A recent survey conducted by NBC News Decision Desk in partnership with SurveyMonkey found that 47% of Generation Z members in the United States, aged 18-29, would prefer living in another historical era. Specifically, a third of respondents chose a period less than 50 years ago. At the same time, 14% leaned toward a time over half a century ago. Comparatively, 38% of respondents prefer the present time, 10% favor the upcoming 50 years, and 5% look toward a more distant future.
The survey also revealed that 62% of young Americans from Generation Z perceive their future prospects as worse than those of previous generations, 25% hope for improvements, and 13% believe the situation will remain largely the same. In addition, 80% of young people think the United States is moving in an unfavorable direction, the highest percentage across all age groups.
In comments to NBC News, respondents linked their desire to return to the past to the constant influence of modern technologies and the prevalence of online spaces. They noted that nostalgia for previous decades provides a sense of unity and stability amidst technological and geopolitical uncertainty.
Ben Isaacs, a 20-year-old student from Colorado, emphasized that he would choose the 1990s as a time with less reliance on smartphones and more personal interaction while maintaining certain conveniences of modern technology. He pointed out the negative impact of smartphones on people’s ability to focus on direct communication without distractions.
The survey encompassed more than 32,000 adults in the United States, including over 3,000 individuals aged 18-29, providing a representative insight into the attitudes of the younger generation toward modern technologies and social processes.