Latest news with #millennials
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shocking number of pet owners would date AI versions of their animals, study reveals
Man's best friend, indeed! As generative AI becomes more commonplace — people are asking the tool to do everything from creating grocery lists to writing love poems — so, too, do the ridiculous social media trends. Most recently, pet owners on TikTok looked to ChatGPT to strangely turn their dogs into humans. Bizarre as the trend is, pet owners' eccentricity doesn't stop there. A recent MetLife survey polled 1,000 individuals on various questions that explored how deeply people's lives are influenced by their pets, and — spoiler alert — some people are very invested in their furry friends. Of the respondents who were familiar with the anthropomorphic trend, 31% admitted that they would date the human version of their pet. Curiously, millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers were significantly more likely to do so — with millennials at 34% and the older two generations at 33% — while zoomers were far less favorable, at 24%. Romance wasn't — theoretically — in the air for all pet owners, though. Nearly 40% of animal enthusiasts admitted that their pet would be a 'walking red flag' if they were human. Despite some of their furry friends' naughtier traits, these pet parents are beyond attached to their animals — in many cases, animal experts believe this to be a side effect of quarantine and the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, an overwhelming 87% of pet owners would be willing to give up their dream apartment if it weren't pet-friendly. Forget dating their pets — some ultra-devoted pet owners are basically married to them. 'The value of pets for their human caregivers appears to be very high, comparable to … meeting with friends and relatives on a regular basis, or even with being married,' wrote the authors of a 2025 study on the subject. Corroborating that sentiment, 77% of pet owners who took part in the survey said that their pet offers better emotional support than their previous human partner. 'Instead of giving my husband, Alex, a kiss, I wake up and give [my dog] all my kisses,' Elsie, 44, a divorce attorney from Jersey City, New Jersey, previously told The Post. 'It's the same before we go to sleep at night.' It's nothing personal. Elsie loves her husband, but as many pet parents maintain, there's just nothing like the affection and loyalty of an animal.
CBC
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
As Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson reunite, here's why it might just heal millennials
Hark, do you hear it? It's faint. Barely a whisper over the non-stop global catastrophes, two decades of unprecedented times, multiple economic downturns, robots, the realization we should already be saving for retirement, random joint pain and looming perimenopause. It is the sound of elder millennials healing. Late Monday, actor Katie Holmes announced on Instagram that she and fellow Dawson's Creek alum Joshua Jackson would be reuniting to film a three-part movie called Happy Hours. Not only will this be the first time they've worked together in more than 20 years — and not only is Holmes writing and directing — but the pair will be playing on-screen love interests. "Working with Josh after so many years is a testament to friendship," Holmes wrote on Instagram. Cue an entire generation feeling their feelings, especially as photos have started to emerge of the duo filming in New York City — laughing together, Holmes with that same old Joey face scrunch, Jackson with that confident Pacey smirk. "Friends I regret to inform you that I am unable to be normal about this," one fan wrote on Instagram's threads Tuesday. "You know you triggered an entire generation with this post," someone else said in response to Holmes' Instagram post. "Elder Millennial minds are exploding right now," commented another. Why are millennials buzzing over this? To understand why this reunion means so much to people of, er, a certain age, we need to take you back to a simpler time. Arguably a better time, when we gathered around the television on Tuesday and Wednesday nights to watch a bunch of hot, unusually self-aware teenagers come of age and find love in a cosy seaside town. From 1998 to 2003, teen television drama Dawson's Creek had an absolute chokehold on millennials, their collective hearts captured by a series-spanning love triangle involving girl-next-door Joey (played by Holmes) and troubled Pacey (played by Jackson). You were either Team Pacey (and correct) or Team Dawson, the eternal optimist played by James Van Der Beek. In the end, after much heartache and angst, Joey and Pacey wind up together — and in the final tear-jerking montage, quite literally, and somehow not cheesily, sail off into the sunset. The love triangle became the central momentum of the show, and many viewers followed that journey at the same time that they were coming of age from teens to young adults themselves, said