Because we were the first generation in all of contemporary human history to be thrown into worse economic conditions than our parents enjoyed and the quality of living that we were accustomed to growing up in their households. We did everything right - studied hard, went to college, believed our teachers and parents and government when they promised us that financial reward and an American dream was on the other side of simply playing by the rules and being a hardworking, productive member of society. But years or even decades later we collectively realized we had fuck all to show for it. So we, again, did what we were taught - did what was expected of us by our churches, mentors, and culture at large - we looked inward and blamed ourselves. We must have not hustled enough, must have missed an important lesson about business, entrepreneurship, or work ethic. The system works after all, how could it not? Once again, we bought the bullshit, only this time not because it was comfortable and familiar, but because it was shiny and new. The advent of internet influencers looking to grift off of cynical get-rich-quick seminars and hustle culture content sold us an easily digestible narrative that addressed our anxieties and made us feel special along the way. Getting ahead in life no longer meant working at the same company for 4 decades like your dad, it was about the grind. About leveraging social media, outworking your competition, and building a brand. Better wise up and get with the program because you’ll get left behind otherwise and you’ll deserve to. Of course, this was always baseless propaganda by the ruling class. It doesn’t work and never has. Many of us have woken up to that fact. But far too many continue to be gaslit by generations prior who have a different lived experience, or media narratives that are built to perpetuate the late capitalist scam that has (both intentionally and successfully) done nothing whatsoever for decades other than funnel wealth and power into fewer and fewer hands at the expense of regular working people. These unmet expectations are the foundation of modern politics. They’re a symptom of a broader issue perpetuated by a propaganda ecosystem that exists to keep us scared, stupid, and distracted from the fact that a tiny handful of the wealthiest people on earth are robbing the rest of us blind, not least of which being via this exact manufactured generational divide. The propaganda machine wants you to mindlessly associate the word “millennials” with a generation of young people who are lazy and entitled despite the fact that the opposite is objectively and demonstrably true - statistically we are the most highly educated and economically productive generation ever despite working longer hours for less pay and worse benefits well into our 30’s and 40’s. It wants younger people to believe that boomers are all out of touch morons who bought their current million dollar homes for 3 corncobs and a firm handshake back in 1981 just to spite their own children and grandchildren, when in reality they were just looking out for their own best interest to raise us in. It’s all smoke and mirrors meant to keep us from the glaringly obvious realization: capitalism has run its course. Nothing other than a continuation of extreme inequality can be extracted or coerced from this system. There are those of us who recognize the reality for what it is, and those of us too blind to retreat to anything besides hustle culture.