Gen Z loves lowercase type
and it's causing a fiery debate
Welcome to the latest edition of The Gen Zer. This week, we discuss the rising use of lowercase type in professional and educational settings. We also take a look at location tracking, run clubs, gun violence, and more . . .
Growing up, my friends and I would always ask ‘are you mad?’ whenever one of us had added a period to the end of a text. According to an unwritten rule between us, the inclusion of a full stop meant, “I want this discussion to be over now,” or at the very least added a layer of attitude and firmness to what the person had said. Seeing proper grammar used in such an informal method of communication (SMS, BBM, or MSN… am I showing my age?) seemed like the person was purposefully indicating the conversation should end there. Sometimes, it still does.
Over the past decade, a new stylistic preference for typing and texting has gripped the masses. Young smartphone users have turned off auto-capitalisation in their droves, thumbing messages, tweets, and Instagram captions in all lowercase. Though this style may have been initially noteworthy, it has since become an online norm. Hundreds of influencers and emerging brands now type in all lowercase, while globally successful musicians including Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, and Kendrick Lamar have communicated with their audiences this way for years, even releasing songs and albums entirely void of capital letters.
Lowercase type is everywhere – on the platforms we love, the products we buy, and the art we consume. Its clearly here to stay, but what exactly does it mean? And why is its sparking a heated debate amongst writers, professors, and friend groups?
The law of parsimony says that the simpler answer is usually the right one. Following that logic, the boom of lowercase type – especially when deployed from a desk/laptop – can be best explained by the ease it offers. Without taking the extra step to press the shift key, messages and comments can be composed faster, suiting the fast-paced nature of digital communication. This efficiency is particularly appealing on social media platforms and in DMs, where brevity and speed are desirable.
But if you really want to know why young people are manually switching off autocaps, just ask them. I guarantee that many will tell you that it’s a deliberate tonal choice. According to Gen Z, lowercase letters convey a casual friendliness that encourage informal, open conversation between peers and within wider digital communities. An intentional departure from traditional hierarchies which Gen Z views as far too serious, the use of lowercase type resonates with young people’s values by levelling the playing field, fostering a sense of inclusivity, authenticity, and connection.
For companies and celebrities who have adopted the type form (rhode skin, lululemon, and amazon among them), its use has been a clever way to build a brand identity that comes across as approachable and relatable to consumers. Considering that brands are now expected to conjure a specific feeling, vibe, and set of values, the use of lowercase can be a tool to gain familiarity and trust that secures the spending power of young people.
So, with lowercase type seen as neutral and welcoming, capitalisation has now become the villain, seeming overly ‘stern’ or ‘abrupt’. Many young people believe the use of capital letters should be reserved for educational, professional, and official circumstances only. In fact, many say they’ll still follow traditional grammar rules in professional or academic settings, engaging a kind of code-switching to ensure they are taken more seriously. The switch back to autocapitalisation can even signal a new era of adulthood, with hundreds of TikTok users joking: ‘Maturing is putting auto-caps back on.’
Though lowercase type is generally tolerated in casual settings like Instagram, X, and even Reddit, its use has drawn criticism in academic and professional circles. Grade school teachers and university professors report having to correct students when capital letters have disappeared from coursework and essay submissions.
More recently, the use of lowercase type on Substack has even sparked a firey debate. A viral essay on the platform – with over 11k likes and 4k restacks – was written in all lowercase, much to the dismay of some readers. Ironically, the topic of the piece explored the rejection of anti-intellectualism, a juxtaposition that some have found ironic. They’ve brushed off essay-writing in all lowercase type as a purely ‘aesthetic’ choice that compromises the professionalism and readability of the content.
Critics say that lowercase typing makes formal writing appear unpolished, detracting from the author's credibility. They argue that adhering to traditional grammar rules is essential for maintaining the integrity, professionalism, and general readability of written work. Capital letters, they say, serve as visual cues that indicate the beginning of sentences and proper nouns, ultimately making texts clearer and organised. Without these cues, readers say it becomes necessarily challenging to navigate the content.
Those defending lowercase type find this interpretation and policing of grammar utterly ridiculous, suggesting that the use of otherwise correct grammar (periods, commas, em-dashes) make lowercase essays just as legible as if capitalisation was used. They add that writing in lowercase for formal pieces challenge established norms, democratises writing, and provides an opportunity to decolonise language by removing arbitrary rules. By opting for lowercase, writers create a more egalitarian text, where the subject matter is prioritised over the prominence of specific words or sections. An example of this style is the esteemed authour bell hooks, who removed the capitalisation of her own name to allow for her writing to take centre stage.
