As in all things, there will be winners and those who fail to try with sufficient determination :)
For those with the means to do so, try hire the Gen-Zs out there who want to succeed despite the circumstances - especially the ones skipping college. They’re some of the most capable, self-motivated people you will ever have the chance to work with!
Societies fail too. Not just individuals.
Some people are too absorbed in their own selfishness to see this. But as an individual you can do all the "right" things and still be casually steamrollered by larger social trends and pressures.
Of course - but all things being equal, your odds will certainly be better if you give it your best shot!
I'd intended my message to be one of actual hope and optimism - that those in the position to do so may affect a small positive change in the world at the individual level. This might be myopic by ivory-tower standards, but the intention was to empower and encourage people not to give up, and that their actions do have a measurable effect on their destiny.
We might not be able to change the circumstances easily (We certainly should be trying to do so), but parallel to this we can support and encourage those going through the tough times.
Many Gen-Zs are demonstrating remarkable resilience - this post was intended as a celebration of that, not to downplay the severity of the society-wide issues at play.
Thanks for the fair critique.
Most "Gen-Zs" want to succeed despite the circumstances. Unfortunately for them, there are the circumstances.
This individualization of systemic failure is not seeing the forest for the trees.
Could the cynicism of some also be a byproduct of the circumstances?