Younger people everywhere are unhappier — NYT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ7A8-YgFHM/

This is sad to see. Although it's interesting to me that older people seem to be happier than people in middle age. Is that true? I thought there was an elderly mental health crisis. Rise in suicide rates among elderly etc

Myself am ncreasingly depressed to see that my children are set to inherit a world that is deepening in inequity and loss of opportunity and rise in social media which only makes everything worse. Kids have it tough these days.

I really, really don't think this outlook helps. At all. Did you read The Anxious Generation? Attitudes like this are basically reverse cognitive behavioral therapy, conditioning our kids to be anxious and depressed. Tell them the world is terrible and there's nothing they can do to change it and of course they'll hate everything.

Studies show the number one way to give people happiness is to give them a sense of purpose in the world. Community of course helps find purpose - it's a rare person who thinks a solitary life is a purposeful one, though it happens occasionally.

It does suck so...

Pretend that it doesn't?

It’s always sucked. Always. The world hasn’t changed. It appears that the way people are processing it and incorporating it has changed.

I think it’s the increased isolation through the heavy use of online activities.

I liked it better when millions of Americans weren't trying to burn it all down.

I take it that you haven't read the details of the project 2025 "big beautiful bill"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ7A8-YgFHM/

This is sad to see. Although it's interesting to me that older people seem to be happier than people in middle age. Is that true? I thought there was an elderly mental health crisis. Rise in suicide rates among elderly etc

Myself am ncreasingly depressed to see that my children are set to inherit a world that is deepening in inequity and loss of opportunity and rise in social media which only makes everything worse. Kids have it tough these days.

I really, really don't think this outlook helps. At all. Did you read The Anxious Generation? Attitudes like this are basically reverse cognitive behavioral therapy, conditioning our kids to be anxious and depressed. Tell them the world is terrible and there's nothing they can do to change it and of course they'll hate everything.

Studies show the number one way to give people happiness is to give them a sense of purpose in the world. Community of course helps find purpose - it's a rare person who thinks a solitary life is a purposeful one, though it happens occasionally.

It does suck so...

Pretend that it doesn't?

It’s always sucked. Always. The world hasn’t changed. It appears that the way people are processing it and incorporating it has changed.

I think it’s the increased isolation through the heavy use of online activities.

I liked it better when millions of Americans weren't trying to burn it all down.

I take it that you haven't read the details of the project 2025 "big beautiful bill"?

So you'd prefer when the British were literally burning it down (1812)? Or perhaps when millions of Americans were actually killing each other (Civil War)? Or when we were literally stealing land from Mexico (Mexican-American War and the long lead up to it) or Spain (Spanish-American War)? You'd prefer a country full of slave owners being willing to burn things down to keep it that way? You'd prefer all the brutality of westward expansion and the lies to Native Americans that required?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ7A8-YgFHM/

This is sad to see. Although it's interesting to me that older people seem to be happier than people in middle age. Is that true? I thought there was an elderly mental health crisis. Rise in suicide rates among elderly etc

Myself am ncreasingly depressed to see that my children are set to inherit a world that is deepening in inequity and loss of opportunity and rise in social media which only makes everything worse. Kids have it tough these days.

I really, really don't think this outlook helps. At all. Did you read The Anxious Generation? Attitudes like this are basically reverse cognitive behavioral therapy, conditioning our kids to be anxious and depressed. Tell them the world is terrible and there's nothing they can do to change it and of course they'll hate everything.

Studies show the number one way to give people happiness is to give them a sense of purpose in the world. Community of course helps find purpose - it's a rare person who thinks a solitary life is a purposeful one, though it happens occasionally.

It does suck so...

Pretend that it doesn't?

It’s always sucked. Always. The world hasn’t changed. It appears that the way people are processing it and incorporating it has changed.

I think it’s the increased isolation through the heavy use of online activities.

I liked it better when millions of Americans weren't trying to burn it all down.

