How are Gen Z men reconciling patriotism with global cultural fluency?
The Big Answer: Gen Z men are balancing a love of country with a deeply global orientation. Raised in an age of TikTok diplomacy and K-pop fandoms, they approach American patriotism with open eyes and open browsers. This means their patriotism is often conditional and values-driven – they celebrate American ideals but also critique the nation’s flaws by global standards . Paradoxically, some young men channel frustration into resurgent nationalism, even as they consume worldwide cultures online. These contradictions matter: strategists must grasp that Gen Z men’s American pride is no longer a blind inheritance, but an active choice, negotiated in a global cultural context. The power lies in understanding why belonging for this cohort is as likely to be found in an international Discord server as in a hometown parade. Gen Z men are redefining patriotism on their own terms, fusing it with global fluency – and that remix will shape brands, politics, and culture in the years ahead.
Patriotism in flux, pride on pause.
America’s youngest adults have grown markedly less traditionally patriotic than their elders. By 2024, national pride among Gen Z hit historic lows. Only 16% of 18–25-year-olds said they were proud to live in the U.S., according to one Morning Consult survey . Gallup polling likewise finds less than half of Gen Z (about 41%) are “extremely or very proud” to be American – a dramatically lower share than older generations . Overall American patriotism has been declining for years, but young people’s drop-off is especially steep . In a 2023 Wall Street Journal/NORC poll, only 23% of under-30 Americans said patriotism was “very important” to them . Why the malaise? Analysts point to disillusionment and distrust: this generation grew up amid economic precarities, political dysfunction, and social unrest. Fewer than one in five under-30 Americans trust the federal government to do right, and only 15% believe the country is on the right track . Many Gen Z men have never known a time when the nation felt united or confident in its future. Instead, they’ve watched wars without clear victories, recessions, and polarizing leaders. Small wonder that 42% of adults under 30 say “other countries are better than the U.S.”, the highest of any age group . Their patriotism, as a result, tends to be more muted, questioning, or outright ambivalent. The old norms of reflexive flag-waving hold less sway for these young men, who often see blind nationalism as uncool or even dangerous. In short, American pride is no longer a default setting for Gen Z – it must be earned.
Global citizens by default.
If Gen Z men are less rah-rah patriotic, it’s in part because their world is literally larger. They are the first generation of digital natives raised on a steady diet of global culture and connected to peers worldwide in real time. This immersion breeds a global cultural fluency that previous generations never had. Their Spotify playlists and Netflix queues hop from Atlanta to Abuja to Seoul without a second thought. Social media feeds bring war protests in Hong Kong or climate marches in Berlin right to their screens. The effect is profound: Gen Z forms identities around ideas and interests rather than national origin. A survey during COVID-19 found young people were far less swayed by “buy local” patriotic appeals – patriotism and locality are simply not motivators for Gen Z’s choices . They feel stronger affinity for communities built around shared passions or causes than for the nearest zip code . As one analyst noted, digitally native youth have “global communities that transcend borders,” diluting parochial loyalties. Indeed, only 14% of Gen Z believe America “stands above” all other countries, far fewer than the 45% of the Silent Generation who do . Growing up in a multicultural, immigrant-rich cohort (nearly 1 in 4 Gen Z Americans has an immigrant parent ), they intuitively see America as part of a broader world, not the center of it. Their patriotism, then, often plays out as cosmopolitan pride: cheering U.S. women’s soccer in a global tournament, or wanting the U.S. to live up to international ideals on human rights and climate. Gen Z men can be fiercely loyal to the idea of America – but that idea is one of a country among peers, collaborating and competing on a global stage. For strategists, the implication is clear: appeals that emphasize global awareness, diversity, and cooperation will resonate far better with these young men than old-school jingoism. In their eyes, being a “good American” increasingly overlaps with being a good global citizen.
Patriotism redefined as purpose.
Crucially, Gen Z men aren’t rejecting America; they’re reimagining what loving America looks like. Many are exchanging blind devotion for critical loyalty – embodying James Baldwin’s famous creed that loving one’s country means having the right to critique it. In practice, this generation often defines patriotism as improving the country, not just saluting it. “Gen Z believes their patriotism is rooted in activism. We show love for the places we live in by pushing them to grow,” one youth-driven report declares . Rather than flag-waving, young patriots may spend July 4th volunteering, attending a protest, or debating how to make the nation more just . They are, in a sense, patriots of principle: their pride sparks when America upholds values like equality, freedom, and pluralism – and dims when it falls short. This ethos is especially pronounced among Gen Z women and people of color, but many young men share it too. We see young Black and brown men leading social justice marches, and white Gen Z men joining climate action campaigns – all in the name of pushing America closer to its ideals. A July 2024 Teen Vogue op-ed by a Gen Z college student captured this mood, rejecting “celebrating a country in which a fraction of its citizens enjoy all its freedoms” and instead vowing to “create change” so that America lives up to its promise . Even some traditionally conservative young men express a values-based patriotism: for instance, lamenting that America has lost its “moral leadership in the world” and voicing love for a country that welcomes diversity and admits its past mistakes . Across the board, Gen Z’s engagement with patriotism is earnest but not sentimental. They celebrate Juneteenth as enthusiastically as the Fourth of July, seeing both as part of America’s story. They champion the U.S. when it does right – say, sending aid after a global disaster – but they won’t hesitate to call out injustices at home. For strategists, this redefinition means that campaigns or brands which align with improving America (think civic participation drives, or ads highlighting unity in diversity) can tap into genuine patriotic energy among young men. Conversely, attempts to paper over problems with feel-good patriotism risk ringing hollow.
