To think current young adults are heading for a tough mid life crisis?

[clairemcnam]

Most generations since we have moved in the west beyond bare survival, have had a significant group of young people questioning the point of focusing on a career, buying more stuff and living an ordinary consumerist life. But this generation seems incredibly conformist. Amongst young adults the emphasis seems to be on agitating around being able to buy a house, rather than questioning capitalism.

I suspect when a lot of current young adults hit mid life, they are going to be hit very hard as they begin to question their life and why they strived so hard to be consumers.
AIBU?

I’m not sure the anecdote about the university students shows much about young people in general except that those particular students at that particular university show up on time etc. Which is great. Plenty of young people don’t go to university at all. Plenty have jobs, different dreams and ambitions, spend their lives travelling, caring for disabled relatives, doing all kinds of things. Some young people are more conformist than others, just like the rest of the population. I don’t think anyone can generalise about them.

Oh god! Martial law! I'm so sorry

I think more are concerned with environment and health

Part of the health and environment concern can affect consumerism and careers

Careers may be less pressured and more flexible

Consumerism is based on if buying new it’s to be reusable or good value for money

Any young person I know who is of an age they can drive is more interested in purchasing electric or greener cars.
They are more converned with signing up to a green energy supplier.
Those that have been able to buy houses buy smaller and improvements make the houses more efficient.
Those with jobs aim to work from home or close to home and cycle if possible

Food consumption seems to be more considered.
Many won’t touch fast food in the traditional sense of Mac Donald’s.

If they have gardens growing minimum of one things that’s edible

That’s just what my experience has been

Actually I agree. Their lack of questioning, lack of historical knowledge and the time they spend in social media echo chambers mean they're ill-equipped for a life that will inevitably be full of compromise, different views and a realisation that reality doesn't match the consumerist views they have been spoon-fed.
Myself and my friends often talk about this in relation to our younger relatives. It's not an entirely new phenomenon and we're now seeing some of them coming out the other side.

You are making sweeping generalisations about an entire generation so of course YABU.

I agree with @noodlenosefraggle and my experience of young adults is that many of them have a healthier work/life balance than many of my generation. But I only know about those I know about.

Maybe that’s why I feel like a fish out of water these days. I’m late twenties and have no interest in challenging the system. Capitalism is good. It’s the least bad system we’ve tried so far. I’m tired of hearing my peers moaning that they’re oppressed and feeling that the world owes them something. We’ve never had it so good. The whole of human history has been one long, hard struggle against unimaginable violence, death, and natural disaster and we’ve never had it so good! It’s a miracle that we’re here, now, a miracle! We don’t appreciate our good fortune nearly enough. Instead we find ever more trivial things to whine about, like micro-aggressions and unconscious bias. It’s pathetic.

Jobs for life?? Lets not resort to hyperbole.

And actually housing is a good example. Housing was extortionate in many cities in the past. So squatting and housing co-ops were created. Now young people complain about not being able to buy.

I think you’re being very critical of an entire generation. They have financial constraints which previous generations have never had to consider and are entering adulthood in a very challenging environment. Why are you so worried about conformity?

Younger generations have far bigger worries such as climate change. They don’t have the time or luxury to “stick it to the man” for no real reason.

That doesn’t ring true to me. Lots of young people are questioning norms and living alternative lifestyles in my experience. You can’t blame the ones who are striving for home ownership wanting the same thing that most of the generation above them took for granted.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the desire for stability - looking around us, the world looks increasingly unstable with regards to environmental issues, terrorism, and longevity of public services (e.g. NHS, education).

It makes sense that young people now look for some forms of stability, and from that position of stability then seek to challenge issues that impact directly on their lives. Plenty of young people now still take to the streets and campaign for better welfare, greater rights, and object to the status quo. I feel like just because they're not anarchists, you don't value their efforts.

Perhaps young people can see that attempted anarchism of the 80s wasn't successful, and nowadays is not a desirable position - decreased political stability gives rise to extremists to take over, as we have seen all over the Middle East in recent times.

From what I can see, most young people are not ardent capitalists - they tend to lean more left, towards socialism. Furthermore, there's a trend towards minimalism happening with many under-30s, with many deciding to reduce their belongings, adopt van-life, or move into tiny houses. So I'm not sure where your statement about "not questioning capitalism" is based on...

You’re suggesting young people start squatting?

Are you genuinely trying to suggest that squatting and living in co-ops was a widely practiced thing of the past? As in, something huge swathes of the population did because they were just so non-conformist?

I have read some truly stupid, unsubstantiated bullshit in my time but some of the posts on this thread are really up there.

Oh yes, why would I ever want to buy my own home when squatting is an option I’m sure social services would be dead keen on that

Lastly, the highest number of workers in 'non-traditional' markets (e.g. being bloggers, or YouTubers, or social media influencers) are the youth. It's not like they're all kow-towing to conservativism.

You see so many articles online now about how millenials are difficult to manage in the workplace because they essentially refuse to be wage-slaves (e.g. wanting flexible hours). Not exactly doormats to 'the man'...

@clairemcnam

Young people aren't conforming. They are just not rebelling in the way it was in your day. That's the point of being old; misunderstanding younger generations. Buying a house, being more settled and centered, eating clean, living well. These are genuine goals in a broken, unsettled, hedonistic society foisted upon young adults by irresponsible previous generations.
Everyday life is subversive and revolutionary if outside the front door is the constant chaos of the elderly still fighting their ancient wars.

Not to mention the 23 articles published every day about how millennials are killing the diamond / napkin / restaurant / print media / meat / luxury hotel / beer / luxury watch industry because they aren’t following the baby boomer pattern of spending heaps of cash on those things.

It's their devotion to Ed Sheeran that distresses me the most.

Not exactly Bikini Kill or Public Enemy, is it chaps?

Since returning to work full time one thing I have noticed about the young ones at work, especially the young women, is how nice they all are. So polite and well mannered.

My department, on the other hand (average age about 50-55), is full of people ripping the piss out of each other and being fairly blunt. It’s a hoot, I enjoy it, but the younger ones just seem so ... bland. I don’t remember working with such nice people when I was 23!

BeckyAnn I remember a few years back when a women aged about 25 got really excited about going to see Michael Buble. With her mum.

emkoda I am not just talking about my generation. Generations younger and older than me rebelled in different ways from my generation.
And wanting to buy a house, have savings and a decent job is not rebelling in any way. Neither is making money from vlogging, etc. That is just people moving into new industries like every generation has done.

Cassian, she's probably a Vera Lynn fan too!

clairemcnam - Which generation do you come from and what do you think you have achieved? And why do you appear to have resorted to sitting back and whingeing about younger generations, like some tiresome stereotype of an older person who always finds something to disapprove of in the youth of today? You're such a conformist!

There won’t be a world left by the time they reach middle age.