The Gen Z State of Mind: "We're Just Trying to Survive" episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 5, 2026 · 42 MIN

The Gen Z State of Mind: "We're Just Trying to Survive"

from Firewall with Bradley Tusk

What happens when an entire generation grows up with nothing but chaos, only to encounter an AI revolution that makes practically every career look iffy? Bradley talks to Rachel Janfaza, founder of The Up and Up, about why COVID didn't just disrupt Gen Z—it split them in two: the older group that remembers life before the pandemic and the younger ones who don't and who never learned how to have an unplanned conversation. She explains how Gen Z voters feel betrayed by Trump just one year into his second term, why they're demanding AI regulation, and what effect data centers, crypto and phone bans are having on their politics.This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast recording studio.Send us an email with your thoughts on today’s episode: [email protected] sure to watch Bradley’s TED Talk on Mobile Voting at https://go.ted.com/bradleytusk.Subscribe to Bradley's weekly newsletter and follow Bradley on Linkedin + Substack + YouTube.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Feb 5, 2026

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The Gen Z State of Mind: "We're Just Trying to Survive"

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