Discord and divergence.
While many Gen Z men adopt this nuanced, globally-informed patriotism, it’s important to note a countercurrent: not all are on the same page. Within this generation a new gender gap has emerged in cultural and political outlooks, and it colors how patriotism is reconciled with global life. Young women have been coalescing around progressive causes – from #MeToo to voting rights – often casting their activism as a form of patriotic duty to improve America. Young men, on the other hand, show a more fragmented response. Surveys find Gen Z men are less likely to call any social or political issue “very important” to them, compared to their female peers . Some express disengagement or cynicism about change. This has created an opening for reactionary strains: a subset of Gen Z men are gravitating toward voices that promise a return to a simpler, prouder American narrative. Over the past few years, Republican affiliation jumped among young men (especially white men), from 28% to 41% in one Harvard youth poll . Influencers like Andrew Tate, Elon Musk, and Jordan Peterson – figures with global followings but espousing tough, often nationalist or traditionalist messages – have attracted sizable young male audiences . These young men, feeling insecure about their place in a changing society, may latch onto an aggrieved patriotism as a form of identity. It’s a patriotism that can be defensive, even xenophobic at times, framing globalism or multiculturalism as threats. To them, “Make America Great Again” rhetoric or online nationalism can hold appeal precisely because it offers a clear (if simplistic) sense of belonging and pride that they struggle to find elsewhere . This divergence means Gen Z’s relationship to patriotism isn’t monolithic. On one end, you have the globalists – those seamlessly blending American identity with world citizenship – and on the other, a vocal minority of restorationists – those who see global cultural influence as a dilution of American greatness and seek a reassertion of old patriotic norms. Most young men likely fall somewhere in between: proud to be American, but on their own terms. They might enjoy Marvel movies and the NBA (very American exports) while also bingeing anime and K-dramas, eating Mexican-Korean fusion tacos, and befriending overseas gamers nightly. They don’t see any contradiction in that. Patriotism, for many, has become less a tribal loyalty and more a personal narrative – one that can accommodate multiple allegiances (to hometown, country, and world). For strategists, understanding these fault lines is key. Reaching Gen Z men effectively may require threading the needle: invoking American community and optimism, but in a way that includes rather than excludes, that feels honest about challenges and open to global ideas.
Strategist takeaway: cultural power in a connected age.
Gen Z men’s evolving patriotism – tempered, globally aware, and value-conscious – carries significant implications. Culturally, it signals that old patriotic symbols have diminished currency with young audiences. Simply slapping an American flag on a message or product won’t stir their souls (and could even provoke skepticism). Instead, cultural power with this cohort comes from aligning with their core values and their global mindset. Brands and campaigns that celebrate American ideals in action – diversity, innovation, freedom – and show how those ideals connect to global progress will win trust. Consider how Gen Z rallied around businesses taking stands on social justice or climate; they reward entities that improve society (patriotic, in their eyes) and scorn those that wrap themselves in the flag while doing harm. In the market, we see this in consumer behavior: Gen Z is far likelier to support a company for its sustainability efforts than for its “Made in America” label . Their dollar follows their ethics more than their birthplace. For employers and institutions, the takeaway is similar. To engage young men, appeal to their desire for purpose. National service or military recruitment, for instance, cannot rely on duty and country alone; it must highlight personal growth, global impact, and integrity of mission. (The U.S. military has felt this acutely – struggling to meet recruitment goals as Gen Z’s lukewarm patriotism translates into fewer feeling “called to serve” .) Politically, strategists should note that Gen Z’s global fluency makes them instinctive internationalists. They are wary of isolationism and gravitate toward leaders who emphasize cooperation on big issues like pandemics or tech governance. Yet they also demand those leaders fix domestic problems; patriotism begins at home with taking care of one’s people. Striking that balance – strong on global leadership, stronger on national well-being – will be key to winning their support. In sum, Gen Z men are telling us that patriotism in 2024 isn’t an automatic pilot light – it’s a fire that must be stoked with authenticity, accountability, and inclusion. They have one foot in America and one in the wider world, and they expect the country they call home to honor both their local needs and global hopes. The savvy strategist will see opportunity in this: a chance to harness a generation’s earnest desire to be proud by giving them real reasons to be. If you can speak to the Gen Z man who loves America enough to want to fix it – and who sees no conflict between loving his country and loving the world – you’ll tap into a cultural force more powerful than nostalgia: patriotism with purpose.
Sources:
Jeffrey M. Jones, “American Pride Slips to New Low,” Gallup News – https://news.gallup.com/poll/692150/american-pride-slips-new-low.aspx
Hannah Hartig, “Younger Americans still more likely than older adults to say there are other countries better than the U.S.,” Pew Research Center – https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/12/16/younger-americans-still-more-likely-than-older-adults-to-say-there-are-other-countries-better-than-the-u-s/
Harvard Institute of Politics: “The 50th Harvard Youth Poll finds a generation on edge,” Harvard Kennedy School (Apr 23, 2025) – https://www.hks.harvard.edu/announcements/50th-harvard-youth-poll-finds-generation-edge
Sofia Bliss-Carrascosa, “Fact check: Are young people ‘no longer proud to be American’?” (PolitiFact via WRAL, June 28, 2023) – https://www.wral.com/story/fact-check-are-young-people-no-longer-proud-to-be-american/20932034/
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