From Chandler Bing to Gen Z: The Thanksgiving Rebellion Reshaping the American Family

Thanksgiving used to be about turkey, travel, and tradition.Today, it’s becoming a litmus test for where families stand and in many cases, why they’re falling apart.In this episode, Ryan Vet breaks down the quiet generational rebellion happening around the holiday table. Drawing from his widely read COLLIDE article and insights shared at ThinQ, Ryan explores why family estrangement is rising, why Gen Z is more likely to skip family gatherings, and how psychological safety, boundaries, and “toxic family” language are redefining what it means to belong.You’ll hear the stat from psychotherapist Matthias Barker that stunned the ThinQ audience:26% of U.S. adults have cut off communication with a parent.From Chandler Bing’s Thanksgiving dread to Gen Z’s emotional safety checklist, this episode explains the cultural forces reshaping family, identity, and holiday traditions. It’s not about blaming any generation; it’s about understanding why the family structure is shifting and what that means for all of us this holiday season.If you’ve ever felt tension walking into a family gathering, wondered why someone stopped showing up, or sensed that Thanksgiving “doesn’t feel the same anymore,” this conversation will connect the dots.🔥 What You’ll Learn• Why family estrangement is becoming mainstream• The Generational Prism and how each generation interprets conflict• Why Gen Z prioritizes psychological safety over tradition• How social media therapy normalizes going “no contact”• Why Millennials often feel caught between duty and boundaries• The shift from “family first” to “identity first”• How the holiday table reveals the future of the American family📰 Want more conversations like this?Subscribe to COLLIDE, Ryan’s weekly newsletter on generational leadership, cultural change, and the future of how we live and work:👉 https://collide.ryanvet.com/It’s where the deeper insights live and where every episode starts.Send us Fan MailAbout Ryan VetRyan Vet is a USA TODAY bestselling author, futurist, and international keynote speaker whose insights on generations, culture, and the future of work have been featured in Forbes, Financial Times, ABC, NBC, and CBS. His research helps leaders understand emerging generational patterns and anticipate societal shifts before they fully unfold.Join 20,000+ Leaders for Weekly InsightsIf you want deeper research and behind-the-scenes insights on generations and the future of culture and society, join Ryan’s weekly newsletter:👉 https://ryanvet.com/collide