I’ve taught nothing but Gen Z at the college level for the last 7-8 years. What you’re asserting just isn’t true. The “rarely active posting” isn’t true. I have assignments based on self-concept, communication, and social media and I can tell you, yes, they do post stuff about themselves and their friends just in a different way. Of course they don’t use it like we used Facebook because it’s a.) a different time period and b.) a different generation. That doesn’t mean they don’t post about themselves. You can post a lot about yourself and your friends and that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re trying to be an influencer. It’s not a black and white argument.
You may think it’s cringe because of your age. They post mostly stuff with their friends.
I can also tell you when I ask the question “how does it feel when you post something on social media and it doesn’t get the amount of likes or views that you were hoping” that those answers from this generation of students was fucking depressing. More than once a student mentioned suicide, and I’m not kidding. It was sad.