German study reveals that Gen Z cares little for collective issues, pragmatism reigns supreme
The media's portrayal of self-sacrificing climate activists doesn't quite stand up to scrutiny. The ADAC Foundation and the SINUS Institute recently carried out a detailed survey among 16- to 27-year-olds, and the results completely shatter widespread assumptions. Saving the world is out, disillusionment reigns supreme. Gen Z appears to have had enough. Decisions are no longer based on the possible consequences for the collective good, but rather on cold, hard self-interest. The focus is no longer on looming global issues such as climate change, but on one's own comfort zone.
A look at the data leaves no room for doubt. When a young person faces real-life choices, such as whether to go to university or to enter the workforce, the global climate is usually a non-issue. Only a meager 12% consider environmental friendliness as a deciding factor in how they live their lives. This puts the younger generation even behind the average of the general population, where at least 15% pay attention to it. What counts instead are hard facts. It has to be fast (52%), reliable (48%) and affordable (44%). The moral compass is overridden by time constraints and financial pressures. Christina Tillmann, board member of the ADAC Foundation, calls this "de-ideologization".
The study also shatters an old prejudice regarding driver's licenses. Far from turning their backs on the status symbol that is the car, 58% of young adults in Germany already have a driver's license, with another 27% planning to get one. The car remains a cornerstone of mobility. Almost half (48%) get behind the wheel at least once a week. Although they also use public transport more often than average (59% weekly), it's not an either/or situation. They use whatever suits them best at the time.
The retreat into comfort zones is particularly evident when it comes to vacations. Here, the gap between expectations and reality diverge the most. While young people use cars for their holidays somewhat less frequently than the national average, 37% fly for their holidays. This is a record high across all age groups. The desire to travel is trumping concerns about one's carbon footprint.
Gen Z isn't exactly fond of politics either. Young people aren't interested in appeals to conscience. They want technology that delivers, which is why innovative technology is finding a receptive audience. 44% would jump into an autonomous car without hesitation, and 36% would even hop into a flying taxi. Compared to the Baby Boomers, they're true tech enthusiasts, but have their doubts about how the technology will be implemented.
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