Young people becoming less happy than older generations, research shows

[BeyondGeography]

Link to tweet

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Young people are becoming less happy than older generations as they suffer “the equivalent of a midlife crisis”, global research has revealed as America’s top doctor warned that “young people are really struggling”.

Dr Vivek Murthy, the US surgeon general, said allowing children to use social media was like giving them medicine that is not proven to be safe. He said the failure of governments to better regulate social media in recent years was “insane”.

… After 12 years in which people aged 15 to 24 were measured as being happier than older generations in the US, the trend appears to have flipped in 2017. The gap has also narrowed in western Europe and the same change could happen in the coming year or two, it is thought. Murthy described the report findings as a “red flag that young people are really struggling in the US and now increasingly around the world”. He said he was still waiting to see data that proved social media platforms were safe for children and adolescents, and called for international action to improve real-life social connections for young people.

… World Happiness Report, an annual barometer of wellbeing in 140 nations coordinated by Oxford University’s Wellbeing Research Centre, Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, showed “disconcerting drops [in youth happiness] especially in North America and western Europe,” said Prof Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, director of the Wellbeing Research Centre and editor of the study. “To think that in some parts of the world children are already experiencing the equivalent of a midlife crisis, demands immediate policy action,” he said.

More at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/20/young-people-becoming-less-happy-than-older-generations-research-shows?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Student Reporting Labs speaks with Surgeon General on youth mental health:

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[bucolic_frolic]

1. Instant gratification of all things at twice the speed of life was not a good thing?

Who could have figured that out?

[Irish_Dem]

2. Yes parenting changed greatly in the 80's and 90's.

And not in a good way.

[Tree Lady]

30. I told my daughter to restrict

how much gaming my grandson did, but she was going through bad years of marriage then divorce so she liked how quiet he was in his room.

Now at almost 27 he isn't working, lives for free most of the time with his grandfather, my ex and nothing we say helps. My daughter who is a manager hired him at her dealership and he had easy job of driving cars to other shops and then got bored after a few years and quit. That was a few years ago, only a few jobs lasting few months since.

My ex doesn't want to kick him out to be homeless so what to do?

[Irish_Dem]

31. Do they at least make him do some chores?

I would have him start doing yardwork and housework to earn his keep.
And to help him learn how to do productive work.

[Tree Lady]

33. I don't think he does much at my exes

but since his sister moved back to area with two little ones 3 & 1, he has spent his time off helping raise them. He is great with the kids.

[Irish_Dem]

34. That is great.

For a lot of reasons.
Maybe he can help his sister with other things as well.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. School shootings, climate crisis, the rotting of safety nets for young and old, dismal prospects for house ownership...

…no, must be the social media.

[Geechie]

4. While my answer is closer to "all of the above"

I agree, WG.

[BeyondGeography]

5. Peer interaction has much more of an impact on younger people than the big issues

Hence the focus on social media. I don’t think it’s the surgeon general who is whiffing here.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. Lack of third spaces, irrational fear of stranger danger, cutting budgets for public places and programs and relying

on parent-funded activities for *some* kids to congregate...yeah, again, must be the social media.

[BeyondGeography]

8. Do you forget what it was like to be a kid?

Do you think you’d be any different if you substituted your phone-free childhood and all the mental and physical freedoms that came with it with five hours a day of social media time?

Every era had its challenges, what makes this time unique? It certainly isn’t political clusterfucks and misguided parenting.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. My point is social media is a symptom, not a cause.

Do you think you’d be any different if you substituted your phone-free childhood and all the mental and physical freedoms that came with it with five hours a day of social media time?

A lot of those mental and physical freedoms are gone not because kids have phones, but because political clusterfucks and misguided parenting have eliminated them. Kids will always try to connect, and if we take away spaces for them to be in and the ability to connect on their own in person, social media becomes a default.

[BannonsLiver]

24. Promoting a victim mentality doesn't help either.

[Rebl2]

19. I was never

a happy kid because I was always in pain and going to doctors to figure out why I was in pain. This was back in the 1960’s. Was not a happy teen either.

[limbicnuminousity]

13. If only they understood

how well the investing class is doing I'm sure they''d perk right up.

[BannonsLiver]

23. And to think, all of these problems would cease to exist

If we only got rid of the police.

[Scrivener7]

26. What a bizarre post. It has nothing to do with anything in this thread.

[ananda]

7. Danger of being shot at any moment....

Danger of climate change....

Danger of not getting access to election sites....

OK, what's not to be happy about?

