The World is Getting Better?
Experts are confounded: by all objective metrics, the state of the world (not just the United States) is getting better, yet people are less happy than ever. David Myers, in his book “The American Paradox: Spiritual Hunger in an Age of Plenty” writes “Compared with their grandparents, today’s young adults have grown up with much more affluence, slightly less happiness and much greater risk of depression and assorted social pathology.” Consider this, the average happiness in the 1940s, when only 2/3 of households had indoor showers and plumbing, was 7.5 out of 10; this compares to a score of 7.2 out of 10 in 2015, when indoor plumbing is standard in every household, even in the poorest of neighborhoods, not to mention the many modern conveniences introduced since 1940. We are healthier and wealthier than at any other point in history, yet we’re unhappier than we’ve ever been. Rather than celebrating the progress we’ve achieved, we’re railing against the injustices that still exist.