A few years back, a viral TikTok voiceover featured a young woman responding to the question about her dream job with a languid, "Darling, I do not dream of labor." This sentiment sparked the #quittok trend, where workers live-streamed their resignations during "The Great Resignation," followed by the phenomenon of "quiet quitting," where individuals proudly admitted to doing the bare minimum at work to avoid burnout.While these trends may appear trivial, they reflect a significant shift among young people who are increasingly disillusioned with the traditional capitalist dream. Recent data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that youth worklessness has reached a decade-high of 1.2 million, with a staggering 789,000 individuals aged 16 to 24 neither studying full-time nor working—an increase of 48% in just two years.This paradox—where a country faces a labor shortage yet has over a million young people disengaged from education and employment—can be partly attributed to a growing mental health crisis among youth. Research from The Prince’s Trust indicates that one in five young people have missed school or work due to mental health issues, and 32% of those not actively seeking employment cite mental health as a barrier to job applications. Additionally, the UK has seen a 27% rise in sick leave since the COVID-19 pandemic, with university students contributing significantly to this trend; over 63,000 graduates transitioned directly from studying to long-term sickness in the 2021-22 academic year, up from around 37,000 in 2019-20.The reasons behind this increasing anxiety among youth are complex and multifaceted. Factors include sheltered upbringings, disruptions caused by the pandemic, unrealistic expectations fueled by social media, and a pervasive sense of hopelessness regarding traditional rewards for hard work—such as home ownership—that now seem unattainable. The challenges of entering the workforce—long hours, commutes, and the arduous process of job applications—are compounded by stagnant wages and a cost-of-living crisis that makes employment feel less appealing.Moreover, the decline in part-time job availability for teenagers is notable; the number of young people engaged in such work has halved compared to previous generations. Instead of gaining practical experience through jobs like babysitting or dog-walking, many spend their free time indoors on their devices. This lack of early exposure to the workforce deprives them of financial independence and essential skills such as work ethic and social networking.To address these issues, earlier engagement with real-world work experiences could help alleviate some anxiety and reshape expectations that have been distorted by social media's portrayal of success. A more optimistic economic outlook—where hard work is genuinely rewarded—might also restore faith in the value of employment.