That's Life, I Swear

Echoes of Disillusion: Gen Z's Political Landscape

• Rick Barron • Season 3 • Episode 125

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Generation Z are still recovering from the pandemic, and now dealing with a political awakening that has left them with a pessimistic look towards their future.

supporting links

1.     Generation Z [Wikipedia]

2.     Dr. Jean Twenge [website]

3.     What we know about Gen Z so far [Pew Research Center]

4.     What is Gen Z? [McKinsey & Company]

5.     Understanding Generation Z in the workplace [Deloitte]

6.     Generation Z (Gen Z): Definition, Birth Years, and Demographics [Investopedia]


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⏱️ 9 min read                                   

In a world where hope seems elusive and trust in institutions is scarce, there's a generation standing at the crossroads of disillusionment and determination. We'll discuss Generation Z's political awakening and why they have a pessimistic look towards their future. We'll take a look at the rough years that molded a generation with doubt, shaping them into the voices of change and challenge. [AI]

Welcome to That's Life, I Swear. This podcast is about life's happenings in this world that conjure up such words as intriguing, frightening, life-changing, inspiring, and more. I'm Rick Barron your host. 

That said, here's the rest of this story 

With the turbulent arrival of the pandemic, Gen Z generation found itself at a crossroads—and for a majority, faced unforeseen circumstances that upended their carefully laid plans. Graduation ceremonies were canceled, post-college jobs vanished, and summer internships disappeared. In the middle of the chaos, many retreated to their parents' homes to ride out the storm of the pandemic.

Many Gen Z'ers feel very precarious these days, threatened by looming uncertainties. The weight of these challenges has left them disheartened, their faith in political leaders going into the bucket with each passing day.

Why does this matter?

Across the United States, young adults of Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, navigate a landscape that shows no hope for them to enjoy the good life we all seek. 

  • Dreams of financial stability seem increasingly distant as they confront delayed transitions into the workforce 
  • Housing markets that appear impervious to entry
  • Mountains of student debt loans looming overhead
  • Utterly disgusted with politicians in Congress from both sides of the aisle 

They hope that somewhere out there is a fundamental change, and that all of this uncertainty will diminish.

As we watched Capitol Hill pass legislation to ban or mandate the sale of TikTok, a digital sanctuary for millions of American youths, Gen Zer's and others also wondered about misplaced priorities. One can't help but wonder how Congress addressed the TikTok problem in lighting speed while pressing issues like school safety go unaddressed. It's as if they've lost sight of humanity's real concerns.

Gen Zer's sentiments echo a chorus of frustration reverberating through the corridors of congressional offices. Young voices, inundating lawmakers with pleas to preserve their beloved platform, underscore a broader disillusionment with Washington's lack of effort to produce desired results for them and the nation. For Generation Z, beset by an overwhelming sense of gloom, faith in political leadership shrinks against a backdrop of hyper-partisanship and apocalyptic warnings permeating social discourse.

As the world emerges from the shadow of the pandemic, we see a cascade of crises:

  • soaring inflation
  • ongoing geopolitical conflicts
  • and contentious social issues

All of which amplifies the sense of unrest. Along with the turmoil, social media platforms serve as witnesses and conduits, broadcasting the turmoil with alarming intensity, not to mention the insanity of one conspiracy theory after another.

A wave of dissatisfaction is nudging some young voters towards third-party candidates in the upcoming presidential race. In contrast, others contemplate abstaining from voting or leaving the presidential choice blank on their ballots. Despite historically lower turnout among young voters, the potential impact of Gen Z voters looms large, particularly in swing states where elections can be decided by slim margins, as was the case four years ago.

A data report from Tufts University reflected an estimated 41 million Gen Z Americans aged 18 to 27 eligible to cast their votes this year. Despite being recognized as one of the more liberal segments of the electorate, recent polling suggests that Gen Z Americans' support for Biden is only marginally higher. Some within this demographic remain unswayed by arguments equating a vote against Biden with support for Trump, voicing a sentiment of disillusionment with the entire political process.

The Gen Z group is just exhausted! They're fed up with the constant bickering and division, expressing skepticism about the effectiveness of voting and its potential to bring meaningful change. This sentiment of apathy towards politics is mirrored by many of their peers, raising concerns about the overall engagement of young voters in the upcoming election.

The prevailing pessimism starkly contrasts what appear to be generally favorable economic conditions. While many millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, faced the daunting task of launching their careers amid the turmoil of the 2007-09 recession. Gen Z workers are entering a job market characterized by strong growth.

Over the past year, the unemployment rate for individuals in their late teens and early 20s has hovered near its lowest levels in at least fifty years, as reported by the Labor Department. Additionally, the Biden administration's actions, including canceling $130 billion in federal student loans, have contributed to decreased student debt as a proportion of income. Moreover, homeownership among individuals under 35 has seen an uptick since the onset of the pandemic.

Despite these positive indicators, young people point to many challenges that call into question the rosy economic picture: 

  • Among adults under 30, credit card and auto loan delinquency is rising, while savings have dwindled from their pandemic-induced highs 
  • Rent prices have more than doubled since 2000, far outstripping income growth over the same period, according to Moody's Analytics
  • As a result, many young individuals are allocating a significant portion of their income, often exceeding 30%, towards rent payments, surpassing other age groups

According to a poll by the Harvard Kennedy School, there’s a disconnect between young Americans' personal financial situation and their views of the American economy; an opinion held by a more significant proportion of this demographic than any other age group. 