I take it that you haven't read the details of the project 2025 "big beautiful bill"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids of republicans tend to be happier. Republicans tend to have a more hopeful perspective than democrats. Democrats tend to amplify the negative to a degree that is terrifying and kids aren’t mature enough to recognize that some of it is hyperbole. But even when it is hyperbole, the general undertone of democrats is a sad and dire view of humans, the country, the world, etc. whereas republicans tend to have a more pragmatic view about trying to fix things that can be fixed and accept those that can’t. I’m independent and that is my observation. This forum is heavily democratic as is the NYT so I think it just naturally skews in a confirmation bias direction on things like this.

I think that is how republicans think they are but that's not what actually happens. Trump for example is hopeful by being hateful. So his hope is contingent on someone else taking the blame. Obama was also hopeful but to me not as hateful to others. It's not really the same as being hopeful if you are pinning all the bad of the world on someone else and they both did this to some extent but Trump does this at a much higher rate. I get why someone with narcissistic tendencies might think they are superior and think they come across as happier while hating on others but that is also not healthy and a lot of people who are like Trump and like "winning" and picking out "losers" tend to be losers themselves in real life and really their hopefulness is fake. They just deflect problems onto others and eventually get fired, etc. when people figure out they are full of hot air and have just been elevating themselves above who they really are and won't take personal responsibility. The most republican areas of the country aren't exactly booming, and we're told they voted for Trump because they were made hard up by democrats so from the start they come across as failing underdogs, not the winners they proclaim themselves to be. You see this a lot with religious people too. They sign themselves a label and then pretend everything they do is ordained by god rather than realizing both God and Satan or just themselves can create evil and nothing they do is from God but that they have their own agency and often choose wrong over right.

I do think republican areas can be a little bit more simple living and due to that they probably come across as having fewer cares beyond their immediate circle. That part is a little healthier than democrats who sometimes think way beyond their influence and stress over matters that don't involve them, but really if you talk to either of them, one group blames others and the other group tries to manage beyond their control. They are both flawed, just in different ways.

+1

Who's happy right now? The village idiots and the bullies who are lashing out at everyone.

[Anonymous]

The religious aspect was not originally our reason for sending our kids to a Catholic high school (we're cradle Catholics but "Christmas and Easter" types at best)... but now that they've been there for awhile, I can't help but think about what a good thing it's been for our teens' mental health. There are service requirements, quiet prayer time is built into every day (or just reflection if you're not the praying type), the required theology classes allow kids an intentional opportunity to think about who they are and how they can use their gifts to make the world a better place, the masses allow the school to come together for prayer and/or reflection...there are other things I love about the school that I think are also beneficial to mental health (phones away all day, very limited tech use, etc.) but the religious aspect -- even for kids that aren't very religious -- has been more powerful and beneficial than I could have ever realized.

Of course there are kids with mental health issues at Catholic school- it's not a cure all. But I do think having those very intentional opportunities for service, reflection/prayer, and learning about things bigger than oneself can be a good protective factor against some of these issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ7A8-YgFHM/

This is sad to see. Although it's interesting to me that older people seem to be happier than people in middle age. Is that true? I thought there was an elderly mental health crisis. Rise in suicide rates among elderly etc

Myself am ncreasingly depressed to see that my children are set to inherit a world that is deepening in inequity and loss of opportunity and rise in social media which only makes everything worse. Kids have it tough these days.

I really, really don't think this outlook helps. At all. Did you read The Anxious Generation? Attitudes like this are basically reverse cognitive behavioral therapy, conditioning our kids to be anxious and depressed. Tell them the world is terrible and there's nothing they can do to change it and of course they'll hate everything.

Studies show the number one way to give people happiness is to give them a sense of purpose in the world. Community of course helps find purpose - it's a rare person who thinks a solitary life is a purposeful one, though it happens occasionally.

It does suck so...

Pretend that it doesn't?

It’s always sucked. Always. The world hasn’t changed. It appears that the way people are processing it and incorporating it has changed.

