Why Gen Z Is Moving to the Right and How We Pushed Them

Aight, let’s talk about something that's been making the rounds lately—Gen Z shifting to the right. Surprised? Yeah, not me. But there’s a lot more going on than what meets the eye. Let’s take a look into why this is happening, and yes, spoiler alert: millennials, we’re partially (Or perhaps mostly?) to blame.

First off, the most obvious reason: economic frustrations. Gen Z has grown up in a time of financial uncertainty. We’re talking student debt, inflation, and the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. They’ve seen economic instability up close, so many are gravitating toward pro-market, right-leaning policies that promise more economic freedom.

Can we blame them for that? Honestly, no. A right-wing stance on the economy makes sense when you’re struggling to get a foothold financially.

But here’s where it gets interesting: our (millennials) role in pushing Gen Z away.

Remember how, in the 2010s, social media became this battlefield of opinions, and if you didn’t fall in line with the liberal mainstream, you were basically bullied into silence? Yeah, that’s on us.

We shamed people for not being progressive enough or for having a different view. Now, Gen Z is saying, “You know what? Fugg that.” They want space for their opinions, and that’s driving them further to the right, just to avoid the judgment they’ve seen from us. And not just millennials, but old farts like Jordan Peterson, too.

Another key factor? The media’s obvious manipulation of information.

I know, I know, every generation has its issues with the media. But with Gen Z being digital natives, they’re hyper-aware of bias. They grew up seeing how slanted coverage can be—on both sides. So instead of aligning with the left-leaning narratives pushed by many mainstream outlets, they’re rejecting it entirely.

To them, it’s not just annoying; it’s dishonest. And who wants to be on the side that’s constantly seen as manipulative? Not Gen Z, apparently.

Here’s another reason: identity politics fatigue.

Gen Z is seeing a lot of infighting within left-wing circles about who’s more “woke,” more inclusive, more aware of social justice issues, and overall more capable of micro-grouping (and effectively isolating) every single “issue” that exists. At some point, it gets exhausting. Many Gen Zers feel that the left has gotten so tangled up in identity issues that they’ve lost focus on other priorities like, you know, fixing the economy and actually doing something about climate change.

So, they distance themselves from the chaos.

Let’s not forget cancel culture since it was our generation that really amplified this trend.

We loved calling people out online, and we basically weaponized social media for it. For Gen Z, who’ve watched this play out since middle school, the fear of being "cancelled" for saying something wrong has pushed them toward a side that claims to support free speech—even if it means tolerating some pretty out-there opinions like Jordan Peterson’s rapid walk (dash?) into the rabbit’s hole.

Before we wrap this up, let me say: In my opinion, it’s completely okay to be right-wing on economic issues (And social issues, too, if you’ve got like 2 brain cells).

Wanting market freedom? Cool. Less government? Also cool. But let’s not pretend the right doesn’t slip into some seriously authoritarian, bigoted thinking real quick when it comes to social and moral issues. Historically, the right, especially the religious right, are the ones who’ve been quicker-than-speedy-gonzalez to clamp down on immigration (yes, even legal), moral issues, civil rights (Yes, I’m talking about LGBTQ and race), education, and science.

So, what the hell do we do?

Well, here’s some well-thought advice: Maybe we should just double down on mocking people for having different opinions, or better yet, keep shoving biased media down their throats until they’re fully radicalized. It’ll definitely work.

Or, and this is wild, we could self-reflect for like two minutes. Maybe if we hadn’t turned every debate into a moral high ground battle, Gen Z wouldn’t be running away from progressive ideas so fast. Crazy thought, I know.

Unfortunately the left and liberals, just like the right, can’t recognize their own biases and misgivings. I’ve heard it all when I give the above advice to anyone on the left. The reply? Something among the lines of me being right wing yada yada.

Ad hominem. Surprising? Not really.

At the end of the day, this shift to the right is partially our fault. And yeah, that stings. But hey, live and learn, right?