Gen Z in Despair: A Midlife Crisis at 25?

Research links the increasing despair of Gen Z to labor market conditions, reversing the traditional midlife crisis. The term 'quarter-life crisis' describes the anxiety and uncertainty experienced by young adults.

According to a working paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research, young people aged 12-25, especially young women, show higher levels of despair compared to older age groups. Economists David Blanchflower and Alex Bryson argue that the traditional midlife crisis is disappearing.

Blanchflower stated he was 'terrified' by the findings, while Bryson noted that young people feel like rungs have been removed from the ladder of social mobility. The research links this situation to job insecurity, technological surveillance, wage stagnation, and increased cost of living.

The UN has invited Blanchflower to collaborate on a global study on the issue, recognizing that the shift of despair from middle age to youth is a public health issue and an economic emergency.