I think it’s the increased isolation through the heavy use of online activities.

I liked it better when millions of Americans weren't trying to burn it all down.

I take it that you haven't read the details of the project 2025 "big beautiful bill"?

So you'd prefer when the British were literally burning it down (1812)? Or perhaps when millions of Americans were actually killing each other (Civil War)? Or when we were literally stealing land from Mexico (Mexican-American War and the long lead up to it) or Spain (Spanish-American War)? You'd prefer a country full of slave owners being willing to burn things down to keep it that way? You'd prefer all the brutality of westward expansion and the lies to Native Americans that required?

Right. Because those are the ONLY options. GMAFB.

I'll take the 90s-00s before the GOP put the lunatics in charge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ7A8-YgFHM/

This is sad to see. Although it's interesting to me that older people seem to be happier than people in middle age. Is that true? I thought there was an elderly mental health crisis. Rise in suicide rates among elderly etc

Myself am ncreasingly depressed to see that my children are set to inherit a world that is deepening in inequity and loss of opportunity and rise in social media which only makes everything worse. Kids have it tough these days.

I really, really don't think this outlook helps. At all. Did you read The Anxious Generation? Attitudes like this are basically reverse cognitive behavioral therapy, conditioning our kids to be anxious and depressed. Tell them the world is terrible and there's nothing they can do to change it and of course they'll hate everything.

Studies show the number one way to give people happiness is to give them a sense of purpose in the world. Community of course helps find purpose - it's a rare person who thinks a solitary life is a purposeful one, though it happens occasionally.

It does suck so...

Pretend that it doesn't?

It’s always sucked. Always. The world hasn’t changed. It appears that the way people are processing it and incorporating it has changed.

I think it’s the increased isolation through the heavy use of online activities.

I liked it better when millions of Americans weren't trying to burn it all down.

I take it that you haven't read the details of the project 2025 "big beautiful bill"?

So that's a no...you haven't read it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ7A8-YgFHM/

This is sad to see. Although it's interesting to me that older people seem to be happier than people in middle age. Is that true? I thought there was an elderly mental health crisis. Rise in suicide rates among elderly etc

Myself am ncreasingly depressed to see that my children are set to inherit a world that is deepening in inequity and loss of opportunity and rise in social media which only makes everything worse. Kids have it tough these days.

I’m not going to say things are great right now, but I think people have a very short view of history to think things are exceptionally bad now. It’s not the 70’s when teenagers were being shipped off to Vietnam, or the 40’s when all the men were fighting WW2, or the Great Depression when people were out of work and starving, or the Civil War when the whole country was embroiled in war.

Sure things could be better, but let’s keep some sense of perspective on it all.

But shouldn't we want a better future for our kids and descendants? I do think it's concerning that it seems like the 90s were apparently the pinnacle of human civilization and everything since then has been going downhill.

So the robots in the matrix had it right….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids of republicans tend to be happier. Republicans tend to have a more hopeful perspective than democrats. Democrats tend to amplify the negative to a degree that is terrifying and kids aren’t mature enough to recognize that some of it is hyperbole. But even when it is hyperbole, the general undertone of democrats is a sad and dire view of humans, the country, the world, etc. whereas republicans tend to have a more pragmatic view about trying to fix things that can be fixed and accept those that can’t. I’m independent and that is my observation. This forum is heavily democratic as is the NYT so I think it just naturally skews in a confirmation bias direction on things like this.

This made me laugh, as a former Republican (now party-less conservative). Have you ever listened to Republicans panicking when the Democrats are in leadership? Have you been on the receiving end of the insane emails Republicans have been sending out since the Tea Party came to prominence about how the world is ending?

The PP who mentioned that Republicans tend to me more religious - truly religious I'd question but they certainly are more culturally religious - is on to something. Regular religious service attendance correlates with more happiness, because it provides community + purpose. That said, a fairly low percentage of Republican "evangelicals" actually ever set foot in church...

