Gen Z’s futile priorities

We know the kids are not ok, but a recent study of Gen Z (18-29) from NBC News may provide clues as to why. It seems they may be looking for happiness in all the wrong places.

In an apparent challenge to the stereotype that women are inherently nurturing, the survey found that only 6% of female Harris voters said that marriage or children are an important part of personal success. Biblically minded readers would rightly note that obedience to Jesus, not a spouse or children, is what makes our life successful, and that’s true, but that’s likely not what respondents were thinking. The top three things that female Harris supporters said are important to personal success were a fulfilling job/career (51%), having money to do things you want (46%), and emotional stability (39%).

In one sense, these results are unsurprising because women have signaled changing attitudes towards marriage and children for generations. In the 1960s the total fertility rate in the United States was around 3.5 babies per woman. In 2024, that rate was under 1.6. Certainly, women’s attitudes about family are part of the equation and the current trajectory has civilizational implications. Forty-one million women voted for Kamala Harris in 2024. If it’s true that 94% of them believe marriage and family are unimportant, we’ll notice. Twenty-six percent of female Trump voters said children are important to their understanding of personal success. That number is better but still concerning.

This author thinks the responses from women of all political persuasions on the issue of marriage and family is, at least in part, a coping mechanism. It’s possible that women frustrated by their inability to find a suitable partner and start a family are left with no choice but to say that marriage and children are not essential to a successful life. Of course, they don’t want to view their life as a failure if they don’t get married, and they shouldn’t. But that doesn’t mean that deep down it doesn’t remain a real desire. In fact, a Harvard Youth Poll from March of this year found that 53% of Gen Z wants to get married, a number that still seems low but is much higher than 6%.

But if I’m wrong, and Gen Z really believes happiness will be found more in financial and career success than family success, we’ve got a serious problem, not just because this will lead to a civilization-threatening population decline, but because those who remain will undoubtedly discover that growing old alone isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

The irony in how Gen Z seems to view life is that they may have come to see marriage and family as the problem when it is actually the solution. A growing body of research indicates that happiness does not follow career success, but career success is actually a function of happiness achieved through other means. The satisfaction of meaningful work requires no explanation, but that experience becomes more likely when you come to work in an emotional state only a good home life can provide.

The idea that personal fulfillment is achieved in the service of others is not just experienced, it is also revealed. Scripture makes clear that we were not created to please ourselves but to serve our Creator and those He placed us into relationship with. As we fulfill His plans for our lives, the desires of our heart are fulfilled. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33).

But you don’t have to be a Christian to see the risk in prioritizing promotions over people. The real blessing of a successful career is what it allows you to do for others. If there are no others, what’s the point? Let’s hope Gen Z doesn’t learn this lesson the hard way.