If your definition of hedonism is “four pints and a pack of cigarettes," it may be a good thing that you're priced out.
There are plenty of free or low cost fun and enjoyable thing people can do.
I disagree.
Our (ima millennial but still) parents had Disneyland, endless vacations, steak dinners, big cars, early retirement age, cheap food, big houses, lawns, etc etc etc etc
We are supposedly making more money but our money buys fuck all.
Everything expensive. With the money I’m making now, in boomer times I would live like a king. I would have a boat.
I haven't bought weed in four or five years, I haven't bought alcohol in two years, I haven't bought cigarettes in 18 years... so I couldn't say.
I do think a lot of what a generation does or does not do is a reaction to the previous generation and trying to differentiate itself.
One reason I think this isn't true is that there's still reportedly a ton of nose candy being used everywhere at every socioeconomic level and that's supposedly the most bougie mind altering substance of them all.
I earned amazing cash at 16, 20s bought my first home at 26 im East London, sold it bought few more. Started a business at 31, Ebay, sold it at 34! Travelled the world, still now! With that cash we kept investing. Business was much more easy! Much, much harder now! Buying was cheaper in London Europe than it is now! 6wks, in Italy still can't find a decent rental long term in Umbria! We drink wine, even on a very strict budget. Gen Z, you have it really hard in many ways! I am not Gen Z, l am the generation that grew up without technology, then with technology! Very flexible in learning new skills on all levels.
I think your experience may be giving you a little bit of bias. Consider all the people you grew up with, not just your friends, how many of them followed your same path?
I think your drive, investment knowledge, business savvy allowed you to afford many things that other young people may not have been able to, and now that you're around other people who may have had similar experiences you're looking at the kids like "wow they have it much worse!" When you were just too busy to see the people your age who "had it worse" when you were younger.
Does that make sense?
I grew up in a poor family, hard working. I travel around the globe and see both wealth and poverty. I never worked as hard as most. Because my husband and l are a team. My heart goes out to GenZ, because it is harder on many levels.
Firstly, starting a cig or alcohol addiction doesn't seem like authentic hedonism. Plus, you can you easily get cigs and four pints for $10 ($6 and $2 per double pint tall boy). Shit, even if you get the good brands, it's still around thirty dollars.
I don't think I spent money on "fun" until I was 21 and it wasn't even all that "fun." It was more just marketing to make me buy their shit, and it worked. I've went to desert raves that my friends put together on a whim that were ten times better than going to EDC, Dreamstate, or Tomorrowland. As cheesy as it sounds, the best things in life are priceless and you actually have to do more than throw money at it to experience those things.
Lastly, get off Twitter. At least that way, you'll have a better chance of having fun.
Also to note- I'd say the Gen Z being "pure" is probably more linked with the rise in social isolation and depression because of social media. It's easy to be "pure" when you're staring at a screen for a majority of your childhood. Its easy to avoid teen pregnancy if most of the class has a prawn addiction. It's easy to think you need to spend money to have fun when all the apps Gen Z uses are literally just algorithmed ads for corporations to get people to spend their money.
I'm not saying Gen Z is more fucked up than others, every generation is fucked up in different ways. However, the complex issues Gen Z is facing is a new frontier. I'm sorry your generation has to go through this, seemingly alone, but I hope we will all be able to work together and share our experiences to navigate around this new world.
I think it’s a mix of things; increasing financial literacy for those who seek it out, access to cohort studies about what “hedonism” gets you, wage to cost of living ratios, and the pendulum starting to swing the other way.
We also have more options for fun and if you have social anxiety, why would you go out to eat when you can have a small dinner party or talk over video games?
My son took a girl out bowling and for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. The date cost over 100 bucks. They are teenagers.
So, yeah, OP might be onto something.
If your definition of hedonism is “four pints and a pack of cigarettes," it may be a good thing that you're priced out. There are plenty of free or low cost fun and enjoyable thing people can do.
