Next time a boomer tells you that you don't know how easy you've got it compared to the days before iPhones, the internet, and TikTok, why not direct them to your inbox that's overflowing with emails, show them you've currently got three overlapping meetings, and remind them there's the ever-present threat that you're about to be replaced by artificial intelligence.
While we'll admit the media is a major culprit in cultivating a war between the different generations, the truth is that everyone has their own struggles to deal with.
Whether it's Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, or older, we've all had to overcome various trials and tribulations. Still, if you're a Gen Z kid (born between 1997 and 2012) and are feeling a little burnt out by the misery of the world, you might be considering early retirement.
After all, as retirement ages seem to keep going up and some of us fear we'll be working until the day we shuffle off this mortal coil, Gen Z burnout is a real thing. Then again, with them apparently drowning in debt, who can blame them?
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This is where the 'Gen Z retirement home' comes into the picture, supposedly offering some R&R for those whippersnappers who feel overworked and underpaid.
There's been a recent flurry of stories about an apparent Gen Z retirement home in Malaysia's Gopeng, promising a month-long stay for RM2,000 (around $490).
Said to be the brainchild of a 25-year-old man whose family runs a traditional retirement home in Ipoh, he said he found the place 'depressing' and came up with the idea of a Gen Z version. In one video, he says: "I’ve seen too many 90s and 00s kids like me who are burned out before they even reach 30.”
Despite there being plenty of reports that the Gen Z retirement home was 'fully booked', there seems to be no further information on its existence, what to expect inside, or if it's even the real deal. Further hammering home that we might've been duped, the supposed Instagram page for the Gopeng Sanctuary has vanished
Have we been fooled by just another viral TikTok? Still, as the popularity of the story has shown, a Gen Z retirement home costing $490 for a month of relaxation sounds like a license to print money.
Apparently, the Gopeng home wouldn't be the first in the world, with Fulcrum reporting on a 'youth retirement home' that opened in China's Jiangmen back in 2022. Other similar projects have popped up in Xishuangbanna and spread to other locations.
By the end of 2024, it's said that 2,000 facilities had sprung up in 20 provinces.
As you can imagine, the idea of a younger generation needing to seek respite from the stresses of daily life led to some pretty mixed responses.
One disgruntled person wrote: "Youth retirement? U mean a vacation?"
Another added: "Some people have social, mental health problems that require genuine social connections, and this is a great place to get to know, not everyone is lucky."
A third said: "I had to read it twice... youth retirement indeed! Can I check in permanently for that rate?"
So, if you look in the mirror and those bags under your eyes are making it look like you're pushing actual retirement age, it could be time to consider youth retirement.