The social contract their parents signed is now null and void.
For generations, the path to adulthood was laid out like a clear, achievable roadmap: go to college, get a good job, buy a house, and save for a comfortable retirement. But for Gen Z, that map leads to a dead end. They are navigating a world of economic precarity and broken promises, leading to a profound and justified cynicism about the entire concept of “adulting.”
They were sold a dream that the current economy simply cannot deliver, and they are no longer pretending it can.
1. A college degree is now a ticket to debt, not a career.
The promise was simple: a college degree is the key to a stable, well-paying career. The reality for Gen Z is that a degree is more likely to be a ticket to decades of crushing student loan debt and an entry-level job that doesn’t even require it. They did their part and got the education they were told was essential, only to find themselves financially hobbled from the start. The return on investment for higher education has plummeted, and they are the ones left holding the bill for this broken system.
2. The 40-hour work week feels completely arbitrary.
Gen Z is the first generation to enter the workforce in an era where remote and hybrid work has proven that productivity is not tied to a specific place or a rigid 9-to-5 schedule. They see the traditional 40-hour work week as an inefficient relic of the industrial age. They are forced to sit in an office or be “available” online for eight hours a day, even if they can complete their tasks in five. It feels like a performance of productivity rather than actual productive work, a frustrating and pointless waste of their time.
3. Homeownership is a statistical fantasy.
The cornerstone of the American dream, owning a home, now feels like a cruel joke to many in Gen Z. They are entering the housing market at a time of historically high prices and elevated interest rates, a perfect storm of unaffordability. Here in California, the idea of a young person buying a starter home is almost laughable. They are being told to stop buying lattes while watching older generations sit on millions in home equity. The math simply doesn’t work, and the goalpost for this fundamental part of adulthood has been moved out of reach.
4. Job loyalty is a one-way street they refuse to walk on.
Gen Z has heard the stories from their parents about the importance of being loyal to a company, but they have also seen those same companies conduct mass layoffs over Zoom without a second thought. They understand that corporations will not be loyal to them, so they feel no obligation to be loyal in return. The idea of staying at one company for decades is completely alien. Their approach is purely transactional: they will stay at a job as long as it benefits them and will leave the moment a better opportunity arises, without any sentimental attachment.
5. The “dream job” is a soul-crushing myth.
The Millennial mantra of “follow your passion” and “find your dream job” has been replaced by Gen Z’s much more pragmatic and cynical worldview. They have seen how the pursuit of a dream job can lead to burnout, low pay, and exploitation, especially in creative fields. They are increasingly decoupling their identity from their profession. A job is not a source of fulfillment; it is a means to an end. It is what you do to fund the life you actually want to live outside of the office, a necessary evil in a capitalist system.
6. The cost of having children is a financial death sentence.
For a generation already struggling to support themselves, the idea of having a child is becoming a financial impossibility. The cost of childbirth, childcare, and simply raising a human being to adulthood has skyrocketed to a level that is completely out of reach for many. They are making the rational economic decision to opt out of parenthood entirely. The “scam” is a society that expects them to procreate without providing any of the social safety nets, like subsidized childcare or paid family leave, that would make it financially viable.
7. Retirement is a concept they don’t believe in.
Gen Z has grown up with constant headlines about the impending insolvency of Social Security and has seen the 401(k) system fail to provide real security for their parents. The entire concept of a “golden years” retirement at age 65 seems like a fantasy from another era. They fully expect to be working for the rest of their lives in some capacity. The traditional model of saving for a distant, uncertain future feels pointless when they are struggling to pay their rent in the present. The social contract for old age feels broken.
8. Mental health is constantly sacrificed for productivity.
The modern workplace, with its “always on” culture of constant connectivity, is a major source of anxiety and burnout. Gen Z is the most open generation when it comes to talking about mental health, and they see a clear conflict between the demands of their jobs and their own well-being. They are told to practice “self-care” by their employers, while simultaneously being buried under unrealistic workloads and expectations. They recognize this hypocrisy and are increasingly unwilling to sacrifice their mental health for a job that doesn’t care about them.
9. A side hustle is now a mandatory second shift.
The rise of the “side hustle” is not a sign of a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit; it’s a sign that the primary economic system is failing. Gen Z is not starting a side business for fun; they are doing it because their main job doesn’t pay enough to survive. This mandatory second shift, often done late at night after a full day of work, is a brutal indictment of a system that requires a person to have two or three jobs just to get by. It’s not an opportunity; it’s a trap.
10. The economic ladder feels like it has been pulled up.
Ultimately, the scam of adulthood for Gen Z is the feeling that the game is rigged. They see a world where the Boomer generation benefited from cheap education, affordable housing, and a strong job market, and then changed the rules for everyone who came after them. They feel like they are playing a video game on the hardest difficulty setting, with no cheat codes available. The traditional paths to upward mobility seem to have been closed off, leaving them with a sense of frustration and a deep desire to stop playing the game altogether.