The majority of young Germans say they’d rather live in the past than the future, citing more community, sustainability and stability in previous generations.

The majority of young Germans say they’d rather live in the past than the future, citing more community, sustainability and stability in previous generations. According to a survey from the Foundation for Future Studies, 56% of 18-34-year-olds  in Germany would choose to live in the past while just 44% opted for the future. The survey results are in stark contrast to those from 10 years ago when 70% of young Germans said they were looking forward to the future. Among those who chose the past this time around, 42% said there was greater solidarity in the past, 34% said “more security and stability,” while around a quarter cited fewer wars and crises and environmental conditions. Indeed, YPulse research shows that the majority of young Europeans believe that the way previous generations built wealth is no longer attainable, while nearly half say that it’s too late to reverse the damage done by climate change. YPulse has also been tracking young consumers’ nostalgia for a while now, the latest iteration of which is being fueled by TikTok. Now, Gen Z’s feelings that the past was better has brought back a number of trends reminiscent of the ‘90s and early ‘00s from low-rise jeans and mini skirts, to wired headphones, angsty pop music, TV series, vintage tees, and much more. (The Local)