Gen Z is having a China moment.
The youngest generation in the US workforce has shown a growing interest in aspects of China’s culture and economic policy, writes BI’s Amanda Yen.
This new fascination isn’t happening in a vacuum. It’s occurring as some young people are fed up with the state of capitalism and the opportunities, or lack thereof, it offers them.
Some of the focus is more cultural than economic. One popular trend on TikTok centers on the caption “You met me at a very Chinese time in my life,” with users showing off various Chinese cultural practices.
(The phrase is a play on the famous final line from the 1999 movie “Fight Club,” which, unironically, is largely about rebelling against modern society.)
Of course, China’s got some glaring issues of its own, from human-rights violations to an ongoing real-estate crisis. Its own youth are also struggling to find employment and quitting on the economy.
But that hasn’t stopped some young people from carefully curating aspects of the US’s biggest economic rival.
Gen Z’s interest in China is bound to upset some people.
But instead of getting angry, it’s worth asking how we got here in the first place. Is it really China they’re interested in, or a reaction to a system they feel is incredibly flawed?
When I tell my 4-year-old she can’t have any more snacks before bed, she’ll declare that we are no longer best friends and that she likes her mother better. I don’t blame my daughter. I think about how I can pick a better dinner next time.
(Yes, I am US capitalism, and my wife is China in this analogy. Just go with it.)
Our Future of Capitalism series has highlighted how people, especially younger ones, are questioning the foundations of our economic system. And while leaders don’t necessarily agree on how the US should evolve to maintain its place in the global economy, they all acknowledge that change is needed.
Amanda’s piece highlights the stakes of that debate. America’s newest crop of workers is growing enamored with its bitter rivals. To dismiss that completely feels like a recipe for disaster.
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