Unemployment increasing in young adults, due to Low Key Attitudes

Low Key

A growing gap I see in today’s generation of adults in their twenties and early thirties is a tendency toward a “low key” behaviour pattern, and this mindset often begins during teenage years. A child who was once chatty and full of energy can suddenly shift into being quiet and withdrawn, with a noticeably more negative outlook.

Here are examples of low key responses that sound passive, hesitant, or non committal:

• “I guess so.”
• “Maybe can.”
• “Not sure, see how first.”
• “It depends.”
• “I don’t know, you decide.”
• “Okay lor.”
• “Can lah, I think.”
• “If you say so.”
• “Should be okay.”
• “Probably can.”
• “Later then see.”

Sounds familar?

What is Low Key

Low key refers to behaviour that is intentionally quiet, understated, or minimal in expression. A low key person avoids showing strong reactions, keeps their opinions guarded, and prefers not to stand out. In social or professional settings, this often appears as muted enthusiasm, vague answers, or a reluctance to take clear positions.

When children/teenagers spend years being rewarded for staying quiet, avoiding mistakes, and not questioning why via healthy debate, many carry these behaviours into adulthood.

This can lead to:

• hesitation to take initiative
• fear of giving a firm opinion
• preferring safe, neutral replies
• discomfort with standing out
• low confidence in spontaneous decision making

In the workplace, however, employers value clear communication, ownership, enthusiasm, and the ability to make decisions. The habits that helped students “behave well” in school do not always translate into professional confidence or leadership.

The system does not intentionally create this outcome, but the environment encourages caution over expression. Over time, this can contribute to the “low key” communication style seen in many young adults today.

Mind Theory Students

In our Mind Theory workshops, the demographics of our attendees are mostly from Singapore international schools, visiting teenagers with familes during summer break from USA, Dubai, Indonesia, Korea, China, children of entrepreneurs or CEOs, and local students from schools such as RI, SJI, ACS and SCGS, Cedar Girls, and various neighbourhood schools. We have a pretty large sample size for this research.

I observed that students from international schools, they answer questions eagerly, volunteer ideas without hesitation, and often jump in to clarify concepts or correct the instructor when they spot an error. They are usually the noisiest class (to the despair of my office neighbours) Their enthusiasm fills the room and their confidence drives deeper learning. This active engagement stands out, and it reflects an environment where speaking up, challenging ideas, and taking ownership of learning are encouraged and normalised.

As a teacher, I welcome and encourage this kind of creative thinking. The children & teenagers love attending our classes, usually trying to reach 30mins earlier and leave later. When students question ideas, offer alternatives, or even correct the instructor, it shows they are actively processing information instead of passively absorbing it. This energy pushes the class forward, sparks richer discussions, and builds the confidence they will need in future workplaces. I prefer a room filled with curious voices over one that stays quiet out of habit, because real learning happens when students are willing to think boldly and speak up.

Personal Story

A personal story when i was in Secondary School, my English teacher asked everyone in the class to write diary everyday as a way to improve English proficiency, and asked
“Now, any objection? Who doesn’t want to write diary? Raise your hand.”
I raised my hand, with another 2 classmates. The teacher looked at me and asked “Why?”
I replied. “I felt writing diary everyday wouldn’t improve our English because we are churning out what we already know.” (deep down I rather read newspapers and dictionary to expand my vocabulary.)
He looked furious and said, “3 of you come look for me in the Staff Room after school.”
After school came, and we went to the staff room. We took turns to be “heard” by him. When its my turn, he looked fiercely at me in the eye and took a diary on my chest and patted it hard on me and said, while shaking due to anger. “You know, my previous job before teaching, I was a prison warden. You know what we will do to people like you?” (he was trying to frighten me as a Sec 3 boy)
“You sit here, write me a 1000 word essay, and send it in before you go. Thats for the whole month of diary which you didnt write.”
So i sat there, and wrote for a couple of hours and submitted.

20 years later, I actually bumped into the same teacher. I said “Hi Mr S……..! Remember me? How are you?”
…

Going back to the low key topic.

Is it due to the media they are exposed to as a child?

