Disillusionment. Despair. Skepticism. These are the words that paint a grim portrait of Generation Z, a demographic cohort on the precipice of fundamentally reshaping the American electorate. A recent Wall Street Journal investigation sheds light on this deeply unhappy political force poised to play a pivotal role in the upcoming 2024 elections.
Kali Gaddie, a 25-year-old office manager, embodies the disillusionment plaguing Gen Z. The pandemic abruptly ripped apart her college dreams, snatching away her graduation ceremony, college job, and summer internship. Confined to her parents' house for online classes, the feeling of a stolen future gnawed at her. Today, financial insecurity lingers as she struggles to make ends meet on a salary below $35,000. The specter of losing her beloved social media outlet, TikTok, to a potential government ban, only deepens her sense of powerlessness.
Gaddie's story is not unique. Gen Z, born after 1997, has emerged from the pandemic scarred by a confluence of crises. Their formative years were steeped in intense political polarization, warnings of climate catastrophe (IPCC), and the economic turmoil of the pandemic. Now, they face a daunting launch into adulthood, burdened by student debt and priced out of an unforgiving housing market.
The consequence? Apathy. Young adults are turning away from traditional media, with many abandoning television altogether. News sources are now curated feeds on TikTok, Instagram, and podcasts, often lacking the objectivity of professional journalism. This disillusionment translates into a record low interest in voting, with many like Noemi Peña, a 20-year-old juice bar worker, contemplating staying home on Election Day. "We don't even want to hear about it anymore," she says, expressing a sentiment echoed by many in her generation.
Despite the prevailing gloom, economic indicators paint a contrasting picture. The unemployment rate for young adults is near a 50-year low, according to the Labor Department, and student debt burdens have eased with the Biden administration's debt cancellation initiatives. However, for Gen Z, the reality on the ground feels different. Credit card delinquencies are rising, savings dwindle, and rents soar far outpacing wage growth.
Surveys paint a bleak picture. Gen Z exhibits lower levels of happiness and trust in institutions compared to prior generations at the same age, according to a study by NORC at the University of Chicago. A University of Michigan study reveals they are the least optimistic generation in decades about achieving professional success or surpassing their parents' achievements. Professor Jean Twenge of San Diego State University attributes this pessimism to the pandemic's amplification of existing trends: social isolation, lack of interaction, and excessive screen time. A 2020 study published in AAAS underscores this, highlighting how past epidemics erode young people's trust in leadership for decades.
The upcoming elections hinge on Gen Z's actions. The Biden campaign is courting them through social media outreach, campus organizing, and public events. The Trump campaign focuses on economic anxieties and leverages online engagement through platforms like promoting Trump's appearances at UFC fights. However, with most young voters shunning traditional media, reaching them effectively remains a challenge.
Will Gen Z become the generation that reshapes American politics, or will their disillusionment lead to apathy and disenfranchisement? The answer lies in November's ballot box.