Zorianna Zurba, a pop culture expert and professor at Humber Polytechnic in Toronto. "To see that charisma and that bond 20 years later, in part I think it conjures up all that hope that we had for them, and plus maybe that hope we had for ourselves as we were all struggling with our early relationships," Zurba told CBC News. "I think that potentiality, and that sort of hope for the future, is maybe what is the healing part of it for millennials. It's that finally we're being given something to hope for. Something that is uplifting, that is a possibility." Other experts have suggested "narrative psychology" is why we're so invested in this journey. According to the American Psychological Association, this is the idea that people's experiences and memories are shaped by stories. "Once the narrative ends, part of us wants that story to continue.... This satisfies our brain's desire for narrative closure and continuity," psychotherapist Dana Moinian told Harper's Bazaar in a story published Wednesday. About Happy Hours and representation The synopsis for Happy Hours, posted to IMDB, could be considered music to Team Pacey's ears. "Former sweethearts cross paths years later and rekindle their connection, balancing careers, family duties and personal dreams while rediscovering what they once had — and what they could become." The feature film trilogy is a "character-driven dramedy," according to Deadline. Production for the first film is kicking off this summer in New York City. While there's certainly a nostalgia element at play, millennials — who are generally approaching middle age and no longer the main focus of pop culture — are craving representation, Zurba said. A few recent hits, like Netflix's Nobody Wants This, have also leaned into this market with romance stories for people in their 30s and 40s. But the current excitement is likely only partially about the project itself. As many fans have pointed out, Holmes and Jackson — who briefly dated in real life during production of Dawson's Creek — are both currently single. Canadian-born Jackson and actor Jodie Turner-Smith divorced in 2023. Holmes and actor Tom Cruise divorced in 2012. "I think the potential for two divorcees with children to come back together after 20 years apart gives us that kind of reflection of where we're at, culturally, and also a nice twist on an old classic," Zurba said. "It's that potential for a happily ever after."
Fast Company
2 days ago
- Health
- Fast Company
Exclusive: 77% of employees have worked through a mental health crisis
In 2025, our collective mental health in the U.S. is worsening, with some reports calling it a 'crisis.' But when it comes to millennials and Gen Z employees, that national concern may be even more urgent with financial anxiety driving the crisis. A Modern Health report published today revealed just how mentally strained 18- to 44-year-old workers are, and the findings are troubling. In a survey of 1,000 American professionals within the age range, a staggering 79% said that economic uncertainty is fueling their anxiety. A dismal 16% rated their mental health as excellent. For millennials and Gen Z, financial anxiety seems to be all encompassing. Three in four workers said it is to blame for their burnout, 68% said it interferes with their ability to be productive at work, and it keeps 76% up at night, routinely disturbing their sleep. In a press release, Matt Levin, CEO of Modern Health, said, 'Our latest report reveals that many of today's young workers are quietly pushing through mounting mental health challenges just to keep up at work.' One massive issue seems to be the feeling that they can't step away or log off. Nearly three quarters (74%) said they've delayed taking time off due to financial concerns. And 77% say they check emails when they do take time off. A concerning 80% said they've sacrificed their mental health for work and 77% say they've even worked through a mental health crisis. While you might think 18- to 44-year-olds are more in tune with mental health concerns than older age groups, they largely feel forced to ignore their mental health concerns. Over half (58%) said they delayed seeking mental health care until their symptoms became unmanageable, with 66% pointing to financial stress as the reason for delaying getting the care they needed. 'For many employees, the pressure to perform outweighs the permission to pause,' Jessica Watrous, senior director of Clinical Research and Scientific Affairs at Modern Health, said in the report. 'They want to do well, but they feel they can't ask for help even when they need it most.' Gen Z and millennials say they want mental health support at work, but aren't getting it or the support isn't effective. In fact, nearly three quarters (71%) say that company mental health programs just mask toxic work culture that deprioritizes employee mental health over all. While an overwhelming majority, (96%) say prevention is key, with 94% saying it would improve their life overall, and 52% saying that mental health care would increase the trust they have in their employer, the vast majority do not feel a culture of prevention exists in their workplace. Only 31% of employees actually feel that their employers care about their mental health and create work cultures that support it. Millennials and Gen Z are struggling, while not getting the help they need. They also feel stuck. While 52% have considered quitting due to mental health concerns, 69% said they're avoiding changing jobs, even if it means staying in toxic environments. Essentially, financial anxiety is simply so crushing, that making changes—whether that be seeking help or getting a new job—feels impossible.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