Amongst the worst (and most bitter-sounding) critiques of lowercase-typed essays is the suggestion that this stylistic choice is nothing but a strategy to tap into trendy, low-stake forms of writing such as social media captions and tweets written by teenage girls who are hoping to go viral. Not only is this interpretation vaguely misogynistic (though men who type in lowercase have been similarly scrutinised), it has also left a sour taste in many people’s mouths.
It’s clear that the way we choose to communicate has major implications on how we are perceived – or maybe whether some readers choose to perceive us at all. As this article points out, we all instinctively know that ‘I love you.’ and ‘luv u’ say the same thing but carry different weights – and the same goes for correct use of grammar, evidently. In the end though, it seems the question of whether lowercase typing detracts from the subject at hand will largely depend on who the reader is.
With everyday communication becoming more digital each year, it seems unlikely that lowercase type will disappear entirely. In fact, it seems that the use of lowercase type has firmly planted itself in the online realm with a general level of acceptance across most platforms for good. Language (vocabulary, phrasing, and grammar) changes all the time – what makes lowercase writing any different?
See also:
Gen Z around the web
the latest stories in youth culture and changing trends . . .
Is Gen Z’s location-tracking app an invasion of privacy (the times)
I am an avid Find My Friends user. Whether it's my mum or my friends, I like to stalk them every now and then, but when does that cross a line of privacy? This week, The Times examined how a feature meant for parents to track children has been adopted by Gen Z for location sharing with virtually everyone they know. The boundaries can blur, leading to toxicity and privacy issues. While the app's light-hearted use is fun, it shouldn't be taken too seriously!
The full-fat milk renaissance fuelled by Gen Z – and science (the telegraph)
Milk can be a controversial conversation, from oat to full fat cows' milk, the options are endless. Yet full-fat cows' milk is now in high demand among Gen Z. With the rejection of ultra-processed foods, the pendulum has swung, and young consumers are favouring taste over calorie counting (which we wholeheartedly support, by the way!). From spikes in whole milk sales to increased searches for whole milk benefits on Google, it's officially clear that the milk-tash is back, everyone!
How can Gen Z employees use AI without losing critical thinking skills? (thred.)
AI reliance is increasing globally, but how can Gen Z navigate these murky waters? This article highlights that recognising the 20% of tasks aligned with your expertise influences the 80% that can be automated. It emphasises proactivity and feedback, underscoring that AI is here to stay and effective management is essential. Start crafting those prompts! Get typing with mental clarity, kids!
How Gen Z teens are becoming social influencers against gun violence (ad age)
Social media is being put to good use with platforms utilised to organise mass protests against gun violence led by Gen Z content creators. Students are uncovering the shocking ways weapons have been misrepresented in mass media. For instance, having a gun in a home can double the chances of homicide and triple the risk of suicide. While social media can certainly contribute to brain rot, it can also serve as a valuable tool for strategically organising online communities and act as a catalyst for saving lives.
Gen Z seemingly fuelling recent boost in running events (thred.)
Last night, I was doomscrolling on my bed, and lo and behold, I heard what I thought was a party taking place in my building. Alas, it was just the local run club passing by. Yet when I went to have a nosey, it was predominantly Gen Z, which segues us brilliantly towards this article detailing a 105% rise in marathon entries by Gen Z. Is it the gamification of running, the affordability, or socialising that is driving this industry's boom? All we know is that running is the latest craze… and it’s growing on us!
That’s all for this week! Make sure to subscribe for the latest on Gen Z and youth culture, and check out The Common Thred for a weekly roundup of the latest news, trends and thought pieces.
See ya soon,
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There is a big dose of fashion in it. And it may stick, or maybe even further styles develop with GenA.
Consider typical fashion spheres, like clothing or pop music.
People definitely have practical reasons for, say, gray yoga pants — it’s not acceptable everywhere but is acceptable at more places for sure. And it shows that one is, just like a lowercase typer, relaxed and informal.
Pop music that one puts in a reel online, or in the car, is also a mix of comfort and signal of belonging to a zeitgeist and sub-group.
It’s really beautiful that youth can have more choices now. Earlier generations were less free on average.
Then this generation grows up and may lose this fashion, retaining some parts that are practical or nostalgic, but eschewing most of the belonging-seeking signals.
I wonder what is after texting. 🤔
obsessed