The Broken Promise: Seeking to Understand America's Youth in the 2024 Election.

We've been telling ourselves the wrong story.

While pundits focused on traditional electoral narratives - immigration, democracy, women's rights – I believe something deeper was rumbling beneath the surface. The 2024 election wasn't decided by policy positions or campaign strategies. It was decided by a broken promise.

For 250 years, America made a simple covenant with its people: Work hard, play by the rules, and your children will have a better life than you did.

That promise has been broken.

Consider this: In 1981, the median home buyer was 34 years old. Today? 54.1 Nearly 60% of men between 18 and 24 live with their parents.2 One in five are still there at 30.3 College enrollment among young men has fallen from 47% to 42% since 2011.4

?These aren't just statistics. They're signs of a profound disconnect between what we promised our youth and what we've delivered.

The Reality of the Matter

A VP of Learning shared a poignant moment from a faculty chair: "During office hours, a senior engineering student broke into tears. 'My mother bought her first house working as a waitress. Here I am, about to graduate with an engineering degree, earning triple what she made—yet I can't even afford to rent in my hometown.”

The Heart of the Matter

When parents see their children struggling, nothing else matters. Not policy. Not party. Not even principle. They become laser-focused on one thing: change. Any change.

This explains what many found puzzling: Trump gained 15 points among young men (18-29), while their parents (45-64) supported him more strongly than any other age group except seniors.5

?Why? Because when traditional paths to dignity and success feel blocked, disruption becomes attractive.

Even chaos can look like hope.

What We Must Seek to Understand

• Economic reality trumps cultural ideology The fastest path to expanding rights in a capitalist society isn't through cultural battles - it's through economic opportunity. Today in America, you'd rather be born (fill in your sub-demographic) than poor.6
• The generation gap is quantifiable Compared to 40 years ago, those over 70 are 72% wealthier. Those under 40? They're 24% less wealthy.7 We're witnessing the largest generational wealth transfer in history - in the wrong direction.
• Shame is toxic Social media sends our youth 210 daily reminders that "everyone else is killing it."8 The most dangerous emission in America isn't carbon - it's shame.

?The Path Forward

You are uniquely positioned as campus leaders to help heal this generational wound.

Here's how:

EMBRACE MEANINGFUL WORK - Create opportunities for paid service and apprenticeships. When young people contribute meaningfully to society, they develop grit, purpose, and pride.

Exemplar Worth Following: Marcus joined Year Up in 2023 after struggling to find meaningful employment with just a high school diploma. Through the intensive one-year program, he gained technical skills in IT support during the learning phase while earning a weekly stipend. This led to an internship at JPMorgan Chase, where his performance earned him a full-time position as an IT Analyst. Today, Marcus not only has a career-track position but also gives back by mentoring new program participants, embodying Year Up's mission of lifting while climbing.

For more information about Year Up and its impact, visit: https://www.yearup.org/results

BUILD COMMUNITY - Isolation breeds despair. Foster environments where young people can form deep, meaningful relationships and experience genuine belonging.

Exemplar Worth Following: The "Bridge Builders" Program at Central State University pairs first-generation students with both peer and professional mentors who share their background. Through monthly meetings, family-style dinners, and shared spaces like "The Living Room," students find genuine belonging and practical support. The program's 94% retention rate shows how community can transform isolation into opportunity.

For more information about supporting first-generation students, visit: https://firstgen.naspa.org/research-and-policy/research-studies

RESTORE DIGNATIY TO VITAL PATHS - Challenge the narrative that college is the only path to success. Many thrive in careers requiring strength, sweat, and technical skills. These aren't "alternative" paths - they're vital ones.

Exemplar Worth Following: Riverside City College's "Modern Makers" initiative elevates skilled trades through high-impact community projects. HVAC, welding, and automotive students document their work - from retrofitting food bank cooling systems to crafting accessible playground equipment. With an 85% job placement rate and a $52,000 average starting salary, it proves technical paths create both purpose and prosperity.

For more information about successful skilled trades programs, visit: https://www.aacc.nche.edu/programs/workforce-economic-development/

The Deeper Truth

An African proverb warns: "The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth."

This election wasn't about testosterone or chaos - it was about belonging. About purpose. About hope.

Our role as leaders isn't to judge the response but to understand the cry beneath it. To rebuild not just economic opportunity but also the sacred bond between generations. To restore not just prosperity but promise.

Because at the center of everything - every policy, every election, every institution - is the well-being of our children.

And right now, they're telling us something important.

Who’s listening?

Dr. Joe Hill and Higher Performance Group help leaders navigate complex cultural moments with wisdom, compassion, and clarity. For more insights, contact us at higherperformancegroup.com

Citations and Notes

Note: All electoral data and trends referenced are based on publicly available information as of April 2024. For the most current analysis, please consult updated sources.

Footnotes

1. National Association of Realtors, "2023 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report" showing the dramatic shift in median homebuyer age from 1981 to present day.
2. Pew Research Center, "Majority of Young Adults in U.S. Live with Their Parents," 2023 update on living arrangements of young adults.
3. U.S. Census Bureau, "Young Adults Living with Parents, 2022-2023" demographic analysis report.
4. National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, "Current Term Enrollment Estimates" tracking male college enrollment trends from 2011-2023.
5. Edison Research and National Election Pool exit polling data from the 2024 presidential election.
6. Analysis based on economic mobility studies from the Equality of Opportunity Project and related research on economic versus demographic determinants of life outcomes.
7. Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, comparing generational wealth changes over 40-year period (1983-2023).
8. Digital Wellness Institute, "Social Media Notification Frequency Study" examining daily digital interruptions among young adults.
9. Traditional African proverb, widely attributed but exact origin uncertain. Referenced in various works on community and belonging.