"In fact, Gen Z might just be the most risk-averse generation on record. Fewer Gen Zers got a driver’s license, drank alcohol, or had sex as teenagers than their parents did. The same young adults now report skyrocketing rates of anxiety and other mental illnesses, with some estimates finding that as many as 1 in 5 18-to-24-year-olds have been diagnosed with depression. Timidity—not to mention self-conscious neuroticism—is increasingly the norm.
“An ongoing study from Montclair State University argues that some of this risk aversion is due to the current political climate—or perhaps young people’s perception of it. “Gen Z’s mental health has deteriorated due to a worldview that the society and environment around them are crumbling,” writes justice studies professor Gabriel Rubin. “Rights are being taken away, the Earth is burning, maniacs could kill you with a gun, and viruses could shut down society again.””
See also, for counterpoint: https://www.forbes.com/sites/markcperna/2024/06/18/gen-z-thriving-entrepreneurship/
So if you wanna know my personal story, I was given the feeling that even looking at a girl directly was sexual harassment, when I was 12 years old.
Now do 1+1 and figure out why Gen Z is “timid, self-conscious neurotic”. And I say it again, human contact is essential for mental wellbeing, as humans are incredibly social creatures. Yes, contact without physical contact is not to be considered proper contact.
Turns out “you have no future and the planet is dying” is kinda shit for morale.
A bunch of them helped Trump get back in the WH. Not exactly risk-averse in my book.
I’d prefer the risky sex and drinking to trump any day of the week.
I feel like an old man at 37 being like back in my day we did coke and promiscuous sex and voted for Obama like a proper youth damnit!
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Driving cost money (remeber used cars selling for more than new?). They use to get drivers license to hang out (and have sex) with their friends. Now everything moved online.
Alcohol decreases where marajuana is legalized, a safer alternative.
Women saw the right to an abortion disappear- and more than half of gen Z men support it. That plus sex ed leads to low levels of sex.
But, no, it is because all of Gen Z is “Timid”.
As a millennial, fuck this article and all of those like it. Now they’re going after Gen Z with their Pro-Boomer attacks. My generation got fucked but Gen Z and Gen α are getting it even worse, without even getting the childhood benefits that we had.
Boomers have stolen the futures from at least two generations, and if you include Gen X, that’s three generations sacrificed on the alter of “Generation Me.”
And all the while they’ve been gaslighting us and spreading their ignorant nonsensical arguments as though they understand anything about anything. It’s beyond frustrating.
It does feel like an accusation, doesn’t it?
Why did they get the black eye I gave them with my status quo?
This isn’t just Gen Z. Yes, it’s happening to them, but it’s also happening to the rest of us. It’s impacting low to middle income folks the most, because we can’t afford the rising costs of, well, everything.
Job security is also extremely hard to find these days, and Healthcare costs have been getting worse ever since Obama left office.
I’m surprised only 1 in 5 is depressed. Oh, diagnosed, got it.
Undiagnosed gang represent
Forbes is just writing fan fiction for a certain demographic…
I dunno, I worked with a Gen Z aged dude that thought blowing his life savings on a down payment for a new Camaro was a sound investment because it was going to be the last ICE Camaro ever made.
I wanted to go into the points that a new car depreciates the second it leaves the lot, the cost of upkeep between now and the years it would take for the car to POSSIBLY gain value, but I knew they wouldn’t listen.
Last time I spoke with him before he was fired he was trying to decide whether it was a better idea to ship his collection of Pokemon cards to California to get professionally graded or to take the trip himself.
Dude definitely took risks. He definitely had some NFTs in his portfolio.
Every generation has dipshits man. I know broke Millennials who even now try to hold onto BMWs they can’t afford to maintain or fuel, just for the clout
Uh didn’t the majority of them just vote in a fascist to fuck up their economy and futures? Risk averse my ass.
No, not a majority, just like 40% of them.
Are you saying 40% of ALL gen Z voted for Trump? Or is it 40% of the ones who did vote, vote for Trump?
You think Trump is going to fuck things up. His voters presumably think he’s going to fix things.
Aww. One could almost pity them until they remember how screwed they made us all and decide on taking absolute pleasure in them finding out instead.
This conversation was about Gen Z being risk takers or not. We all know we’re screwed under Trump. The trend line of people saying that right now is through the stratosphere. No one here is going to learn anything by you saying it again at this moment. We get it.
Sure, that’s just a really accessible and recent example of them being massively not adverse to risk.
What age is it okay to walk a couple miles from your house these days?
18, with a license to do so
That actually seems just true or perhaps it just lines up with my personality. Alghtough i wouldnt be so quick to put wars , plauges and other dangers as the actual cause. its probably the opposite and the relative lack of those combined with the social media either overblowing most stuff or completley opposite , ridiculuing the problem with no inbetweens makes pepole weary .
I urge people to please read the article. When you read it properly, you can see that it mentions that Gen Z are emotionally risk averse but says nothing about their risk taking in other avenues like finance, entrepreneurship, career direction, etc.
In fact, the Forbes article clearly shows how Gen Z are taking more risks in entrepreneurship and work related activities.
It seems like the generation may be more willing to take risks when safe at home behind a screen.
safe at home behind a screen.
You have to define safe here. Investing in starting a business, even one involving sitting behind a screen and writing code, involves a appreciable amount of risk of losing your money. In no way is that person in a position of safety.
I would actually like to see if gen Z are more risk averse when it comes to participating in adventure sports - mountain climbing/rock climbing, skydiving, rafting in fast flowing water, etc
“Careless mans careful daughter.”
See parents be dumb sometimes leads kids to not want to be like them.
We don’t need to take risks, our circumstances are taking all the risk for us.
