Gen Z is turning filial piety into a career path
Hong Kong has always had a simple answer to what young people should do with their lives: study hard, get a job, work harder, buy a flat and eventually complain about the next generation. That formula is becoming harder to sell. A whole lexicon has grown up around Generation Z’s uneasy relationship with work. In mainland China, there are “full-time children”, young adults who stay home and…
Hong Kong's young generation, known as Generation Z, is redefining traditional expectations of adulthood by considering staying at home with their parents as a viable career path. This shift is driven by the high cost of living in Hong Kong, intensified competition for jobs, and the emergence of AI technologies that threaten to replace entry-level positions.
The phenomenon is so prevalent that there is a growing lexicon to describe it, including terms like "full-time children," "kangaroo tribe," and "Neets." While some may view this as a laziness or entitlement, it is increasingly seen as a response to structural changes in the job market and the economy. These changes have weakened the incentive to move forward and make a career.
As AI begins to automate basic tasks in numerous industries, the traditional career ladder is becoming increasingly unstable. This has left young people questioning the value of entering the workforce and pressuring companies to rethink how they develop talent. For many in Gen Z, the old bargain of effort leading to progress is no longer applicable, as they face an environment where finding a foothold is becoming increasingly difficult.
This shift could lead to a more permanent occurrence of young people relying on the support of their parents, rather than being a temporary phase in their lives.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
