Emma Camp - Why Gen Z Is Afraid of Rejection: Dating, Therapy Culture & Housing (Ep. 331)

Emma Camp, senior newsletter editor at The Wall Street Journal's Free Expression, joins Jim O'Shaughnessy on Infinite Loops to talk about why Gen Z is dating less and spending more time alone, how therapy culture and helicopter parenting can turn growing pains into permanent labels, why the fix for the housing shortage is more housing, and why she invites everyone she's met to every party. She also previews her forthcoming essay collection on Gen Z and risk aversion.

Show Notes

Emma Camp & Jim O'Shaughnessy

• Emma Camp: Senior newsletter editor at Free Expression, The Wall Street Journal's opinion newsletter, and former Reason magazine editor. Read Free Expression

• Emma's breakout essay: Her reflection on the 2022 New York Times op-ed that started her career. After My Big Break

• Jim O'Shaughnessy: Host of Infinite Loops, founder and CEO of O'Shaughnessy Ventures, and author of the New York Times bestseller What Works on Wall Street. Follow Jim on X

• Full transcripts: Transcripts and highlights from every Infinite Loops conversation. OSV newsletter

Books & Ideas Mentioned

• The Grim Old Days by Chelsea Follett: Emma's reference for how hard life was for the average person before modern markets. Chelsea Follett

• The Genius of the Beast by Howard Bloom: Jim's reference for what capitalism achieved that earlier systems couldn't. The Genius of the Beast

• Jefferson Literary and Debating Society: The University of Virginia society where Emma threw a party every Friday. Jefferson Society

• Partiful: The app Emma uses to invite everyone to every party. Partiful

• Sally Rooney: The novelist Emma writes about in her essays on modern relationships. Sally Rooney

• Attachment theory: Emma's frame for why a secure marriage lets her take more social risks. Attachment theory

• NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers: The data on first-time buyers reaching a record median age of 40. Coverage