Today the Salem City Club program was Exploring the 'American Dream' with Gen Z. The average age of the five panelists -- Reid Millis, Patrick Hirsig-Gutierrez, Elijah Leutwyler, Llayne Ngo, and Emma Jensen -- was markedly lower than the mostly gray-haired audience.
Which was refreshing. I felt younger just being in the presence of Generation Z members, who, as the chart below shows, were born between 1997 and 2012.
Here's the panelists, plus moderator Melanie Zermer (holding a microphone). I didn't keep track of what each panelist said, so their comments will be lumped together.
When asked about the American Dream, the overarching theme from the panelists was that while they respected the traditional notion of hard work leading to material/monetary success, this being important to their parents and grandparents, they were also skeptical of it.
Working long hours requires sacrifice: less time for exercise, family, gardening, hobbies, and such. Not everyone thrives at a typical job. Money isn't as important to Gen Z'ers, also known as Zoomers, as it was to previous generations.
They don't trust authority. Authorities push their vision of the American Dream. The panelists didn't want someone else's dream, they wanted their own, which is truly individual. Their parents had their own dream, which Gen Z may not share.
Asked how their generation is the same or different from their parents, a greater concern for sustainability and the environment was mentioned. A giant house in the suburbs isn't sustainable. Protecting the environment is important to them.
They aren't into group loyalty as much, preferring individualism versus sticking together as a group. At the same time, collective effort is valued when this seems called for.
Barriers to achieving their version of the American Dream were discussed. Government is one cause, since politicians haven't done as much as Gen Z wants to reduce gun violence, barriers to health care, and environmental problems such as global warming.
A panelist who had lived in other countries said that Americans live with fear every day, which isn't the case in those nations. Student loan debt was cited as a Gen Z burden, along with a worry that programs such as Social Security and Medicare won't be available to them when they need it. "I'll have to work my whole life," said a panelist.
In the Q&A part of the program, I asked if their views on religion and spirituality were as individualistic and non-traditional as their views on other areas. Short answer: yes. They believe in openness and not taking values from a church, but from their self.
Someone asked what it takes to get Gen Z to vote. Panelists said that if their generation sees that voting matters, they will vote. Small local elections such as for school board members may generate more interest among Gen Z, since the effect of a vote is more obvious.
In his concluding remarks, City Club president Russ Beaton had an apt observation that he applies in various settings: "Would I rather have this group running the country?" His answer for Gen Z, which is mine as well, is a resounding Yes.
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