It is no secret that Gen Z values their freedom. Though liberty has always been an American trademark, the independence that Gen Z has zealously pursued is not one that our ancestors would recognize. Freedom was long cherished as a road to building a legacy, providing for a family, contributing to strong communities, and climbing up the economic ladder. In other words, independence was not a thing to be hoarded, but shared in pursuit of things greater than the self. Goals of marrying young, having children, and family loyalty have been swapped for complete self priority. Marriage is an obstacle to an impressive career, children are a burden on liberating lifestyles, and family obligation is a toxin to mental health. 

“Solomaxxing” is the new American dream, in tow with Gen Z’s love of seeing life in trend worthy terms. Just as “looksmaxxing,” another digitally bred philosophy, describes efforts to maximize personal attractiveness, “solomaxxing” milks a person’s single years as a paradigm of self-care rather than a temporary transition. A global survey found that 42% of adults aged 18 to 34 feel that relationships interfere with self-development. Meanwhile, around 30% of Gen Z and millennials say they do not intend to have children and only 45% of Gen Z women ages 18 to 34 express a definitive desire to have children. Needless to say, envisioning the future looks quite different for younger generations than for those in the past. 

Common within Gen Z is a palpable pessimism towards economic growth, upward mobility, and environmental stability. In many ways, this gloomy outlook is a rational reaction to a broken economic promise. It is not the precedent, but the coping mechanism that is now threatening this generation’s long-term well-being. With things like ownership seemingly out of reach, Gen Z has embraced the “buy now, pay later” model of spending, forsaking delayed gratification for immediate comfort. What may seem like scattered byproducts of collective circumstance is a unifying ideology– one that idolizes convenience and disdains sacrifice. One of the key characteristics distinguishing children from adults is the ability to delay gratification, giving up what you desire now for a greater reward later on. The sweet tooth of a child is unchecked until they learn the value of healthy eating and develop the capacity to give up endless ice cream for their long term benefit. But the sacrifice is only worth it if the reward is guaranteed. For Gen Z, the reward seems uncertain. Not only because achievements of ownership and financial stability sound farfetched, but because the threshold for a worthwhile sacrifice has changed. Barring exceptions of the truly impoverished, having children is not just a matter of whether they can afford, but whether they can provide a comfortable life for their children while still maintaining the lifestyle they want. The first question is responsible, the second is self-focused. 

Perhaps one of the greatest misconceptions in this growing philosophy is the belief that self-fulfillment is true fulfillment. Despite a thriving culture of self-help, life hacks, and therapy, today’s young adults are unhappier than ever before. People ages 15 to 24 in the West are statistically less happy than older generations, officially flipping the long standing “U-shaped curve” of life satisfaction where happiness was high in young adults, dipped in midlife, and rose again in retirement. The Global Flourishing study confirmed that Gen Z and younger millennials have the lowest self-reported well-being in the United States, with data indicating that a driving force behind this trend is a lack of purpose or belief that daily efforts matter. A life of self-focus was sold as empowerment, but has inadvertently shaped a generation bordering fatalism–efforts are wasted, sacrifice is futile, discomfort is a plague. Taking care of oneself contributes to a good life, but a good life is not lived only for the self. Having children, sacrificing time, energy, resources for the sake of others is core to self-improvement rather than merely a result of “being ready.” Gen Z’s fierce independence has forgotten the purpose of self-care, treating it as an end instead of a means to fulfillment. There is much our ancestors had wrong, but it is time to remember what they had right: true freedom is not meant to be hoarded, but shared in pursuit of something greater than the self.