Furthermore, nearly one-third of these young voter’s harbor unfavorable views toward Biden and Trump, surpassing the dissatisfaction levels observed among older voters. Additionally, 63% of young voters feel neither major party adequately represents their interests.

The NORC at the University of Chicago, an impartial research institution, has gauged Americans' political sentiments since the early 1970s. Their analysis of recent polling data reveals that a segment of Gen Z, aged 18 to 25 during the surveys, reports lower levels of happiness and displays diminished trust in others compared to older generations at the same life stage.

When questioned about their confidence in various public institutions, Gen Z respondents generally exhibited lower levels of trust than older cohorts at similar points.

According to NORC's 2022 General Social Survey, one-third of Gen Z individuals identify as conservative. This marks a higher percentage of conservative self-identification within this demographic than observed among millennials, Gen X, and baby boomers at the same age. However, some differences were minor and fell within the survey's margin of error.

According to a University of Michigan survey tracking public sentiment among 12th-graders for nearly five decades, more young individuals now express difficulty finding hope for the world than ever since at least 1976. The survey reveals that today's youth are less optimistic about securing professional jobs or surpassing their parents' success than previous generations, indicating a pervasive disillusionment. Moreover, they increasingly perceive the system as rigged against them and advocate for significant changes to the country's operations.

Professor Jean Twenge from San Diego State University, renowned for researching generational disparities, highlights Gen Z Americans' distinctive pessimism and low expectations. In contrast, millennials exhibited notably higher optimism about their futures during their youth.

Twenge describes this discrepancy as the most pronounced difference observed in her two decades of research. She attributes this trend among Gen Z to factors such as chronic isolation, limited social interaction, and excessive online engagement, all exacerbated by the pandemic.

A 2020 study examining the aftermath of past epidemics worldwide reveals a lasting impact on young people's confidence in political institutions and leaders. The study, drawing on decades of Gallup World polling across numerous countries, indicates that the erosion of trust among the youth typically persists for up to two decades.

At the onset of the pandemic, many Gen Zer's embarked on their first professional job, freshly graduated from college. However, as the virus spread and the nation faced widespread shutdowns, many found themselves laid off, relying on unemployment benefits for nearly a year until securing another job.

With many of the Gen Z generation dealing with being laid off and struggling to get back into the market, their concerns center around attaining the stability enjoyed by previous generations. 

Gen Zer's remain undecided about their voting choice for the upcoming November elections. While still inclined towards Democratic ideals, the question of Biden's age creeps into the picture. 

Those who don't see any positive news about the economy now look over the fence and become increasingly receptive to Republican perspectives, particularly in light of economic challenges such as inflation. The young are discontent with their expenses, with the rising cost of essentials like groceries and rent. It's frustrating, to say the least, for many. 

Among people under 30, Biden leads Trump by three percentage points, 35% to 32%, with 14% undecided, and the remaining shares go to third-party candidates, including 10% to independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Of course, these poll numbers fluctuate, so we’ll see where we are come November

8- Those who had aspirations of graduating from college had their dreams smashed with COVID-19. Many of the students took on working at convenience stores and pivoted to trade schools to become plumbers or electricians. 

Feeling disconnected from the traditional experiences of their peers, those in the Gen Z group question how to navigate forward in a time marked by profound disruption and societal shifts.

Many Gen Z'ers find themselves at a crossroads regarding their presidential vote. While leaning towards Democratic views on issues like climate change and gun control, some remain undecided due to dissatisfaction with both Biden and Trump. Feeling they're forced to choose the lesser of two unappealing options causes the stress of absolute frustration to kick in. 

Those who voted for Trump in the previous election now regret their decision. Citing Trump's involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, many of those of the Gen Z generation feel they are done with the former president. On the other hand, they believe Biden is too old for the job. 

The long-running survey has found that young people today are less optimistic than any generation in decades that they'll get a professional job or surpass the success of what their parents achieved. They increasingly believe the system is stacked against them and support major changes to how the country operates.

Generation Z are thought to be the head-strong, sensible generation, but the pressure of the ups and downs, both domestic and global, seems to be causing them more issues than good. 

Perhaps this gyration may give this generation the answer to find meaningful solutions for them and those that will follow. The young generation that lived through the Great Depression to be followed by World War II, went through a lot, but they stood firm and made it through. I see Generation Z having the same ability to do the same. They have to. 

What can we learn from this story? What's the takeaway?

While the Generation Z era has encountered some high hurdles, they should see this as a time period by which they will grow into a generation that responded to unexpected turmoil and flipped it over.

They need to treat unexpected roadblocks as being just as important (if not more so) than success. For Generation Z  today to identify their strengths and weaknesses, they need to understand that figuring out what they don’t like about life is just as important as finding their strengths, and that there is immense value in learning from disappointment. 

Well, there you go, my friends; that's life, I swear

For further information regarding the material covered in this episode, I invite you to visit my website, which you can find on Apple Podcasts, for show notes calling out key pieces of content mentioned and the episode transcript.

As always, I thank you for the privilege of you listening and your interest. 

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