Staff Reports
In the hustle and bustle of today’s America, there’s a growing sense of frustration among young people. Millennials and Gen Z are facing a tough reality: the cost of living is skyrocketing, and the dream of owning a home or starting a family feels like reaching for the stars. Just one generation ago, nearly half of 30-year-olds could proudly say they were married and owned a home. Today? That number has decreased to roughly 20-25%. It’s as if the American dream is slipping through the fingers of an entire generation.
Enter Ben Shapiro, a prominent conservative commentator who seems to think that if young folks can’t afford to live where they’ve always called home, they should just pack up and go elsewhere. According to him, America has always been about chasing opportunities wherever they may be, even if that means leaving your childhood memories behind. In his view, expecting to live where you grew up is a luxury, not a right.
Isn’t that a bit harsh? Imagine telling someone that if they can’t recognize their hometown anymore due to rising costs, they should just move away. The sense of belonging, the history, and the community ties mean nothing if you can’t pay the rent, apparently. It’s a notion that seems to overlook the value of planting roots, of being part of a community that your family might have been involved in for generations.
This perspective, critics argue, is not just dismissive but also leans toward a globalist mindset. If everyone should just move around chasing the next big opportunity, what’s left of the idea of a hometown, a community, or even borders? It suggests a world where loyalty to one’s roots is secondary to economic pragmatism — an idea some find downright despicable.
It’s worth pondering whether such views contribute to the very frustrations young people are facing today. Instead of wandering the vast landscape of America in search of cheaper pastures, perhaps the conversation should shift towards making hometowns more affordable and sustainable. After all, isn’t the heart of the American dream about building a life right where you are?
