Been Caught Stealing

How will Gen Z impact your business today, tomorrow, and in ten years?Some Gen Z teens — feeling the pressure to be perfect, to have the best, as well as wanting to stick it to The Man — are shoplifting.Teens shoplifting is not news, but their boasting about it on Tumblr and forming communities around their activities is.Welcome to the Tumblr "bling ring." With screen names like "toocutetopay," "spunkythrifter," "liftingcuteshit," and "princessklepto," they're using Tumblr as a place to find community, as well. Forming Internet communities around shared affinities is part of a trend we called Micro Tribes.One 18-year-old asked her fellow kleptos about tips for college freshmen, and another thanked everyone for being so nice. "I can honestly say I'm so PLEASANTLY surprised at how friendly and welcoming everyone was," wrote istoleandrewtori. "It's also truly awesome to see so many people with similar interests. Thank you everyone for being a friend :')."What this cultural signal shows is the cultural tension for Gen Z between the aspirational desires of Millennials and their own quirky activism and need to community-build. In our report Gen Z 2025: The Final Generation, we explain that Gen Z has a "me is we" ethos, and loves to share experiences. Hacking capitalism and building community around it? Very Gen Z. Subscribe to n2 now and receive daily trends, direct to your pocket