \u2013 but intelligence today does look very different from the past.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gen_Z_intelligence_What_really_makes_somebody_smart\"><\/span>Gen Z intelligence: What <em>really<\/em> makes somebody smart?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6228\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1.png\" alt=\"Gen Z survey statistics showing modern indicators of intelligence\" width=\"760\" height=\"619\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1-300x244.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>For Gen Z, intelligence comes in many forms. While 91% still equate being well-educated and well-read with brains, 83% that tech savviness is another clear sign of smarts. You don\u2019t even have to master coding \u2013 48% believe crafting clever prompts for artificial intelligence sets you apart.<\/p>\n<p>Knowledge is usually a good sign of a good brain, but it doesn\u2019t necessarily matter which subjects you excel in. In fact, 46% insist that a strong meme game is a sign of intelligence.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6229 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2.png\" alt=\"Statistics on who Gen Z consider the world\u2019s smartest people\" width=\"760\" height=\"535\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2-300x211.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>While Gen Z believes intelligence can present itself in many ways, tech competence is a clear marker for the young generation. That shows who Gen Zers believe to be the world\u2019s smartest people \u2013 Elon Musk (46%), Mark Zuckerberg (41%), and Jeff Bezos (35%), three of the most successful names in tech.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6231 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4.png\" alt=\"Statistics on Gen Z embarrassment over older generations and technology\" width=\"760\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4-300x150.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>While past generations may scold youngsters for sharing their lives online, getting tattoos, or whatever else they gripe about\u2026 Gen Z is just as quick to judge their elders. Some 53% admit feeling embarrassed by how slowly older generations developed technology, though 42% recognize that every generation has its limits.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_college_worth_the_cost_Gen_Z_on_higher_education\"><\/span>Is college worth the cost? Gen Z on higher education<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6232 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5.png\" alt=\"Gen Z views on what college offers\" width=\"760\" height=\"509\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5-300x201.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Knowledge often comes at a high price \u2013 today, the average annual cost of college in the US tops <a href=\"https:\/\/educationdata.org\/average-cost-of-college\" rel=\"nofollow\">$38,000<\/a>. But is it worth it?<\/p>\n<p>While 54%\u00a0 of Gen Zers believe college provides useful skills and knowledge, 32% say it&#8217;s solely as a way to strengthen their resume, and 8% insist it offers no real value at all.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6233 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6.png\" alt=\"Gen Z views on making college appealing\" width=\"760\" height=\"509\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6-300x201.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>What would make college more appealing? Classes that actually prepare students for today\u2019s world and workplace. Some 70% want mental health first aid on the syllabus, while 50% want classes on climate crisis survival. Likewise, 30% want to study AI prompt engineering, and 12% want to learn the secrets to social media success.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"TikTok_and_textbooks_How_smart_is_Gen_Z\"><\/span>TikTok and textbooks: How smart is Gen Z?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6237 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/10.png\" alt=\"Survey statistics on Gen Z human origins views\" width=\"760\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/10.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/10-300x150.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>For Gen Z, growing up in the digital age meant having endless knowledge just a few clicks away. Yet, despite having Google, Yahoo!, and Ask Jeeves (for the eldest among them) as teachers, there are glaring gaps in the young generation\u2019s knowledge.<\/p>\n<p>Just 38% know when humans first appeared on Earth, for instance, with 5% convinced humanity started just 2025 years ago.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6234 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7.png\" alt=\"Gen Z answers about the first president of the USA\" width=\"760\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7-300x150.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And while 87% correctly name George Washington as the founding president of the United States, 6% believe Abraham Lincoln \u2013 the 16th to take the title \u2013 was actually the first.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6238 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/11.png\" alt=\"Gen Z responses on when the Berlin Wall fell\" width=\"760\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/11.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/11-300x150.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Gen Z fairs or fails worse when it comes to modern history. While 72% know the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, 19% confuse it with the Great Wall of China, which is still mostly standing today. Likewise, 8% believe it was Wall Street \u2013 a financial hub, not a wall \u2013 that was brought down.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6236 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/9.png\" alt=\"Gen Z responses on who wrote Hamlet\" width=\"760\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/9.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/9-300x150.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>When it comes to literature, most Gen Zers get a pass: 88% correctly identified William Shakespeare as the author of <em>Hamlet<\/em>. However, 12% attribute one of the greatest tragedies ever written to Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, or Jane Austen.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6235 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/8.png\" alt=\"Statistics on Gen Z responses about the capital of Spain\" width=\"760\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/8.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/8-300x150.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>But if there\u2019s one subject where Gen Z stumbled most, it\u2019s geography. Just 64% could correctly point to Madrid as Spain\u2019s capital, while 32% mislabeled the coastal city of Barcelona \u2013 more famous for beaches, architecture, and soccer than government.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Self-report_card_How_does_Gen_Z_rate_its_intelligence\"><\/span>Self-report card: How does Gen Z rate its intelligence?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6230 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3.png\" alt=\"Statistics on how Gen Z rate their intelligence\" width=\"760\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3-300x150.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Is Gen Z stupid? Not at all. While some may flunk a general knowledge quiz, that doesn\u2019t define a whole generation\u2019s intelligence.<\/p>\n<p>Most young people can navigate technology without a second thought \u2013 unlike their parents, who still haven\u2019t worked out how to add an attachment to an email. So, what is the smartest generation? According to Gen Z, digital fluency is far more telling of intelligence, with 37% believing they\u2019re smarter than their predecessors.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6241 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/14.png\" alt=\"Gen Z statistics on being smarter than their boss\" width=\"760\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/14.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/14-300x150.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And while experience may come with age, many Gen Zers aren\u2019t convinced it makes their elders any wiser. In fact, 28% insist they\u2019re smarter than their own boss or supervisor.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cash_credit_and_crypto_Is_Gen_Z_financially_fluent\"><\/span>Cash, credit, and crypto: Is Gen Z financially fluent?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6240 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/13.png\" alt=\"Gen Z answers about cents in a dollar\" width=\"760\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/13.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/13-300x150.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In today\u2019s unpredictable economy, finance is one area where Gen Zers can\u2019t afford to be clueless. Yet, 8% don\u2019t even know how many cents are in a dollar \u2013 with 2% believing it&#8217;s ten, 3% certain it&#8217;s 50, and 3% sure it\u2019s tied to inflation.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6239 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/12.png\" alt=\"Gen Z survey on understanding cryptocurrency\" width=\"760\" height=\"571\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/12.png 760w, https:\/\/edubirdie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/12-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>However, while most Gen Zers can count cents, money still trips most of them up. Some 46% admit they struggle to understand cryptocurrency, while 33% can\u2019t wrap their heads around inflation and interest rates. From compound interest (28%) to credit scores (22%), mortgages and loans (22%), Gen Z has a lot of work to do when it comes to understanding their finances.<\/p>\n<p>Is Gen Z a smart generation? Clearly. Gen Zers navigate technology effortlessly, can grow a social media following like no other, and (for the most part) have no struggles when it comes to conventional education. Intelligence comes in many shapes and forms, and like every generation before and after them, Gen Z has it in abundance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key takeaways: 37% of American Gen Z insist they\u2019re smarter than past generations, citing adapting to trends (85%), AI prompting (48%), and understanding memes (46%) as clear signs of intelligence. Just 54% see college as useful, with a desire for higher education to teach modern subjects such as mental health first aid (70%), climate survival [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"entity":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Gen Z and Intelligence: Memes, Money, and Elon Musk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"EduBirdie survey uncovers Gen Z\u2019s view of intelligence from adapting to AI and trends to memes, money, and questioning the value of college.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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