What is Anti-Ambition?

Merging economic anxiety, continuing shockwaves from the pandemic’s ‘Great Resignation’, and avid internet discourse around societal pressures, the anti-ambition trend centres on how the world of work isn’t working, especially for young people (see Key Stats).

TikTok Discourse: Generational Debates, Corporate Satire, & Redundancy Vlogging

Anti-ambition often manifests on TikTok as exposing hidden truths (according to Gen Z) behind conventional ambition. Largely focused on Corporate America, the content covers dissatisfaction with work culture and corporate satire, spurring a thriving sub-trend of redundancy vlogging and much generational debate.

The ‘Lazy Era’? Rewiring Success Towards Soft Living

‘Anti-ambition’ isn’t merely railing against work – it also posits alternatives to toxic productivity and the spectre of burnout. 'Lazy era’ means championing the benefits of minimal effort and replacing pressure with ‘soft living’. It encompasses TikTok’s #lazygirljobs, #bedrot, anti-productivity gaming, and resistance to professional pressure in China (see #fulltimechildren).

Womanhood x Anti-Ambition: Tradwives & Stay-At-Home-Girlfriends Content

Anti-ambition discourse has also collided with growing online anti-feminism (see Key Stats), resulting in the rise of controversial content celebrating ‘traditional’ roles for women out of the workplace and in the home. This troubling reframing ranges from glamourised depictions of non-working women taking care of their boyfriends, to the far-right-adjacent ‘tradwives’ movement.

Anti-Ambition Entertainment: Workplace Dystopias in Film, TV & Gaming

Anti-ambition attitudes live beyond social media: entertainment (2024-25 games, film, and TV releases) is also focusing on the perils hidden within ambition, including toxic professional environments and harmful attitudes to workers.