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Dec 2024
41m 46s

Generation Doom: Hooked On Hopelessness

Dr. Phil McGraw
About this episode

Gen Z are growing increasingly disillusioned and pessimistic about the state of the world around them. A major multi-country study found that over 50% of young people believe that humanity is doomed. Gen Z or “Generation Doomer” witnessed the hope of obtaining their parents' and grandparents' American Dream lifestyles disappear after reaching adulthood. No wonder young people are angry, despondent, and hopeless.

Young generations are cynical about their careers, the climate crisis, economic stability, interpersonal relationships, and the inability of their governments to govern effectively. Young professionals decry they work twice as hard as boomers and receive none of the benefits. Doomers aren’t even trying to hit milestones like homeownership- instead they’re doom-spending on outlandish travel and luxury goods. Many Doomers say they not only have no hope for the future- they can’t stop doom-scrolling about all of the atrocities in the world, creating a vicious cycle of emptiness. 

On the other hand, futurists say we’ve faced eras of mass critical stress several times and humans have always evolved, adapted, and survived. For all we know, our lives in the future could be beyond our wildest dreams. The question we’re asking tonight is- are these Doomers just contributing to their own plight and downfall?

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