Gen Z does not dream of labor

One human resources manager called it the "Great Reflection," wherein people are "taking stock of what they want out of a job, what they want out of employment, and what they want out of their life."

"It's not about people not working," she said. "It's about not settling for a job that diminishes their quality of life. I'm lucky to have realized that early on."

American workers across various ages, industries, and income brackets have experienced heightened levels of fatigue, burnout, and general dissatisfaction toward their jobs since the pandemic's start. The difference is, more young people are airing these indignations and jaded attitudes on the internet, often to viral acclaim.

Many zoomers entered the workforce during the pandemic-affected economy. Naturally, this has major consequences for social attitudes about work --- and the viability of performing labor in times of crisis.

Over the past two years, young millennials and members of Gen Z have created an abundance of memes and pithy commentary about their generational disillusionment toward work. The jokes, which correspond with the rise of anti-work ideology online, range from shallow and shameless ("Rich housewife is the goal") to candid and pessimistic.

"We really have seen an erosion in the employer-employee contract over the last 40 years," she said. "Why are young people being asked to make commitments to employers who no longer uphold their end of the bargain? Young workers don't get to work for a company until they retire. Those kinds of practices don't happen anymore."

"It's not necessarily that different generations hold different attitudes about work," Damaske argued. "For millennials and for some members of Gen Z, they've witnessed two recessions, back-to-back. This is a very different labor market experience than what their parents and grandparents encountered."

Young people understand that they have to labor for their livelihoods, but many, like Phillips and Dakota, believe the existing system has set them up to fail. Bleak economic circumstances --- exacerbated by crushing student loan debt, growing wealth inequality, and wage stagnation --- have soured their perceptions of capitalism. As a result, ... See more

Many have taken to declaring how they don't have dream jobs since they "don't dream of labor." This buzzy phrase, popularized on social media in the pandemic, rejects work as a basis for identity, framing it instead as an act to pursue out of financial necessity. To quote the billionaire Kim Kardashian, it does seem like nobody wants to work these ... See more