The Anxious Achiever Millennials, Gen Z, and the Loss of The American Dream with Annie Lowrey
Dec 23, 2025
Annie Lowrey, a journalist with keen insights into economics, and Cody Hoyt, an early-career professional with firsthand experience of economic disruptions, explore the harsh realities facing millennials and Gen Z. They discuss how graduating into recessions shapes career aspirations and the psychological toll of student debt. The conversation highlights delayed milestones like homeownership and entrepreneurship due to financial instability. Together, they reveal the structural factors at play in creating generational anxiety and mistrust in institutions.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Graduating Into Job Uncertainty
- Daria described hustling through boarding school, Barnard, and tech interviews to secure a product manager offer during COVID uncertainty.
- She faced offer delays, recruitment limbo, and constant anxiety about job security after internship success.
From Oil Boom To Career Recalibration
- Cody recounted military service, an oil boom then bust, and returning to school for an MBA to rebuild his career path.
- He described feeling grief over lost entrepreneurial ambitions and anxiety about family plans amid economic instability.
Recession Leaves Lifelong Scars
- Annie Lowrey explained recessions hit young cohorts especially hard, creating long-lasting labor-market scars.
- Graduating into a recession causes earnings losses that can persist for decades, a phenomenon called hysteresis.