Grief is the language of a generation in transition
· Gen Z is experiencing a unique form of collective grief and intangible loss.
· This grief is often disregarded or unfairly misread as apathy and entitlement.
· When named and shared,grief become not just sorrow,but a catalyst for change.
In a Gen Z-themed online Reddit poll,readers were asked:"You can only bring back one thing
,what do you pick?"
The option included:
·"$500/month two-bedroom apartments"
·"Pre-COVID gas prices"
·"Used cars within the $1000s"
Unsurprisingly,the most popular choice was affordable housing.
At first glance,this might seem like a lighearted way to vent about inflation and
widespread economic frustration.Yet,beneath the poll lies something more serious:a hidden,
colletive grief that often goes unnamed.
This poll reveals a deep psychological yearning for stability, accessibility,and a future
that feels increasingly out of reach.It's about the disappearance of what once felt
possible.
We typically associate grief with death.When someone we love dies,we have rituals and
culturally and socially sanctioned ways to express and process that loss.
Yet,what kind of rituals exist for other kinds of losses and griefs?The kind of grief that
comes when we can't make ends meet,when our imagined futures vanish,or when the world no
longer feels reasssuring.These are intangible losses that are more invisible nature,
although they profoundly shape our inner lives and social worlds.
We may grieve the loss of identity,affordability,and a sense of security.Additionally,we
can grieve a stable climate,shared public values,and the promise of upward mobility
or collective progress.These losses don't always make headlines,but they are no less real.
What we are seeing online is a unique form of collective and political grief,This is a
normative response to widespread intangible losses that impact entire generations.The
social fabric is shifting,and many poeple,especially yonger folks,feel left behind.
There is agrowing sense in the younger generation that certain futures,which were once
considered developmental milestones in the West,are unobtainable:starting a family,
owning a home,or retiring with financial stability.The disappearance of additional
cultural anchor points,such as afforable education,a shared sense of truth,and community
cohesion,only deepens the distress.