I usually dislike TED talks, but this guy just brilliantly explains why it is so tough being young in America today.
TLDW: USA is a socialist country for the richer. Policies were passed according to future self interests while it disincentivizes people just getting started. In gaming terms, the patches favored late game builds with only a few metas viable, while placing nerfs on early game builds.
In short, if you're born rich, beautiful, and/or well-connected, being a teenager is manageable.
But if you're not, you're unbelievably fucked beyond words.
Not that extreme.
Yeah, as someone who has seen more of the world than just the USA the young don't realize how lucky they are to be born where they are. Try being a teenager in the slums of India, in a crowded city in China, in a squatter camp in South Africa etc. Time periods are important too, kids 150 years ago had it a LOT rougher than the modern generation.
Sure, the teens in America have it worse off than their parents, but objectively they're still winning by virtue of their geographic location and period of history in which they were born.
It’s sad to see such a sober take so downvoted (at the time of my comment at least).