America seems to have a maturing problem, or at least a Gen Z adulting problem—why are Gen Z youth adrift?
Hi, I’m Rex Rogers and this is episode #282 of Discerning What Is Best, a podcast applying unchanging biblical principles in a rapidly changing world, and a Christian worldview to current issues and everyday life.
A growing concern in America is that some members of Generation Z—particularly young men—are taking longer to make the transition from adolescence into full adulthood. The phenomenon is often described with the term “adulting,” meaning the ability and willingness to assume the ordinary responsibilities of adult life: working consistently, managing money, maintaining a household, forming lasting relationships, and accepting responsibility for one’s choices.
As I said, while young women struggle, it seems to be a Gen Z male issue more than anything.
“Too many of our young men are not getting out there. They’re staying at home.
They’re in their parents’ basements. They’re going down internet rabbit holes. Some of them are even, sadly and frighteningly, becoming radicalized. This is one of the foremost challenges of our time.”
Young men’s “mental health is poor, their habits are bad—video games, pornography, gambling, pot-smoking—and their views can become extremist—that’s the radicalized part.
Men account for roughly 75% of all suicides globally, yet men are diagnosed with depression at roughly half the rate of women, not because they suffer less, but because depression in men looks different and gets missed.
Lack of institutionalized social forms affects young men in many other personal ways. For example, with the long-running decline of voluntary associations—churches, service clubs, adult sports leagues, and the like—and the instability of the family (only about 60% of young men have a consistent presence of their father), young men are thrown back on themselves to find and create relationships of commitment and friendship.
While most unmarried or unpartnered young men want to date, it is rough sailing. Many cannot find someone who will go out with them (reported by about 50%) and—attesting to the more amorphous and fraught circumstances of courtship—are reluctant to ask a woman on a date, primarily out of fear of being turned down.”
“The cultural narrative surrounding masculinity often feels like a tug of war, with young men being pulled in opposite directions. On one side, the culture tells them that being a man and displaying stereotypically male traits is inherently flawed and they should be more sensitive or emotional, -- ‘show their feminine side’ – while the other side encourages men to reject that narrative, to assert dominance, be aggressive—but watch out, don’t fall into ‘toxic masculinity.’ Neither of these cultural storylines offers a strong enough framework for human flourishing, and it’s no surprise that many young men are in crisis.”
“Men don’t know what a man is. In the media, men are accused of male privilege, male chauvinism, mansplaining, and misogyny.”
The issue is more complicated than simply saying that young people are immature. Economic conditions, cultural changes, technology, education, family structure, and shifting expectations about adulthood all play a role.
For many young men, the traditional markers of adulthood are occurring later. Marriage, establishing an independent household, completing education, developing a career, and achieving financial independence are frequently postponed. College has also become an extended period between adolescence and employment, while housing costs and entry-level wages can make independence more difficult. Men are less likely to complete a bachelor’s degree and more likely to leave college without completing one.
Some young adults remain at home longer, sometimes by necessity and sometimes because the transition to independence has become less clearly defined. Nearly half of adults aged 18 to 29 now live with their parents – the highest rate since the Great Depression. Traditional milestones that once defined the transition to adulthood – marriage, homeownership, financial independence – are being postponed or reimagined by Generation Z.
Technology has added another dimension. A generation raised with smartphones, social media, streaming entertainment, online gaming, and increasingly artificial intelligence can spend enormous amounts of time in digital environments.
These technologies provide legitimate benefits, but they can also make it easier to avoid difficult face-to-face responsibilities. The internet can provide entertainment, friendship, information, and even a sense of accomplishment without necessarily requiring the discipline that real-world adulthood demands.
Boys generally mature somewhat later than girls during adolescence, and contemporary culture sometimes provides fewer clear pathways from boyhood to manhood. Earlier generations often encountered structured expectations through work, military service, marriage, church, civic organizations, or other institutions.
Those pathways remain available, but participation in many of these institutions has declined or changed.
The pandemic’s economic and social disruptions further amplified these trends, creating additional uncertainty that made long-term commitments seem risky. A 2025 survey of young Americans from the Harvard Youth Poll discovered that views on traditional life milestones have notably shifted, with just 48% considering having children important and only 57% placing significance on marriage. Meanwhile, 86% identified financial security as their primary goal, though only 56% expressed confidence in achieving it. What distinguishes Gen Z’s approach is not a lack of ambition but a more holistic perspective that prioritizes mental well-being alongside financial and professional goals. They’re more likely to seek meaningful work that aligns with their values rather than pursuing traditional career trajectories solely for financial gain.
“Today’s culture puts a heavy spotlight on appearance, social media image, achievements, and popularity…Youth are constantly exposed to unrealistic standards on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. They begin to compare themselves with others, questioning their value and identity. This identity crisis can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, and even depression…Even worse, moral boundaries are becoming blurry. What once was wrong is now widely accepted, even celebrated.”
Young men need expectations, opportunities, responsibility, and encouragement. Families can gradually transfer responsibility rather than indefinitely protecting young adults from consequences. Churches and community organizations can give young men opportunities to serve, lead, work alongside older adults, and develop relationships across generations.
Ultimately, adulthood is less about reaching a particular birthday than developing the character and competence necessary to carry responsibility. Certain questions should be asked, haven’t these kinds of challenges always played a role in the life experience of most of us? Is what youth are experiencing today all that different from any era? Perhaps it is not the circumstances that offer greater challenges as much as it is that youth are spiritually untutored and unprepared?
What’s missing for many Gen Z youth is a spiritual safety net or back stop. They get in trouble, so to speak, and there’s nothing there to catch them. Lacking knowledge of who God is and what he wishes for them, they are adrift.
One of the main issues is the struggle to find a deeper sense of purpose and identity. Many men feel lost, focusing too much on career success or material things. However, the Bible teaches that true purpose comes from God. Jer. 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” This verse shows that God has a unique plan for every man, which can provide direction and meaning in life. This gives a sense of the challenges facing Christian men today.
Over the past six years, male attendance at church has seen a significant rise, especially among Gen Z, but it remains to be seen how long this lasts and whether youth are attending Bible believing that offer them meaning and direction or woke, weak, and whining churches that offer them little hope.
Gen Z young men and young women can be reminded they are children of God, chosen, royal, and set apart (1 Pet. 2:9).
• Is. 40:30–31: “Even youths grow tired…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”
• 1 Tim. 4:12: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young…”
• Rom. 8:37: “In all these things we are more than conquerors…”
Youth in every culture in every era have faced uncertainty. What’s needed today is not religion but a relationship with Christ, an understanding of biblical theology, and a grasp of how God instills them with ambition they can use for his glory and their fulfillment.
Well, we’ll see you again soon. This podcast is about Discerning What Is Best.
If you find this thought-provoking and helpful, follow us on your favorite podcast platform. For more Christian commentary, see my website, r-e-x-m as in Martin, that’s rexmrogers.com, or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers.
And remember, it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm.
© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2026
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