[Autumn]

10. I think they are smart enough to see what they are facing. Why the fuck should they be happy?

Ungrateful little shits.

[harumph]

11. I'm that older generation and I was never THAT happy about things.

I am concerned about social media substituting cathartic bitch sessions and performance art for direct action, reliable voting habits, office holding, etc.

[Kaleva]

12. Their future is dark because of approaching catastrophic climate change

[Johnny2X2X]

14. Media ramming negativity down their throats mixed with the envy social media causes

There are real stressers for sure. But today's young people actually hae quite a bright future, if only the media would take break from gloom and doom for a moment. Record low crime rates. Record high small business starts. Record low unemployment. Student loans now being affordable after Biden's refinancing offers.

And social media creates a world that isn't real for them to try to live up to.

[Autumn]

15. Got two words for you, maybe you can explain it away.

Climate change

[Johnny2X2X]

16. Absoutely a huge issue

Previous generations destroyed the planet, and chaos will result.

[Autumn]

17. So how is that "a bright future"?

[GuppyGal]

18. These 'kids' are spoiled. Every single person I know with children has handed them EVERYTHING. nt

[Mariana]

25. Do you think that none of their concerns are valid?

[Scrivener7]

27. .

[Nanjeanne]

20. Who can blame them? They face a Mad Max world - climate change destruction; rising health insurance costs (not care);

unaffordable houses; rental market unattainable; food insecurity; dollar buys next to nothing now. It's bleak.

According to CPI Inflation Calculator:

$100 in 2023 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $7.91 in 1950, an increase of $-92.09 over 73 years. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 3.54% per year between 1950 and 2023, producing a cumulative price increase of -92.09%.

This means that prices in 1950 are 92.09% lower than average prices since 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.

The inflation rate in 1950 was 1.26%. The inflation rate in 2023 was 4.12%. The 2023 inflation rate is higher compared to the average inflation rate of 1.85% per year between 2023 and 2024.

https://www.officialdata.org/2023-dollars-in-1950]

The median home price in the United States in 1950 was $7,354, a stark contrast to the median price of $431,000 in 2023 (Source: U.S. Census Bureau). This significant difference, even when adjusted for inflation, translates to a 2023 median price of around $89,300 for a 1950s home.

[limbicnuminousity]

21. Agreed.

AI is coming for their jobs, LBGTQ+ lives are under constant threat, women aren't safe, the government is incapable of doing a damned thing about mass shootings, politicians and media outlets routinely debate whether terms like "bloodbath" really mean anything at all, Elon Musk openly praises Nazism but fulfills contracts with the US government, the Supreme Court is openly for sale, members of Congress profess faith in giant green space lasers, the CDC doesn't even bother pretending to serve a function anymore.

[Johnny2X2X]

22. Inflation spiked for a couple years

But had been historically low for decades. 1% or less for many years. Comparing the 50s to the 2020s isn't really fair. Compare the 2020s to the 200s or 2010s. People are finally geting ahead a little now as wages have increased more than inflation over the last 5 years. Interest rates are temporarily high (actually normal) right now too. And despite higher rates right now, home ownership rates are higher now than 5 years ago. They're also well above what they were in the 1950s.

But someone pointed out the elephant in the room, Climate Change. Climate Change is already ausing chaos with immigration that's only going to get worse. And I fear that chaos will be all the opportunity for far right dictators tyo take control in many countires.

[JT45242]

28. Could it be that in 2017 a semi-literate, racist, conman was elected over a qualified woman

Beyond social media, put it in context...

McTurtle stole a SCOTUS appointment from the most respected person for their generation.

The 2016 election showed 50% of young people that they straight up do not matter -- a qualified woman has no chance over a connected male.

The rise of Neo-nazis, white supremacists, etc starting early in TFG presidency that were supported by 'good people on both sides' comments.

A corrupt SCOTUS that took away abortion rights and signalled that they will take away more and more rights. Because citizens united was only the start.

Tax cuts only for the uber-rich while the cost of housing, college, etc. skyrocket. Only robber barons benefit.

No matter how many school shootings there is no real movement on gun control even though 90% of people support common sense laws (see the robber barons again).

Covid and the mishandling and greed.

It's not social media -- it may be a contributor but the real primary source are macroforces stemming from people like the Kochs, Federalist Society, etc.

[walkingman]

29. As the largest voting block in America, it is time to stop feeling sad and VOTE -

they can literally change the US and the world. And it would be a welcome change.

Fight the Power!!

[JI7]

32. Just look at the freakout over thought of tiktok being banned