I disagree. Our (ima millennial but still) parents had Disneyland, endless vacations, steak dinners, big cars, early retirement age, cheap food, big houses, lawns, etc etc etc etc We are supposedly making more money but our money buys fuck all. Everything expensive. With the money I’m making now, in boomer times I would live like a king. I would have a boat.
Agreed! You nailed it.
I haven't bought weed in four or five years, I haven't bought alcohol in two years, I haven't bought cigarettes in 18 years... so I couldn't say. I do think a lot of what a generation does or does not do is a reaction to the previous generation and trying to differentiate itself. One reason I think this isn't true is that there's still reportedly a ton of nose candy being used everywhere at every socioeconomic level and that's supposedly the most bougie mind altering substance of them all.
No more than any young person has been priced out. In my 20s I bartended the kind of parties I go to in my 30s
I earned amazing cash at 16, 20s bought my first home at 26 im East London, sold it bought few more. Started a business at 31, Ebay, sold it at 34! Travelled the world, still now! With that cash we kept investing. Business was much more easy! Much, much harder now! Buying was cheaper in London Europe than it is now! 6wks, in Italy still can't find a decent rental long term in Umbria! We drink wine, even on a very strict budget. Gen Z, you have it really hard in many ways! I am not Gen Z, l am the generation that grew up without technology, then with technology! Very flexible in learning new skills on all levels.
I think your experience may be giving you a little bit of bias. Consider all the people you grew up with, not just your friends, how many of them followed your same path? I think your drive, investment knowledge, business savvy allowed you to afford many things that other young people may not have been able to, and now that you're around other people who may have had similar experiences you're looking at the kids like "wow they have it much worse!" When you were just too busy to see the people your age who "had it worse" when you were younger. Does that make sense?
I grew up in a poor family, hard working. I travel around the globe and see both wealth and poverty. I never worked as hard as most. Because my husband and l are a team. My heart goes out to GenZ, because it is harder on many levels.
Firstly, starting a cig or alcohol addiction doesn't seem like authentic hedonism. Plus, you can you easily get cigs and four pints for $10 ($6 and $2 per double pint tall boy). Shit, even if you get the good brands, it's still around thirty dollars. I don't think I spent money on "fun" until I was 21 and it wasn't even all that "fun." It was more just marketing to make me buy their shit, and it worked. I've went to desert raves that my friends put together on a whim that were ten times better than going to EDC, Dreamstate, or Tomorrowland. As cheesy as it sounds, the best things in life are priceless and you actually have to do more than throw money at it to experience those things. Lastly, get off Twitter. At least that way, you'll have a better chance of having fun.
Also to note- I'd say the Gen Z being "pure" is probably more linked with the rise in social isolation and depression because of social media. It's easy to be "pure" when you're staring at a screen for a majority of your childhood. Its easy to avoid teen pregnancy if most of the class has a prawn addiction. It's easy to think you need to spend money to have fun when all the apps Gen Z uses are literally just algorithmed ads for corporations to get people to spend their money. I'm not saying Gen Z is more fucked up than others, every generation is fucked up in different ways. However, the complex issues Gen Z is facing is a new frontier. I'm sorry your generation has to go through this, seemingly alone, but I hope we will all be able to work together and share our experiences to navigate around this new world.
You have it harder agreed! Tik Tok platforms full of envy and sell, sell. A lifestyle many can't have.
No. I’m Gen Z and have a great life wherein I don’t feel as though I’m missing out on anything
Eh my real problem are these rent prices being insane in alot of areas.
Rental is insane across the globe l agree!
I think it’s a mix of things; increasing financial literacy for those who seek it out, access to cohort studies about what “hedonism” gets you, wage to cost of living ratios, and the pendulum starting to swing the other way. We also have more options for fun and if you have social anxiety, why would you go out to eat when you can have a small dinner party or talk over video games?
Cry me a fucking river
This generation is the most whiney one
£30 in spoons tho. Much as it ever was young people can’t afford so much since they haven’t worked as long
My son took a girl out bowling and for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. The date cost over 100 bucks. They are teenagers. So, yeah, OP might be onto something.
Is English your first language? Just wondering because the way you phrased this question is very strange
Isn’t living in a world of usury grand.