Those aged up to 27 and who are currently approaching adulthood, are growing up in the most frightening, daunting version of this world humanity has ever seen. Everything is stacked up against them. Injured by two global financial crises, mentally and physically damaged by pandemics and wars, and knowing they are growing up in a collapsing world, Gen Z has seen more physical and mental hardship than the Boomers, Gen X and Millennials combined. This is already a damaged generation and the statistics on poverty, mental health and outlook on life are so jaw-dropping sometimes the numbers are difficult to believe. It may be time to rename Gen Z as The Collapse Generation, because it is the first generation of humans growing up during the systemic collapse of industrial civilisation.
They may have been accused of being lazy, brainwashed or aloof, but these are all behaviours one adopts when they see no point. Gen Z know that they are doomed, and there is wisdom to this. From impossible rents to student debt to loneliness, Gen Z rightfully feels that this world “owes them big time”. Why work when you’ll never own a house, let alone pay next month’s rent? Why have children when you can’t even take care of your own needs? Why be “enthusiastic” about life when you’re increasingly living your life through a smartphone screen?
Gen Z is the first ever generation to see so vividly through the illusion of the capitalist theme park we had been served for decades. Many of them are rejecting this failed system, while others are still lost deep within it as it lures them deeper and deeper into a mental health abyss through the social media candy store.
In either case this generation is growing up faster than all others before it, as it tries to find ways to survive. And the only healthy, meaningful way to survive is to revolt against the very system that has made this planet unsurvivable. What we may regard as unhealthy behaviours by Gen Z are actually perfectly healthy reactions to a toxic system that has abused them over and over. This holds the promise that they may change this toxic world by bringing in new values less harmful to both humans and nature.
Their “fuck you I quit” attitude to work is already forcing some employers to watch their exploitative practices. It’s not that Gen Z doesn’t want to work hard. It is that they already know what took Gen X’ers decades to learn: employers don’t give a f**k about us. “Quiet quitting”, another much discussed Gen Z attitude, is about doing the bare minimum at work so that you don’t get fired. To me, this sounds about right, and fair in terms of the contractual terms of employment. Why go over and above when your salary doesn’t? You’re just making someone else rich. Fuck them. They’ll get rid of you anyway, whether you do a good job or not. I have learned this lesson myself as a Gen X, having worked for some of the biggest corporations in the world.
How will The Collapse Generation change this society? I can’t wait to find out. I believe in them. People who suffer trauma are more compassionate, more resourceful, sometimes more driven. And crucially, they have learned the most important lesson: how to say “No”.
George is an author, researcher, molecular biologist and food scientist.
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George Tsakraklides 
George, I appreciate your views in many ways, and despair for my son’s generation. Your essay has me reflecting on my own family’s history—which in some ways makes me want to modify the first sentence of this otherwise accurate essay.
My mother was born in the US in 1927, the daughter of poor Polish immigrant farmers. I often consider what her world was like. She arrived in the midst of a worldwide depression, she lost two younger siblings (one likely to the flu post WWI). When she was in HS it was quite uncertain how much of the world Japan/Germany/Italy would control. Her beloved only brother, in a family of 7 sisters, died in a plane crash while in training. Her parents homeland was decimated and they had scant knowledge of relatives they had left there. Things were changing rapidly, culturally and socially, as well as technologically, the last often regrettably driven by and applied to the war machines. Her world (as well as millions throughout history) must have felt pretty bleak.
In her generation words like trauma were not part of the vernacular—in some ways I wonder if they had been, how widespread the term would have applied. And yet, she and her siblings emerged from all this with an amazingly optimistic (not Pollyanna, but realistic) attitude— the hallmark of which I feel now, was an appreciation of the many gifts of life.
I agree, sometimes the crucible of trauma can nurture the deepest wisdom and understanding. They also all shared solid doses of patience, resilience, and resourcefulness. Underlying these traits was a sense of genuine compassion and love, manifested in a never ceasing aim to foster respectful community. I realize this may sound a bit idyllic, but as I age and learn about other families, I’ve come to recognize how fortunate I was to have been born into such a community, one that even amid duress, consciously exercised the muscle of hope into acts of love. Indeed I suspect this is precisely the healthiest way to endure such times.
Yes, given this era, this generation (yours, my son’s, those younger) are facing an ever broader existential crisis. I feel it’s driven by some of the very systems that caused my parents own struggles—coupled with the planet reaching a limit to its capacity to absorb our eco-cidal tendencies. Things like greed and insecurity and competitive mentality are rooted in the misguided belief we are separate individuals rather than manifestations of an Awareness that is one.
I have a son and daughter-in-law (to be) in their early 30’s, both well aware of the many crisi pending. Yet like you, I believe in them, and their desire and ability to nudge our role within this world toward a more compassionate and understanding place for all life. Thank you for your impassioned voice; every kind intention we can offer matters.
Thank you so much for your story. The world is in flux. Some silver linings will have to come out of this
I’m a boomer and I feel like this… Retired aged 42 thirty years ago. And never looked back. Working and debt is just slavery, and most jobs are BS unsustainable jobs…
Read this..:
https://wearesaners.org/gdp-is-actually-a-misery-index/
Yes Mike!!
Excellent essay. In fact, it’s so good I have a hard time constructively commenting on it – you’ve said pretty much all there is to say about the state of my generation. Best I can do is to offer my perspective on some of the points/questions that piqued my interest. Hope you don’t mind.
I have hardly anything to add to the first three paragraphs. Many of us are just disillusioned with the system: how am I supposed to do anything in this (polycrisis, collapse or whatever the term is these days)? Of course, many people still try to do something (personally, I try to move away from the city I’m currently in, but I have no clue if I succeed – y’know, to garden and stuff), but many are just resigned to their fate. Hence, the trends of lying flat, lazing at work (guilty as charged) or just dropping out of society etc. Participating in the constant rat race just doesn’t make sense anymore, if it ever made one.
Oh, you have no idea. The “20 years old boomer” meme (no disrespect intended here) is unfortunately rapidly becoming a reality where I live. 5 years may not sound like a lot to someone who lived for a couple of decades, but when that same time span comprises a quarter of your life (especially the time when you were traditionally supposed to “grow up”), it really does a number on you. I think the same phenomena can be observed throughout other historical generations as well, like those who reached adulthood just before WWII or fought on the front lines of WWI (“All Quiet on the Western Front” comes to mind – although their environment was arguably less complex).
I don’t know. Given where things are headed, I genuinely have no idea what role Zoomers will play in all of this. Many of us will resolve to violence, die of starvation or commit suicide, but some will perhaps survive. Best I can do is to make the last part easier for my friends and family – I don’t know what else I’m supposed to do when even “enjoying life” requires you to work a job you can’t find or go in debt you can’t get (hence why I find the advice for “living now” quite useless – living now on what?). As for what comes next, I guess we’ll have to live long enough to see it.
In any case, good luck to you George. Hope you make it.
Dear Julian, thanks for your thoughtful comments. i wish you luck as well, I think we all need it. Best, G