+1
And the majority of my church congregation is democratic so this is a baseless generalization. And no I don’t share ‘doomsday’ views with my kids but rather ‘ what can we do individually to improve things’, and we do those things with purpose (reducing footprints, less single use plastic, volunteering through our church or scouts, helping neighbors when asked). Apparently I don’t fall anywhere in your back/white view of the world pp.

[Anonymous]

This is an interesting read:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/relationships/family/the-teens-saying-no-to-social-media-and-yes-to-brick-phones

The bit where he says there's no one to talk to on the bus to school because everyone is looking at their phones is striking.

I can go to the gym, check myself in, listen to a podcast and talk to no one. Then I go to library and pick up my reserved items, use self checkout and talk to no one. I fill my car with gas and talk to no one then pick up some things for dinner at the supermarket and use the self check and talk to no one.

And we wonder why people are lacking social connection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The religious aspect was not originally our reason for sending our kids to a Catholic high school (we're cradle Catholics but "Christmas and Easter" types at best)... but now that they've been there for awhile, I can't help but think about what a good thing it's been for our teens' mental health. There are service requirements, quiet prayer time is built into every day (or just reflection if you're not the praying type), the required theology classes allow kids an intentional opportunity to think about who they are and how they can use their gifts to make the world a better place, the masses allow the school to come together for prayer and/or reflection...there are other things I love about the school that I think are also beneficial to mental health (phones away all day, very limited tech use, etc.) but the religious aspect -- even for kids that aren't very religious -- has been more powerful and beneficial than I could have ever realized.

Of course there are kids with mental health issues at Catholic school- it's not a cure all. But I do think having those very intentional opportunities for service, reflection/prayer, and learning about things bigger than oneself can be a good protective factor against some of these issues.

I posted at 10:02 and 10:08 and completely agree with you on the issues of public and benefits of parochial school however there is a time period as a teen into young adult where you have to grow up from this world of black and white right from wrong and accept the good and bad in yourself and in the world and just move towards the positive as best you can. Despite all the benefits of parochial school like you mentioned, many many people stay stuck in this black/white world and self view and can't seem to grow up from it.

So while the public schools have a bit more realism and pessimism than ideal trying to meet a multitude of learner levels and cultures and economic levels, it seems like a lot of parochial kids are somehow left stunted as they move into adulthood focusing on the kingdom of God rather than their own life and world. There is no way you can look at MAGA and not see the hatred spewing forth from that group. It's a group that is basically immature in their thinking even if they have some valid concerns.

To get to a mature but positive mind frame you have to develop a goldilocks virtue model or whole brain thought. This article explains it better.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/thinking-in-black-white-and-gray/202005/finding-goldilocks-solution-black-and-white-thinking

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ7A8-YgFHM/

This is sad to see. Although it's interesting to me that older people seem to be happier than people in middle age. Is that true? I thought there was an elderly mental health crisis. Rise in suicide rates among elderly etc

Myself am ncreasingly depressed to see that my children are set to inherit a world that is deepening in inequity and loss of opportunity and rise in social media which only makes everything worse. Kids have it tough these days.

I really, really don't think this outlook helps. At all. Did you read The Anxious Generation? Attitudes like this are basically reverse cognitive behavioral therapy, conditioning our kids to be anxious and depressed. Tell them the world is terrible and there's nothing they can do to change it and of course they'll hate everything.

Studies show the number one way to give people happiness is to give them a sense of purpose in the world. Community of course helps find purpose - it's a rare person who thinks a solitary life is a purposeful one, though it happens occasionally.

It does suck so...

Pretend that it doesn't?

It’s always sucked. Always. The world hasn’t changed. It appears that the way people are processing it and incorporating it has changed.

I think it’s the increased isolation through the heavy use of online activities.

I liked it better when millions of Americans weren't trying to burn it all down.

I take it that you haven't read the details of the project 2025 "big beautiful bill"?

