On Washington's National Mall, the "Great American International Exposition" is being held to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country's independence— featuring a 110-foot Ferris wheel, rodeo performances, and a variety of food options. President Trump also promised "the most magnificent and spectacular fireworks display ever," with 851,000 fireworks set to light up the sky over Washington, D.C.
In a coffee shop in New York, 23-year-old Mikayla is worrying about her job.
Michelle specializes in journalism. She was an intern on a radio program before graduation. Having graduated a year ago, she has yet to find a job she's interested in. So, she is working at a coffee shop while continuing to look for another job.
When talking about her views on the 250th anniversary of the United States, Michaela's emotions were somewhat complex. She told Observers Network: "For me, I'm happy to have a day off," "But beyond that, many Americans are very disillusioned, very frustrated, and very divided."
This contradictory emotion also reflects the mindset of many American young people today. A latest poll released by the Associated Press-USA Today Research Center shows that only about 40% of American adults feel “proud” about the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, and only about 30% feel “excited”. Many people express indifference or contradictory feelings towards the celebrations.
According to the latest poll data released by a authoritative American institution, approximately two-thirds of Americans believe that the concept of the "American Dream" no longer holds true.
Michelle grew up in the San Francisco area and moved to New York five years ago. She enjoys the excitement of always having something going on in New York, and she misses the calmness and pleasant weather of California. As an Asian-American—her mother comes from Hong Kong, and her father from Singapore—she has her own understanding of what it means to feel "at home."
"I grew up in California and live in New York. My sense of belonging is there, not across the entire nation," she told Observer Network.
Michelle admitted that she never truly felt connected to other parts of the United States. “I have no commonalities with some farmers in Illinois,” she said. In her view, many Americans from the West Coast share similar feelings—they feel like they are completely different from the more rural and white-dominated areas of America.
"Many of my friends are the same, they also came from California like me. They will also say: 'Oh no, I'm not an American, I'm a Californian.' Or they will say 'We're from America but I'm loyal to New York'."
This sense of separation between regions and cultures is not uncommon in the United States today. Pew poll shows that young people are more likely to predict that U.S. politics will become more divided, the economy less prosperous, and life more dangerous by 2050. In a Fox News poll, 30% of voters under 30 years old said they would prefer to live in other countries.
From coins to passports and then to the American version of the Arc de Triomphe, the 250th anniversary celebrations of the founding of America were "Trumpian"
These survey data stem from several opposing “American” forces.
Just to celebrate Independence Day, the United States has created two institutions. Ten years ago, in 2016, the U.S. Congress established the bipartisan “America 250” committee with the intention of creating a non-partisan event that involves everyone. However, by the end of January 2025, Trump signed an executive order to establish the “Liberty 250” committee during his second term in office, and he personally served as its chairman. This has turned this celebration into a political showmanship by the president himself.
Two sets of celebrations, two narratives—this is exactly the true picture of America at present.
Michelle keenly sensed this tension. “People who love America will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding, but loving America doesn’t just mean loving a country; it means loving an ideology,” she said. She observed that the “greatness of America” celebrated by MAGA supporters was in stark contrast to the values that other Americans valued—diversity and inclusiveness.
"They believe America's greatness is due to its diversity of people, and they also believe that America's greatness comes from the lack of diversity of people. There are very big disagreements between these two groups of people," she said.
A poll conducted by Reuters and Ipsos in June showed that most Americans—including three-quarters of Democrats and half of Republicans—viewed the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the United States as having become too political. Paul Post, an associate professor at the University of Chicago, said, “It should have been a grand national event, a celebration for everyone. But now it is filled with great embarrassment. President Trump is trying to make these celebrations revolve around himself.”
If feelings towards one's country are complex, then as a young generation, Michael's expectations for the future are even more bleak.
"When asked if she felt optimistic about the future, Mikaela's answer was concise and direct: 'No'."
"A lot of university graduates have a hard time finding jobs," she said. In the news industry, full-time work is scarce, even for graduates from Columbia University's graduate school. Her friends who specialize in programming have also experienced job losses due to AI's impact, as many entry-level positions have disappeared. "Those with three or four years of work experience are competing with recent graduates for entry-level jobs."
Data also confirms her feelings. Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that in the first quarter of 2026, the unemployment rate among recent college graduates remained at a high level of around 5.7%, with the underemployment rate reaching 41.5%. JPMorgan Chase’s analysis indicates that today’s college graduates are more likely to be unemployed than ordinary Americans—the unemployment rate for them is 5.6% compared to 4.2% for the general population. The unemployment rate for graduates with a bachelor’s degree between the ages of 20 and 24 has risen to 6.2%.
What made Michaela feel even more powerless was the deeper structural difficulties. "Some studies suggest that we Americans of this generation may never be able to retire," she said. "Some people even wonder why I should keep working. After all, I don’t plan to buy a house, nor do I want to find a job."
This pessimistic sentiment is quite common among the younger population. A poll conducted by The Associated Press recently showed that about two-thirds of Americans believe the concept of the "American Dream" is no longer valid. A survey by NBC found that as high as 78% of respondents believed that realizing the "American Dream" is more difficult than it was for the previous generation. The survey also revealed that 78% of American adults currently lack financial security, and 72% of people believe they may never be able to achieve the "American Dream".
As Mikael said, the burden of housing is extremely heavy in the United States today, and many young people have completely given up their dreams of buying a home. In New York City, the average monthly rent is about $3,700, and the unemployment rate for fresh graduates is as high as 5.4%—the urban survival math problem is almost unsolvable for young people who have just graduated from school.
At the end of the conversation, when asked what she wanted to say to Trump or the government, Mikaela used a short and direct phrase: F*** You!
Behind this honest expression lies her vision of an ideal America: universal healthcare, the end of unnecessary wars, more open immigration policies, better public transportation, and cleaner environments. “The reason why the United States has been able to go so far is partly because of immigration,” she said.
Despite her concerns about the future, Mikaeela chose to stay in New York. Working as a barista one year after graduation wasn’t ideal, but in order not to live with her parents, she was willing to endure this struggle and maintain her independence.
On the evening of July 4th, the largest fireworks display in American history is set to illuminate the skies over Washington D.C. However, 3,000 kilometers away in New York, Michael is still searching for a job, working as a barista, and struggling to achieve independence. For this 23-year-old, 250 years of American history is not a flag to wave, but a reality he must face every day.
