As a whole, Gen Z gets judged for being seemingly unwilling to experience the world the way previous generations did. Unsurprisingly, older generations blame phones for this phenomenon as they believe endless scrolling has prevented young people from seeking connection in the real world.
As a Gen Zer myself, this is too simple an assumption. Sure, young people spend a lot of time scrolling socials. The reason might have more to do with what’s going on with the economy than just an entire generation’s unwillingness to experience the world.
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that everything is SO expensive. Gas prices are sky-high, and let’s not even talk about housing costs. These items are considered basic necessities. Beyond that, doing anything recreational (the stuff that actually makes life worth living) is EVEN MORE expensive.
In a recent post on Reddit, a fellow Gen Zer fervently ranted about how older generations (specifically boomers) are always blaming the phone for why young people don’t explore fun and entertainment out in the world with friends. The Gen Zer argued that the real reason has to do with money, however.
The young man wrote, “I am so tired of boomers blaming us for not going outside and talking to friends, while at the very same time telling stories of them going to the mall with friends with only $10 in hand, or spending $1-$2 to get a milkshake together at a 24/7 diner.” He went on to say, “Nowhere is priced like that anymore.” This is entirely accurate and righteous of them to say.
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A third place, in its simplest terms, is a place to hang out and socialize; the term was coined by the sociologist Ray Oldenburg. According to Oldenburg, there’s a first place (our home), a second place (where we work), and then there’s a third place. This is where we go to converse with and engage with others.
It is places like coffee shops, libraries, bars, arcades, malls, and parks where people can gather, talk, and spend uninterrupted time with one another in a leisurely setting.
According to researcher Samuel J. Abrams, third places are crucial for building “stronger, healthier, more resilient communities” because they help foster connections between people. For young people, especially, third places offer a space to meet and hang out with friends and keep feelings of loneliness at bay.
However, places like these are becoming harder and harder for young people to come by as goods and services become more expensive. As the Gen Zer on Reddit noted, it is nearly impossible to go to a third place like a mall nowadays with only $10 in hand, much less get a milkshake for $1-$2 at a local diner. I, myself, can attest that a day of fun that relies solely on paid activities can run up a Gen Zer’s bill by 100s of dollars if they’re not careful with their spending.
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This is not to say cheap activities don’t exist. Plenty of young people like myself try to find inexpensive or free activities, but Abrams stressed, as cities become increasingly unwalkable and housing developments are pushing small businesses further away, it’s not only harder to pay for fun but harder to physically get to a place to hang out and meet people without paying for a car and subsequently gas. As a result, many young people are opting to stay at home.
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Shockingly, Gen Z is actually considered quite well-off compared to older generations. However, the catch is that our purchasing power is effectively weak.
According to Fortune, Gen Z in particular has been dealing with unprecedented inflation, the effects of a pandemic, student debt, and a volatile housing market, all of which have wreaked havoc on our financial confidence going into adulthood. This makes it extremely difficult to manage disposable income without tight budgeting and help from parents.
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Even more telling is just how much money Gen Z believes they need to earn to be successful in life compared to older generations. A survey of 2,203 American adults found that Gen Zers believe they need to make a salary of $587,797 a year, versus boomers believing they only need $99,874 to ensure financial success.
While this survey did account for the fact that boomers are making the most of any age group right now, it did not account for how desperate Gen Z is for some semblance of financial security. Making over $500,000 a year is no easy feat; some may say unrealistic. However, if this is truly what Gen Z believes, the implications are rather unfortunate.
The sad fact is that excessive phone use among young people is the result of an unstable economy. It’s too easy to blame social media for everything. Perhaps it’s time to look a little deeper.
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Luke Aliga is a writer with a degree in Technical Writing and Communication who covers relationships, culture, and human interest topics.
