US Happiness Ranking Dives Amidst Demographic Struggles
It appears that the well-being of young people in America is concerning. According to the latest annual World Happiness Report, the United States has slipped to the 23rd position among the world’s happiest nations.
This marks a significant decline of eight positions from the previous year, marking the first time the US has fallen out of the top 20 since the report’s inception in 2012. The report is produced by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford.
Finland maintained its leading position, with Canada ranking 15th and the UK at 20th place.
The decline in happiness among American youth is primarily responsible for the significant drop.
Introduction of Age-based Rankings Reveals Alarming Decline in US Happiness Levels
For the first time, the report introduced alternative rankings based on age groups. In the under-30 category, the US plummeted to 62nd place, trailing behind nations like Saudi Arabia and Guatemala.
Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, a professor at Saïd Business School and editor of the World Happiness Report, expressed astonishment at the decline in average happiness in the US. He noted that the well-being of young Americans had sharply declined, leading to the country’s overall lower ranking. Interestingly, the report highlighted that older Americans reported the highest levels of satisfaction with their quality of life.
De Neve emphasized the report’s discovery of troubling decreases in happiness across North America and Western Europe. He stressed the urgency for policy interventions, particularly concerning the well-being of children facing early-life dissatisfaction.
Global Trends Show Decline in Youth Well-being Across Multiple Regions
The report indicates that the well-being of individuals aged 15 to 24 has worsened in North America, Western Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and South Asia since 2019, while happiness within this age range has generally increased in the rest of the world.
American youth encounter various social challenges, including a pervasive loneliness crisis.
However, De Neve attributed this decline to the proliferation of social media, deteriorating mental health among young people, and political polarization.
He also highlighted the widening wealth gap, stating, “In the United States, society is essentially torn apart between left and right; there’s a lot going on.”
To conclude, De Neve emphasized that pinpointing a single cause is insufficient, as numerous factors contribute to the situation.
Read the original article on: Science Alert
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