Cartoons from the 1980s were built on a clear moral framework. Almost every show centred on heroic characters fighting villains, with storylines that reinforced courage, loyalty, and taking action when something was wrong. Whether it was robots, warriors, detectives, or magical heroes, the message was consistent. The world had problems, and someone had to step up to fix them. These shows modelled decisiveness, responsibility, and the idea that doing nothing was never an option.

Another factor could be the shift in what young people consume. In the 1980s-1990s, cartoons often centred on bold heroes, clear missions, and dramatic choices, which modelled confidence and action.

Those teenagers grew up and started the companies we all know today, Google, Tesla, Airbnb, Amazon, Spotify, Zoom, Godaddy, Shopee, Youtube, Dropbox, Reddit, Uber, Paypal, Twitter.

Today’s content is far more varied, quieter, and often focused on slice of life moments or self aware humour. Instead of watching characters take decisive steps, many are absorbing stories built around passivity, irony, or avoidance. This shapes expectations, attitudes, and the way they respond in real situations.

Cartoons from the 2000s shifted toward a softer, more self aware style. Instead of clear heroes and villains, many shows focused on everyday life, friendship dynamics, humour, and personal growth. Conflicts were smaller and often resolved through talking rather than action. The tone leaned more toward relatability than adventure. Characters worried about school, friendships, social awkwardness, or their own feelings instead of saving the world. This era reflected a move toward introspection, with stories designed to be comforting, quirky, and emotionally safe rather than bold or confrontational.

There has also been a noticeable tonal shift in many modern cartoons. A large portion of 2000s and onwards animated shows lean into softer themes, gentle humour, and highly cautious messaging. In trying to be universally sensitive, many series avoid conflict, strong stakes, or characters who take bold positions. Some viewers describe this as an overly “woke” approach, where stories prioritise moral signalling over decisive action or character growth. Compared to older shows that celebrated courage, risk taking, and standing up to challenges, the new tone can feel muted. When young audiences grow up on narratives that smooth out conflict rather than confront it, it subtly reinforces a mindset of playing safe rather than stepping forward.

Music in the 2000s carried a very different emotional tone compared to earlier decades. The rise of emo music brought themes of vulnerability, sadness, introspection, and emotional struggle into mainstream culture. Bands sang openly about heartbreak, loneliness, identity, and inner conflict. Instead of projecting confidence or heroism, the music highlighted doubt, sensitivity, and personal turmoil. This emotional shift shaped a generation that connected more with feelings than action, and it contributed to a cultural landscape where expressing uncertainty or softness became normal rather than standing out as unusual.

The Result

Fresh graduates in Singapore are entering a market that has become far more competitive, with unemployment among young degree holders steadily increasing. Entry level roles that once acted as training grounds are disappearing, partly because AI can already handle many beginner level tasks with speed and accuracy. Routine work such as drafting emails, summarising documents, preparing reports, basic coding, or administrative processing is now done by software instead of junior staff. Companies are hiring fewer fresh grads and expect new hires to contribute value from day one. This creates a widening gap where academic qualifications alone are no longer enough.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/fresh-graduate-job-anxiety-search-employment-traineeship-5361196
https://www.wsg.gov.sg/home/campaigns/current-state-of-singapore-job-market-for-fresh-graduates
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/why-singapores-fresh-grads-are-struggling-get-hired?ref=pulse

Summary

Young adults must show initiative, clarity, communication strength, and problem solving skills to stay competitive.

Here are confident, proactive alternatives that signal initiative and clarity:

• “Yes, I can do that. Let me handle it.”
• “I have an idea. Here’s what I suggest.”
• “Give me the details and I’ll get it done.”
• “I’m available. Let’s move forward.”
• “Here’s my plan. Tell me what you think.”
• “Love the idea. I’ll take the lead on this.”
• “Roger that. Let’s try this approach. It will work.”
• “I can commit to that deadline.”
• “I’ve checked the options. Here’s the best one.”
• “Let me prepare a draft and update you shortly.”
• “I’m confident we can make this work.”
• “I’ll follow up and keep you posted.”

This blog post is written by Xavier, Founder of Mind Theory.