A striking 47% of Americans aged 18-29 say they would choose to live in the past if given the option, according to a new NBC News Decision Desk Poll that reveals deep pessimism among Gen Z about their future prospects.
The poll findings underscore a generation grappling with profound uncertainty about technology, politics, and economic opportunity. 62% of Gen Z respondents expect their lives will be worse than previous generations, while only 25% believe they’ll fare better.
The nostalgia cuts across gender and partisan lines but shows notable racial differences. Young Black adults were significantly less likely to prefer the past at 33%, compared to 52% of young white adults and 47% of young Hispanic adults.
Digital Disillusionment Drives Backwards Glance
“Some members of Gen Z wish to live in an era ‘right before social media and computers mediated life,'” said Clay Routledge, a nostalgia researcher and existential psychologist.
The generational pessimism extends beyond personal prospects to national trajectory. 80% of Gen Z adults believe the United States is on the wrong track — the highest percentage of any age group surveyed.
These findings reflect more than typical youthful anxiety. Gen Z, born in 1997 or later, has come of age during overlapping crises: the 2008 financial collapse’s aftermath, political polarization, climate change concerns, the COVID-19 pandemic, and economic uncertainty including housing affordability and student debt.
Bipartisan Efforts Persist Despite Division
While Gen Z expresses deep concern about political polarization, NBC News continues highlighting bipartisan cooperation through its “Common Ground” series on “Meet the Press.”
Recent conversations have featured unlikely partnerships, including Pennsylvania Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro and Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox discussing their friendship and shared concerns about rising political violence.
The series aims to showcase lawmakers from both parties working together on pressing national issues, offering a counternarrative to pervasive political division.