Out with The Olds!

“There’s this idea of civil discourse and of wanting to work on things together. To have equal opportunity and to be collaborative and to be part of a community. And I think that’s pretty unique to this generation and it’s hopefully exciting for the future of this country.”

But, as with politics, the very same Zoomers expressed optimism that schooling could be changed for the better. It seems contradictory, but Gen Z has both a dim view of America’s institutions and a reservoir of hope that the country can find a way to do better by its youngest citizens.

Of the students interviewed, only about two in five (39 percent) say that their K-12 education prepared them to succeed in their work or life. And only 37 percent said the same about becoming “an active and engaged citizen.” Only a third said their education prepared them to live “a balanced and happy life.” And a third of Zoomers do not believe th... See more

Gen Z is more likely to derive pride and value from their personal interests, their communities, and their careers instead of national politics. “We saw this constant theme, that one of their goals is simply independence,”

they are also less likely than older Americans to make political parties or ideology a core part of their personal identity. Family and community come first, the poll found. Society and politics come second. The poll found that sexual identity, for instance, is more fundamental to who they are than their college, socio-economic class, or political ... See more

“When I write memos to political leaders, they say, ‘Why didn’t you mention, you know, marijuana? Why didn’t you mention this or that thing?’ And the reason I don’t mention marijuana is because of the 26 things on my list, it’s like literally at the bottom in terms of youth priorities. And that gets to a bigger theme that comes through this researc... See more

Asked to rank their top issues, the Gen Z respondents named four topics that almost never appear in campaign ads or stump speeches. Preventing school shootings was first, followed by protecting access to clean water and fresh air, reducing gun violence and mass shootings, and guaranteeing quality education for every child.

a key takeaway was that many Zoomers believe that officials in power, regardless of party, simply do not represent the interests of young people today. They said they wanted politicians to prioritize tangible economic and social outcomes rather than culture war fights, to avoid incrementalism, and to prove that their votes actually count in a funct... See more