Gen Z Years: The Real Years, and the Endless Generational Debate
Gen Z's Death Obsession: Not morbid, just brutally realistic
Okay, so Gen Z is "obsessed" with death? Give me a freakin' break. It's not an obsession; it's called paying attention to the dumpster fire this world has become.
They're not sitting around in graveyards writing poetry (well, maybe some of them are). They’re looking at the actual data. I saw something the other day about how they joke about climate change making death feel inevitable before 50, and the comments weren't horrified, they replied with crying-laughing emojis. Crying-laughing, people! That ain't normal, is it?
The Apocalypse is Trending
This whole "generational anxiety" thing is getting old, but let's be real: each generation has its own flavor of existential dread. Boomers fear decline, Gen X fears logistical nightmares, Millennials fear unlived potential... and Gen Z? They fear the how. School shootings, climate catastrophes, police violence... it's all just a doomscroll away.
And honestly, can you blame them? Boomers had their Cold War paranoia, but at least they had bomb shelters and duck-and-cover drills. Gen Z has TikTok and a front-row seat to the end of the world, streaming live in HD.
This article I read said that Gen Z approaches death with more openness than previous generations, but 75% said they wouldn't be satisfied dying tomorrow. Well, duh! Who the hell would be satisfied dying tomorrow? Unless you're, like, terminally ill or starring in your own personal tragedy, I'm guessing most people would prefer to stick around.
Emerging Markets and Emerging Anxieties
So, what does this have to do with investing? Everything, offcourse.
Another article pointed out that Gen Z is about to start toppling governments in emerging markets. Apparently, volatile elections are a perennial hazard for emerging markets debt investors, yet it is not polls that present the greatest political risk next year but protests by disgruntled, tech-savvy youthful populations. Gen Z is going to test investors' mettle further
Basically, corruption, limited press and political freedom, anaemic growth and the lack of jobs have fuelled many of the protests, and are endemic to varying degrees in many of them.
These "flash mobs" are apparently harder to predict and put down. Investors crave certainty; many EM economies are entering an era of spontaneous, unpredictable political and social disruption, every bond buyer's worst nightmare.
But wait a minute... isn't "spontaneous, unpredictable political and social disruption" just another term for "democracy"? Or is that too optimistic?
Look, I get it. Investors want stability. They want predictable returns. They don't want a bunch of angry Zoomers messing with their bottom line. But maybe, just maybe, a little bit of chaos is exactly what these economies need.
I mean, Cameroon is led by a 92-year-old dude who's been in power since before Gen Z's parents were born. Talk about out of touch.
But here's the thing: Gen Z isn't just protesting corruption and inequality. They're protesting the future. They're looking at a world that's been handed to them on a silver platter of debt, pollution, and political dysfunction, and they're saying, "Nah, we're good."
They're not wrong.
So, What's the Play Here?
I dunno, man. Maybe it's time to start investing in…therapy? Or maybe just move to a cabin in the woods and wait for the whole thing to blow over.
Seriously though, this ain't just about money. It's about values. It's about whether we're willing to sacrifice the future for short-term gains.
Are we?