Things are even more dire in China, where youth unemployment sits at 14.5% and Gen Z job-seekers are paying 30 to 50 yuan a day ($4–$7) to sit in faux offices run by “Pretend to Work Company.” These spaces offer computers, snacks, and community for jobless graduates trying to apply for roles or simply pass the time. The trend sits alongside the... See more

Last week, The Cut reported on the rise of #MonkMode, a TikTok-fueled aesthetic and lifestyle shift where mostly young women romanticize monastic living (single beds, stone cells, quiet rituals) as a rejection of hustle culture and algorithmic optimization. While the hashtag originally targeted men seeking discipline, Gen Z women are reimagining it... See more

As screens became normalized and parents thought playing outside was dangerous, Gen Z became the most disembodied generation, living in our minds rather than bodies or communities. Social media provided enough loose social connections and quick dopamine hits to temporarily assuage loneliness and depression. Strong-rooted local communities... See more

They binged Girls , snapped up digital cameras on eBay, and wore low-rise jeans with visible whale tails. Print magazines experienced a renaissance, with Gen Z driving demand for “something tangible and collectible” at a time when everything felt ephemeral. Bridget Jones creator Helen Fielding said “half the audience are Gen Zs” at her book... See more