We Asked Actual Gen Z Teens To Explain the 'Gen Z Stare' & Here's What They Really Think
According to teens, the Gen Z stare is just one generation misunderstanding another. Sound familiar? The concept of a Gen Z stare has recently gained attention on TikTok as millennials, Gen X, and boomers take aim at a perceived lack of etiquette in the Zoomer generation. They describe it as a blank stare that Gen Z gives, usually in customer service settings, in response to questions or a greeting. More from SheKnows Teens Are 'Meltmaxxing' Now - Here's What That Actually Means On the other side of the TikTok debate is Gen Z, who argue that the stare is in response to difficult customers when there is nothing left to respond with aside from a blank expression. In the video above, we asked Gen Z members of the SheKnows Teen Council to react to the Gen Z stare and share their explanations for the look. 'I don't think I've done it that crazy,' 15-year-old Theo says after watching a viral video of someone recreating the Gen Z stare. Like many members of his generation, Theo is frustrated by the sweeping generational generalization. 'I feel like the stereotype is that we're not used to talking to real people one-on-one, I guess, and we're so used to our screens that we don't really know what to do,' he adds. 'I feel like that's not true.' Olivia, 17, admits that she has probably done a Gen Z stare or two in her time. 'I feel like I can sometimes be a little socially awkward and just not know what to do,' she says. 'Especially when I'm with my parents,' she adds. 'Like when you walk into a restaurant and you're first and the hostess asks you what the reservation name is.' Many members of Gen Z are teens, after all, so is it really fair to hold them to the same standards as adults? Olivia's defense of the Gen Z stare was also echoed by 18-year-old Chloe, who says she has used the Gen Z stare in her customer service job when she wasn't sure how best to respond. 'I think it's just a tactic to avoid the most drama in the situation so you don't end up antagonizing the other person or exhausting yourself trying to explain something over and over again,' she says. Next, we had teens react to a video from Shaheen Alarakhia, a mental health counselor who calls the Gen Z stare a 'lost in translation moment.' 'Here's what I do notice about Gen Z in therapy, and I think this translates to the Gen Z stare. They are very thoughtful of other people's time and energy,' Alarakhia says, explaining that the Gen Z stare might be part of young people's cut-to-the-chase mentality. Small talk and niceties seem to be a lost art in younger generations. 'I think this is really good point,' 16-year-old Joris tells us, explaining that learning to chit-chat with customers in his jewelry shop job 'didn't feel that natural' to him. 'I think when there are customers that are kind of around my age… they don't really want to do the introduction thing, and it feels like it's kind of forced on both of us.' The teens we spoke to broadly agreed that the Gen Z stare primarily signifies a cultural divide between generations, which occurs, to some extent, in all generations. Millennials are still criticized for their 'failure to launch,' and Gen X's 'slacker' stereotype follows them. The Gen Z stare is emerging as one of many things we'll ascribe to Zoomers because nothing unites adults like complaining about youths. Best of SheKnows Wolf Monte, Somersault Wonder, & More Unique Celebrity Baby Names Celebrity Exes Who Are Co-Parenting Right These 17 Celebrity Couples Have the Sweetest Baby-Naming Traditions Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The No. 1 Vanguard Index Fund on Robinhood Could Soar 138% With Help From AI, According to a Wall Street Analyst
