Report: Young People Less Happy Than Older Generations
The Facts
The US fell out of the top 20 happiest nations in 2024 in the World Happiness Report, mostly because the well-being of American youth has declined. Experts blame society's inability to control social media for the unhappiness of younger generations.
The top spot went to Finland, as researchers attributed Scandinavian countries' high ranking to social support and long life expectancies. The US dropped from 15th to 23rd in the ranking, but researchers have identified notable differences between generations.
The Spin
Narrative A
The 2024 World Happiness Report shows significant drops by the US and Germany. And in many Western nations, older people are significantly happier than young people, which may have to do with social media use. Based on increased happiness in Central and Eastern Europe, Africa, Cambodia, Russia, and China, a rich, real-world social life and a social support system seem to boost happiness.
Narrative B
It's possible that the World Happiness Report is skewed towards cultural biases. The report fails to account for the fact that happiness is seen differently among cultures. There are individualistic societies that place a greater emphasis on individuals and their status, while collectivist cultures place a higher value on happiness only if others around them are equally happy. The report doesn't appear to take these vital cultural differences into consideration.