Zero-sum Thinking and the Labor Market

The economy young people face today no longer follows the predictable path of college, career, and homeownership. Instead, it feels like a high-stakes slot machine, where algorithms, rising costs, and shifting industries dictate outcomes. This uncertainty is feeding a zero-sum mindset—where success is seen as someone else’s loss—and eroding belief in upward mobility. Can we rediscover the collective drive that once built abundance, or are we resigned to managing a shrinking pie? If the economy of our moment is topic that gets your attention, economic journalist Kyla Scanlon breaks down “if I win you have to lose” trend in this piece on her Substack.