Who doesn’t need a little treat every once in a while? A recent article in The New York Times suggests that the Zoomer generation may be indulging more than others — or more than they can afford anyway.
From trips to Starbucks to Labubu dolls, many of these young men and women feel that they deserve to splurge. The Times reports on a new survey of nearly 1,000 Gen Z adults from Bank of America’s Better Money Habits team showing that although many do not feel financially secure, more than half buy themselves a treat at least once a week.
Researchers suggest that an uncertain job market and the feeling that large purchases like a home might be out of reach are helping to drive the trend. “If I finished my own schooling and wasn’t getting anywhere in the workforce, I would bring myself out for a treat as well,” Gregory Stoller, a professor at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, told the Times.
The splurges are a form of self-care in the face of economic worries. But they may be driven by another kind of worry and uncertainty — the kind that comes from being alone too much.
As someone who has worked remotely for 15 years, I can attest to the temptation of treats as both a motivator and a consolation. I usually offer them as an incentive to myself for getting through a certain amount of reading or writing. Column done? Grab coffee. Book for review completed? Snack time! Chapter written? Time for a manicure.
These are indulgences I can afford, and they’re not terrible for me. But working by yourself is not easy. My early career was spent in offices, and I didn’t find the temptations as strong, in part because taking a break could also mean chatting with a colleague. I wonder whether these Zoomer indulgences are a substitute for socializing.
Remote work turned out to be pretty miserable for a lot of young people. I was particularly sad for the recent college graduates who didn’t have the experience of meeting people in the office or at gatherings after work. What a slog to sit through the day in your pajamas and then just get into a new pair for the evening. Even now working from home, there are a few other people in my house. So when I am done, I can still sit down to meals and conversations with my family.
But even among young people who do go to an office, many remain cut off from family, friends and community in their off hours.
Recent research from the Institute for Family Studies shows that Americans are having less sex than ever. They are spending less time with friends than ever, too, the same report said — “just 5.1 hours with friends in a given week in 2024,” down from 12.8 hours in 2010. Fewer Americans (whether married or unmarried) are living with a partner, too.
All of this makes life much more monotonous and less fun. Our brains crave experiences that are new and interesting. Buying stuff is one way to scratch that itch, but not a very effective one. Cookies and coffee drinks are delicious but short-lasting pleasures. Even self-care has its limits. Who doesn’t like a nice spa treatment, but even those are often experienced alone. I would take a walk with a friend over those any day. (OK, maybe cookies with a friend.)
Moving away from remote work is one important step toward regaining interpersonal connections. But technology in general is the real culprit. This growing number of hours spent alone has coincided with phone use. How do we get people to see that screens are occupying time that could be spent in more satisfying ways?
The purchase of treats seems like a symptom of the problem — the treats are at least real things. But until this generation recognizes what is really causing the void, they will continue to try filling it with cookies and stuffed animals instead of real human connection.