The report explores the evolving perception of success among young adults in the U.S. and the challenges they face in achieving the so-called American Dream.
While older generations may have associated success with a steady income and home ownership, younger people now struggle to feel secure even with relatively high salaries. Gen Z, for example, believes that making over $500,000 annually is necessary to feel successful.
Factors like student loan debt, skyrocketing housing prices, and rising living costs contribute to this sense of economic insecurity. Many young adults remain financially dependent on their parents, delay major milestones like home ownership and marriage, and juggle multiple jobs to get by.
Interviewees express frustration with the system, arguing that hard work doesn’t guarantee upward mobility anymore. While some, like Charlene’s fiancé, remain hopeful and believe in discipline, others point to systemic issues—childcare, healthcare, and housing costs—as barriers.
Despite the hardships, a belief in the possibility of achieving dreams persists, though the path has undeniably become steeper.
Vocabulary:
• milestone (noun): an important event or stage in life, like marriage or buying a house.
• skyrocketing (adj): rising very quickly; often used to describe prices or rates.
• upward mobility (noun): the ability to move to a higher social or economic status.
• juggle (verb): to manage multiple responsibilities or jobs at the same time.
• systemic (adj): related to a whole system, especially referring to widespread or structural problems.
• soft power (noun): a country’s ability to influence others through culture, values, and diplomacy, rather than force.
• insurmountable (adj): too great to overcome; impossible to deal with.
• disciplined (adj): able to control your behavior and work consistently toward goals.
• retirement plan (noun): a financial strategy for life after work.
• buffer against (verb): to lessen or reduce the negative impact of something.
Source: NBC news