Key Points The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF is the most widely held index fund on popular trading platform Robinhood, and Tom Lee expects the benchmark index to reach 15,000 by 2030. Lee argues demand for artificial intelligence driven by a massive global labor shortage, coupled with millennials reshaping the economy, will push the S&P 500 to that level. The S&P 500 currently trades at 22.2 times forward earnings, an expensive valuation that has historically correlated with three-year returns of 3% annually. 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard S&P 500 ETF › The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) is the most widely held exchange-traded fund (ETF) on the trading platform Robinhood. In fact, it ranks as the sixth most popular equity investment of any kind among the company's customers, who tend to be younger adults comfortable with risk. However, the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF in my estimation is not a risky place to put money, at least not for patient investors comfortable holding the fund for several years. Tom Lee at Fundstrat Global Advisors expects the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) to hit 15,000 by 2030, implying 138% upside from its current level of 6,297. Importantly, Lee's prediction implies equivalent upside in the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. Here's what investors should know. The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF provides exposure to hundreds of U.S. stocks The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF tracks 500 large U.S. companies. It includes value stocks and growth stocks from all 11 market sectors, comprising more than 80% of domestic equities by market value. However, the index fund is most heavily weighted toward the technology sector. Following are the top 10 holdings listed by weight. Nvidia: 7.3%. Microsoft: 7%. Apple: 5.8%. Amazon: 3.9%. Alphabet: 3.5%. Meta Platforms: 3%. Broadcom: 2.4%. Berkshire Hathaway: 1.6%. Tesla: 1.6%. JPMorgan Chase: 1.5%. Excluding dividends, the S&P 500 increased 95% over the past five years, compounding at 14.3% annually. Tom Lee's prediction implies even bigger gains in the next five-plus years. The S&P 500 would need to return more than 17% annually to reach 15,000 by the end of the decade. Why Tom Lee thinks the S&P 500 can reach 15,000 by 2030 Tom Lee thinks artificial intelligence (AI) and the millennial generation will help the S&P 500 reach 15,000 by 2030. As mentioned, the index is heavily weighted toward the technology sector, and technology stocks are well positioned to benefit from demand for AI hardware, software, and services. That is particularly true because the global labor shortage is forecast to reach 80 million workers by 2030. Over 40% of S&P 500 companies discussed AI during first-quarter earnings calls. And as more companies turn to automation, history says technology stocks could deliver huge returns, carrying the S&P 500 higher. Lee explains: Between 1948 and 1967 there was a global labor shortage and technology stocks went parabolic. And between 1991 and 1999 there was global labor shortage and technology stocks went parabolic. So this is what's happening today. Meanwhile, millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) are the largest living generation. Lee says they are reshaping the economy with their preferences and are set to become the richest generation as they inherit an estimated $46 trillion in wealth from baby boomer parents. Millennial spending should boost the U.S. economy and push the S&P 500 to new heights in the years ahead. I think Lee's prediction is a little too optimistic. The S&P 500 currently trades at 22.2 times forward earnings, an expensive valuation that has historically correlated with three-year returns of just 3% annually, according to Apollo Global Management. However, AI is a once-in-a-generation catalyst that, coupled with the rise of the millennial generation, should result in reasonably strong returns in the years ahead. Here's the bottom line: Whether you think Lee is correct or not, S&P 500 index funds like the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF have historically been solid investments. The benchmark index has produced a positive return over every rolling 11-year period in the past three decades, meaning everyone who bought an S&P 500 index fund any time since 1995 made money, so long as they held the fund for at least 11 years. To that end, I think it makes sense for investors to allocate a portion of their portfolios to an S&P 500 index fund. And the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF is a particularly good option given that is bears an expense ratio of 0.03%, meaning shareholders will pay just $3 per year on every $10,000 invested in the fund. Should you invest $1,000 in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF right now? Before you buy stock in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $652,133!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,056,790!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,048% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 15, 2025 Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Trevor Jennewine has positions in Amazon, Nvidia, Tesla, and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, JPMorgan Chase, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla, and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The No. 1 Vanguard Index Fund on Robinhood Could Soar 138% With Help From AI, According to a Wall Street Analyst was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
