“They say Gen Z doesn’t go out.”

“They say Gen Z isn’t dating.”
“They say Gen Z isn’t buying homes.”
“They say Gen Z isn’t starting families.”
“They say Gen Z doesn’t look happy.”
Maybe it’s because they came of age in a world that kept moving the finish line.
• Finished school as a global pandemic shut everything down.
• Started careers just as AI began reshaping entire industries.
• Tried to buy their first home with mortgage rates hovering around 7%.
• Watched geopolitical conflicts dominate headlines before turning 26.
• Saw nearly a quarter of their paycheck disappear before they could build real savings.
• Student loan payments resumed while rent climbed another 40%.
• Were told to “work harder and make connections” when face-to-face opportunities barely existed.
• Grew up on algorithms engineered to compare their lives to everyone else’s.
• Watched the wealthiest people gain billions while many young workers struggled to stay employed.
• Inherited rising living costs, mounting debt, and a future filled with uncertainty.
They were sold the dream.
Instead, they got the invoice.
But sure…
Let’s blame the avocado toast.