Time - American optimism has long separated the U.S. from its Western counterparts. But a look behind the data suggests that belief may finally be eroding. In 2017, 17% said that the American Dream was out of reach. By 2024, the number had crept to 30%. ...
No generation feels this more than Gen Z. More than half say they’re worried about their financial future, up from 30% in 2019. Everyone has their take on why this is: some dismiss Gen Z’s concerns as salary dysmorphia, others as laziness or a lack of resilience. But what Gen Z might actually be signaling to us is the unravelling of the social contract of the American Dream.
The belief that life would be “better, richer and happier” by passing through the usual milestones has eroded. Where previous generations could secure a house, a family, and financial stability, Gen Z has had to prioritize what feels feasible. “There is a general feeling of angst,” Taran Talbott, 18, tells me. “The typical outlook…is that either you’re lucky and have generational wealth or your material conditions are only as good as the salary you might one day earn.” As a generation, Gen Z is hyper-aware of their economic conditions. And across the political divide, there’s a sense that the broader system is broken, and no longer serves people like them.
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