They can’t find jobs to pay loan payments - or engagement rings - or buy their own homes & start families.
Seems like everyones been in a holding pattern since 2008
There's a fair amount of truth in that. There is a serious lack of upward mobility that will allow for the creation of families to happen. Older generations are "squatting" because they've been dipping into their 401(k) to finance their lifestyle and/or lost it in the housing crisis of 2007-2008. So we are in a holding pattern, waiting for those people to move on. At least that's been my experience in the Fortune 100 company I work for.
Plus, we have the example of our parents who decided to forego large families in exchange for the RV and the boat at the lake. So why wouldn't I follow their example and instead of having a family opted to get my pilot's license instead. Life as playground.