UN-commissioned study in UK, US, Ireland, Australia, Canada and New Zealand finds satisfaction rises with age

Summary

A UN-commissioned study finds that youth happiness has declined sharply over the past decade in English-speaking countries.

Traditionally, happiness followed a U-shape, with youth being a peak period, but it now increases with age instead.

Researchers link this shift to social media, cyberbullying, and reduced social interaction.

The mental health crisis may have significant consequences that affect education, workforce participation, and productivity. The UN is investigating whether this trend is a global phenomenon.

  • niktemadur@lemmy.worldEnglish
    461·
    3 days ago

    youth is no longer one of the happiest times

    Which has always had the strong whiff of bullshit marketing imposed by patronizing adults, trying to force a square peg into the round hole.

    Like the guy said at the end of the '93 comedy film Dazed & Confused - “If I ever start referring to these as the happiest days of my life, remind me to kill myself”, and he was the cool, open-minded star athlete, the one best equipped to have a good time in his youth.

    • DeathsEmbrace@lemm.eeEnglish
      15·
      3 days ago

      That’s because we base “happiness” upon the amount of responsibilities and clearly the most amount of it(adulthood) is going to make you unhappy. So this is basically just answering the question of are we exploiting people and ruining society?

    • HobbitFoot @thelemmy.clubEnglish
      7·
      3 days ago

      There are several studies that verified the u shape until this generation.

      After high school graduation, young adults could afford college or an ok quality of life job. It wouldn’t be great, but it would be ok enough along with no responsibilities. You also had media presenting a relatively obtainable quality of life, so there wasn’t a large hedonism treadmill.

      Those kinds of economic conditions aren’t around anymore.