Gen Z does not dream of labor

"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."

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

Most of us won't ever stop working, although it is healthy to detach from an employer-oriented identity.

Carson doesn't think that most zoomers are actually anti-work, at least from a political perspective. In fact, she said, she thinks it's the opposite: She has noticed more young people publicly committing to quit an undesirable job so that they can devote more time to learning new skills, in the hopes of entering a field like tech, which boasts hig... See more

"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."

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."

For decades, wo rk has been --- and continues to be --- a major aspect of the American identity. "Most people identify themselves as workers," said Damaske. "It's an identity that adults willingly take on."  The pandemic changed that for everyone, not just the youngest workers. In addition to reassessing their relationship to work, people are ... See more

What sets zoomers apart, according to common narratives, is their determination to be fulfilled and defined by other aspects of life. They expect employers to recognize that and promote policies and benefits that encourage work-life balance.

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.