Shall we head downstairs?

Young people aren't lacking in ambition. They've just found a different way to be happy-descending the career ladder. They're doing OK.

- Christalle Fernandes

I'ts almost laughable. The dreams we were taught to dream as kids are now the stuff of nightmares. Aim for a stable job, teachers said – all it does it make us nervous about layoffs. Own a house by 30, parents said – but real-estate prices rise faster than our salaries. Drive a nice car, movie heroes said – but what about parking, petrol and the planet?

One generation ago, “grindset mindset” and “working around the clock” were positive terms. Now, more of us are hitting backspace on that formula. A survey conducted last year by HR firm Randstad suggests that 42% of American employees don’t want a promotion because of the additional responsibilities that come with it. Laura Whaley’s videos (@LoeWhaley) on how to clap back at corporate exploitation has earned her 3 million Instagram followers. Oh, and not #QuietQuitting. We’re doing it loudly.

So, what happened? The game of life opened parallel levels so we can make lateral shifts, not just linear ones.