The workforce’s youngest cohort has been labeled lazy, entitled, and unrelentingly pessimistic by their elders. But critics might be missing something as they watch Gen Z piddle their way through life’s early stages. The kids these days are taking every precaution to make sure they are ready ahead of each next big step—whenever they eventually get around to taking it.
Shaped by uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and a volatile housing market, Gen Z appears to be taking the slow-and-steady route in life. But Gen Z’s predisposition toward moderation might not be the mark of a slacker generation: It might be the calling card of a more discerning one.
