Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the The Daily Wire. The author of this post is Jake Matthews.
As a member of Gen Z, I am often told my generation is a lost cause for conservatism - too cynical, too progressive, or just too far gone.
That assumption couldn't be more wrong. Gen Z isn't rejecting America; we're demanding that it work again. And if conservatives are serious about reclaiming the soul of the nation, the path forward runs directly through the issues my generation lives with every day.
Gen Z came of age at the crossroads of stability and uncertainty.
During President Trump's first term, we witnessed a strong economy, interest rates that opened the door to homeownership, an end to forever wars, and a return to policies that prioritized the family.
Under President Biden, however, millions of young Americans graduated college and took entry-level jobs that barely covered their student loan payments, even as the cost of everything rose faster than their paychecks. They were told to follow the rules - go to college, take on loans, delay adulthood. Then, when those rules failed them, they were blamed.
What frustrates my peers isn't tradition or responsibility; it's a system that feels rigged against them.
That's precisely where conservatism, properly articulated, can meet the moment.
Homeownership
For Gen Z, homeownership feels less like a milestone and more like a fantasy. Sky-high rents that prevent us from putting money into savings, zoning restrictions that choke supply, and inflation driven by reckless federal spending have priced young people out of opportunity.
Conservatives should call this what it is: a policy failure. Government rules make it harder to build homes, while bad monetary policy drains savings and pushes the dream of stability further out of reach for young families.
If we believe in ownership, stability, and opportunity, then we should lead on reforms that make it easier - not harder - for young Americans to buy homes and build wealth.
Student Debt
Then there's student debt. Gen Z didn't invent the student loan crisis; we inherited it.
Many borrowers were reckless, and they should repay what they owe. But recklessness was enabled by a federal loan system that treated teenagers as capable of signing six-figure contracts while shielding universities from the consequences of failure.
Subsidies have fueled tuition inflation and reduced institutional accountability, leaving students to bear the full cost of bad decisions - both theirs and the systems.
Conservatives should reject blanket loan
"forgiveness" that shifts the burden to taxpayers, but we must also offer real solutions: ending the federal government's role as a blank-check lender so private institutions once again have incentives to lend responsibly, expanding alternatives like apprenticeships and credentialing, and breaking the cartel between the federal government and higher education. Responsibility cuts both ways-and universities should finally be forced to bear some.
Building A Family
Most surprising to pundits - but obvious to anyone paying attention - is Gen Z's renewed interest in traditional family values. After watching the loneliness, instability, and social breakdown of the last two decades, many in my generation are rediscovering what older generations once took for granted: marriage matters, family matters, and children are not obstacles to fulfillment but central to it. This isn't nostalgia; it's realism. Gen Z wants meaning, not just mobility. We want strong relationships, safe neighborhoods, and a culture that doesn't sneer at commitment.
Conservatives should lean into this-not with lectures, but with policies that make it possible to start and raise a family. That means an economy where a young family has the chance to create a home and build a foundation for the future, a tax code that doesn't treat marriage like a liability, and leaders who value faith, responsibility, and strong bonds across generations. When conservatives defend the family, we aren't clinging to the past - we're offering a future Gen Z actually wants.
The fight for America's soul isn't about writing off an entire generation. It's about proving that our ideas can meet real needs in real lives. Gen Z is open, skeptical, and looking for answers. If conservatives are honest about the economic realities we're dealing with and defend the institutions that make life meaningful, my generation won't just listen - we'll lead.
Jake Matthews is a communications manager for technology, economics, and energy at The Heritage Foundation.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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