A Reddit user recently asked a question that got a lot of attention on r/stockmarketcrash: “Is it me, or does it seem like all Gen Z want a market crash, great reset?”
The post quickly drew hundreds of replies, and while some confirmed the observation, many pointed out that Gen Z isn’t alone. Plenty of Gen Xers and Millennials chimed in to say they were feeling the same way.
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Burn It Down So We Can Buy In?
One of the most upvoted comments captured the core sentiment: “They think they have nothing to lose and everything to gain. But they are too stupid to realize they are already losing freedoms they never knew we had.”
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Another added, “They literally have nothing invested in this economy and if they want space to do that, they need a new economy.”
Many noted that while some Gen Zers want a crash so they can buy assets cheaply, most don't grasp what a real crash entails. “They think things are bad but they don't know how bad they can get,” one commenter wrote. “But a full-blown recession would lower prices.”
A Gen X user agreed, saying, “I’m a young Gen X and I want a recession for another reason. During a recession you have a reallocation of capital… I fear the longer we go without a recession, the worse it will be when it finally gets here.”
Desperation, Not Malice
Some commenters expressed sympathy for younger generations. One wrote, “The economic system does not work well for the majority of people, with the results getting worse the younger the generation. It’s less about wanting everything to crash than it is about needing things to be better, and seeing that power-holders and older cohorts are unwilling to do what it takes to accomplish that.”
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Another said, “Feels like 9/11 happened and the world started a contest about how to make everything worse and has not stopped at all.”
Several posters mentioned housing as a central pain point. “I'd like a housing market crash because I own no house. But I want stocks to give nice returns so I can retire one day,” one person commented.
But even among the hopeful, there were cautionary reminders. “A market crash will induce real side-effects… if they’re broke now, what makes them think they’ll suddenly have vast amounts of money to buy opportunities?”
Older, Wiser, Still Frustrated
Millennials and Gen Xers echoed similar frustrations, even if they were more realistic about what a crash would actually mean.
“Not a Gen Z. Gen X. I sure want this,” one wrote. When pressed for a reason, another user replied, “If you can buy two apples for $10 or two apples for $1, which is better?”
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Others reminded people that crashes historically benefit the wealthy. “Whenever anyone is hoping for any type of crash… I just roll my eyes because in reality what happens is it just allows those at the very top to further consolidate their ownership of everything.”
No One’s Really Ready
Despite the posturing, many doubted anyone's actually prepared. “They're not ready. They have no skin in the game and don’t understand what an actual, genuine crash would mean,” one person warned.
Still, the desire for change was palpable. As one poster put it, quoting an African proverb, “The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.”
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