When hurricane Milton hit in 2024, Gen Z posted TikToks making light of the situation. Even now, comment sections of serious posts are flooded with memes highlighting Gen Z humor. These actions are not a result of immaturity, but instead, the product of a world-state that forces them to make light of every situation they’re in.
Their peculiar humor is a coping mechanism foreign to older generations who don’t understand how they could be so carefree about such heavy-hearted subjects. Not to mention the contrasting work ethic compared to older generations, with whispers of the “Gen-Z stare” circling the net. But, is Gen Z really unserious and lighthearted or are they trying to make good of a situation that is fundamentally dire?
Some praise them for their bluntness and breaking of social standards while others hate them for it. Honestly, Gen Z is in an impossible situation. Making their unserious behaviour a result of their overwhelming reality. The rise of housing and gas prices, while minimum wage has remained unchanged, makes it hard for them to move forward in the way that benefits them or the economy.
It’s hard to pay into the economy when one lacks the necessary funds to do so. The last time the minimum wage was increased to match the inflated economy was in 2009, 17 years ago. $15,080 a year, that is how someone would make under the minimum wage, which is not nearly enough to support a single person, let alone a family. Because of that fact, businesses have taken it upon themselves to increase their wage themselves to attract applicants. For example, Small Businesses Employment Watch reported a 2.71% increase in hourly wages, which equates to $34.15 an hour. It is a mystery as to why the minimum wage hasn’t changed.
Whatever the reason, it is not nearly enough for a Gen Z to live comfortably with. And yet, older generations shame them for not taking initiative. “Buy a house, build a career, it’s not that hard,” seems to be the perspective of many, but how can they build themselves up when the average yearly salary is around $66,716 before taxes and other necessities? For a person to live comfortably in North Carolina, they need to make a yearly salary of $93,766, according to a 2025 study by Smart Asset.
So, it’s not that Gen Z can’t take anything seriously, it’s that they really have no other option but to make light of everything. If not, they risk succumbing to the overarching reality of living in an economy that barely allows for people to make ends meet and their financial future is not looking too stable either. With the cuts to social security, they’ll likely have to put aside or invest money for a stable retirement, which would be difficult if they barely make enough for rent.
The memeification of Gen Z isn’t some lost art of seriousness, it’s a reaction to a situation that would be unmanageable without a reason to laugh. Having a way to release stress and laugh away troubles when everything seems bleak makes it easier to move forward. And that is what Gen Z is doing, finding a motivation to keep moving forward.
