07 - Hopeless Core: How Gen Z are Redefining Their Misery...
A satirical lens on life’s challenges, brought to you by a generation that’s had enough.
In recent years, we’ve witnessed an astronomical rise in niche core trends, but few have captured the zeitgeist quite like Hopeless Core. This movement, which has recently dominated social media platforms, reimagines bleak situations, failures, and existential struggles as mock-motivational videos.
To truly understand Hopeless Core, however, we must first trace its origins back to its predecessor: Hopecore. Emerging on TikTok in early 2024, Hopecore is an aesthetic and philosophy centred on hope, resilience, and humanity. It gained traction through posts featuring motivational quotes, poetry, literature, and imagery designed to uplift and inspire. India Black, a Hopecore content creator, explained its appeal in an interview with The Independent:
“People post content centring around amplifying positive connections; appreciation for the world around them… making peace with themselves and promoting feelings of hopefulness that can put a stop to a bedtime doom-scrolling session.”
From this, it becomes clear that Hopeless Core serves as the antithesis of Hopecore. The trend has garnered millions of videos, views, and likes across social media platforms, likely driven by its meme-inspired content and existential, tongue-in-cheek humour.
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This video by TikTok creator @dropshipt_io encapsulates the sentiment perfectly:
“Oh sweetie, you’re so young. Go travel. Go see the world.” ‘Martha, I can’t even f*cking afford Chick-Fil-A right now. Maybe if I was this age 100 years ago and it costed $5 to get a f*cking house, I would be in Cabo right now, Martha.’
This sharp humour reflects a broader generational critique, particularly targeting older generations, who are perceived to have benefited from greater economic stability and accessibility to homeownership. A study by AllBrick’s Generation Stuck initiative highlights this disparity, revealing that 43% of 18-24-year-olds cite the fear of "renting forever" as their primary anxiety. Meanwhile, a 2024 Deloitte survey identifies the cost of living as the greatest concern for this cohort, with 34% citing it as their top issue.
Hopeless Core reflects the frustrations of a generation navigating the turbulent realities of adulthood. Many within Gen Z are experiencing the challenges of independence for the first time: paying rent, climbing the career ladder, raising children, and juggling the responsibilities of modern life.
What sets this generation apart is their refusal to sugarcoat their struggles. Having lived through a global pandemic, a cost-of-living crisis, and the rapid evolution of technology, Gen Z is keenly aware of the difficulties they face.
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At its heart, Hopeless Core is about making a joke out of misery while simultaneously seeking validation for genuine struggles. It’s an outlet for those who want to laugh about not affording their bills, dream of a less work-centric life, party too much, or simply wish to be heard.
What other core trends will emerge to reflect these turbulent times? For now, Hopeless Core speaks to a generation that’s tired of pretending everything is fine.
So, let Gen Z have their core trends. Let them doomscroll and commiserate in their own way. In a world marked by social and economic upheaval, Gen Z is carving out spaces to express their frustrations, find community, and perhaps, in their own way, bask in the catharsis of shared despair…
Written by Niomi March