Younger Australians have done what society told us to do. We’ve worked hard, got an education, and found jobs. Yet, that has not been enough for teachers, nurses, mechanics and countless other workers to achieve financial security. The social contract, the idea that a job is enough to feed and house a family, has been lost.

A recent episode of the Diary of a CEO podcast highlighted a vital debate we need to have. It featured rockstar British economist Gary Stevenson and Daniel Priestley, an acclaimed Australian serial entrepreneur. The host, Steven Bartlett, asked both men what advice they would give to young people.

Many Millennials and Gen Zs have been left on the wrong side of the financial security divide.Credit: Thomas Wielecki

Priestley suggested that we focus on entrepreneurship, as the digital economy offers incredible opportunities to create wealth. Stevenson disagreed, arguing that this advice is harmful because, if you can’t get ahead, then it must be your fault. Instead, the economic problems we face are structural. Without reforming how our economy works, Stevenson argued, financial and business advice is like giving out stock tips on the Titanic.

The most common story we do hear is the one promoted by Priestley, about individual financial success. It’s pushed by social media finfluencers, tech bros, and self-help gurus who claim that the pathway to economic security is........

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