Holy shit and I thought millennials and Gen X had it bad with how corporate our toys were.
I hate to be that person that's like "omg what kids like these days is poisoning them!" Especially because I come from the Mortal Kombat generation, but between Mr Beast, social media and shit like Roblox turning every hobby into a hussle I have to wonder what effect this will have on them.
Capitalism preying on kids was bad enough when I was a kid in the 90s and 00s (and from what I've seen from 80s cartoons, the generation before mine was pretty bad too), but it's a whole other level now.
Collapse is hitting hard and is only going to get worse though, so it is possible they'll go left.
I want to believe the younger generations are recognizing the shortcomings of the system, acknowledging how it’s negatively impacting them, and trying to act in a way that tangibly improves the situation. However, the pragmatic part of me has seen how the rest of the population reacts by burying their head in their treats and only popping up for air and vibe checks.
I think that fact alone will play a large role in the younger generations that are now reaping what their parents and grandparent sewed. They are all going to get tired of always being on the defensive, whether it’s defending against the climate crisis, the class crisis, the political crisis, whatever… I think there is a good chance they slip further into looking out only for themselves because it’s the only way they can find enjoyment in a crumbling existence.
I’m a massive cynic tho, and really hope I’m wrong about some of this.