So you'd prefer when the British were literally burning it down (1812)? Or perhaps when millions of Americans were actually killing each other (Civil War)? Or when we were literally stealing land from Mexico (Mexican-American War and the long lead up to it) or Spain (Spanish-American War)? You'd prefer a country full of slave owners being willing to burn things down to keep it that way? You'd prefer all the brutality of westward expansion and the lies to Native Americans that required?

Right. Because those are the ONLY options. GMAFB.

I'll take the 90s-00s before the GOP put the lunatics in charge.

If you think this is the toughest time in human history and it’s normal for people to buckle under the stress of it, you don’t know much about history.

Bills? Through Congress? That follow our rule of law, even if we disagree with the provisions. That can be changed under future Administrations. OMG.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids of republicans tend to be happier. Republicans tend to have a more hopeful perspective than democrats. Democrats tend to amplify the negative to a degree that is terrifying and kids aren’t mature enough to recognize that some of it is hyperbole. But even when it is hyperbole, the general undertone of democrats is a sad and dire view of humans, the country, the world, etc. whereas republicans tend to have a more pragmatic view about trying to fix things that can be fixed and accept those that can’t. I’m independent and that is my observation. This forum is heavily democratic as is the NYT so I think it just naturally skews in a confirmation bias direction on things like this.

Kids of republicans may be less sad, but certainly not happy, they tend to be much more angry. Look at MAGA, it’s a party of grievances not optimism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids of republicans tend to be happier. Republicans tend to have a more hopeful perspective than democrats. Democrats tend to amplify the negative to a degree that is terrifying and kids aren’t mature enough to recognize that some of it is hyperbole. But even when it is hyperbole, the general undertone of democrats is a sad and dire view of humans, the country, the world, etc. whereas republicans tend to have a more pragmatic view about trying to fix things that can be fixed and accept those that can’t. I’m independent and that is my observation. This forum is heavily democratic as is the NYT so I think it just naturally skews in a confirmation bias direction on things like this.

I think that is how republicans think they are but that's not what actually happens. Trump for example is hopeful by being hateful. So his hope is contingent on someone else taking the blame. Obama was also hopeful but to me not as hateful to others. It's not really the same as being hopeful if you are pinning all the bad of the world on someone else and they both did this to some extent but Trump does this at a much higher rate. I get why someone with narcissistic tendencies might think they are superior and think they come across as happier while hating on others but that is also not healthy and a lot of people who are like Trump and like "winning" and picking out "losers" tend to be losers themselves in real life and really their hopefulness is fake. They just deflect problems onto others and eventually get fired, etc. when people figure out they are full of hot air and have just been elevating themselves above who they really are and won't take personal responsibility. The most republican areas of the country aren't exactly booming, and we're told they voted for Trump because they were made hard up by democrats so from the start they come across as failing underdogs, not the winners they proclaim themselves to be. You see this a lot with religious people too. They sign themselves a label and then pretend everything they do is ordained by god rather than realizing both God and Satan or just themselves can create evil and nothing they do is from God but that they have their own agency and often choose wrong over right.

I do think republican areas can be a little bit more simple living and due to that they probably come across as having fewer cares beyond their immediate circle. That part is a little healthier than democrats who sometimes think way beyond their influence and stress over matters that don't involve them, but really if you talk to either of them, one group blames others and the other group tries to manage beyond their control. They are both flawed, just in different ways.

Last bit is true. Republicans only care about their problems, and figuring out how to afford the latest F150 is a much more solvable problem than climate change or societal inequality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ7A8-YgFHM/

This is sad to see. Although it's interesting to me that older people seem to be happier than people in middle age. Is that true? I thought there was an elderly mental health crisis. Rise in suicide rates among elderly etc

Myself am ncreasingly depressed to see that my children are set to inherit a world that is deepening in inequity and loss of opportunity and rise in social media which only makes everything worse. Kids have it tough these days.

this generation is a bunch of whiny little sissies.

Yes, these are the words of a truly happy person…