What is Gen Z?

Gen Z is a generational cohort whose financial attitudes and behaviors are the subject of commentary from several speakers. The material tracks themes of financial helplessness, urgency in wealth-building, and a generational shift in values.

• May 2026 - Vivian Tu coined the term “learned financial helplessness” to describe a Gen Z mindset that the world is so pitted against them that they shouldn’t even try.
• Jul 2026 - Melisa Tokmak observed that Gen Z in hiring is obsessed with a “permanent underclass mentality,” feeling they must make money within 18 months.