Jake Pekar headshot
How often do Gen Zers hear that their generation is the weakest? They’re told they face no real struggles compared to earlier generations and everything has been handed to them on a silver platter. For the most part, however, this is not true — especially when it comes to economic and educational prospects.
To give the criticism some credit, it’s true technology has made some aspects of life much easier than they were for past generations. However, this is a superfluous truth across the entirety of modern history.
When comparing economic prospects for the average American and the average college student, the picture is far less optimistic.
For starters, the majority of Americans simply are not hopeful about the economic future of our newest generation. In fact, 58% of the country believes that today’s children will be worse off than their parents. That is not a ringing endorsement for the view of Gen Z as pampered ingrates.
It is not unreasonable for Americans to hold such a view. In a society where technological know-how is increasingly important and acquiring a college degree is more valuable than ever, colleges are getting extremely selective as higher numbers of students are applying.
The college degree has almost become a litmus test of economic success for an entire generation. When success in increasingly selective higher education is the only way this new generation has a chance, is it surprising how pessimistic many Americans are?
Perhaps worst of all, hope for the future through higher education is gatekept by precipitously increasing costs, even when adjusted for inflation. An increase in the already staggering wealth inequality America faces is a forgone conclusion, not to mention the toll it takes on working class students trying for upward mobility.
A depressing outlook for the future combined with increased inequality and educational pressure certainly will not be doing wonders for the mental health of this generation — another issue that significantly affects Gen Z, not to mention NC State.
And what about the massive portion of society for whom college is a faraway fantasy? Even with crushing debt, college graduates are still the most likely group to succeed. The individuals most affected by our current economic woes are far less privileged than anyone on NC State’s campus.
Economic concerns are just a small piece of the puzzle for Gen Z. The technology that makes instant communication easier can also make connections and relationships harder. The industrial leaps that made way for such technology have taken a dramatic toll on the environment that will be realized in catastrophic ways in the coming decades. There are huge hurdles coming from all directions that Gen Z has to face.
Do I wish to turn this into a battle of the generations? Of course not. I simply believe that the dismissal of many of the struggles faced by Gen Z as insignificant is both inaccurate and unhelpful. Each generation has both encountered unique struggles and had an easier go of some things than generations past.
The most important thing to glean from this topic is mutual respect.
Respect for the tribulations of past generations and respect for those of the current one. Once it is established, we can prioritize solutions. From making access to higher education easier on the national level to broadening mental health services on the local level, every generation needs to pitch in and recognize the values the others bring to the table.