Why are Americans so unhappy? 

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Marcellus says, “There’s something rotten in Denmark.” suggest moral and political decadence In a ghostly time.

America is in a period of internal dissonance. It’s not completely in decline, but there are similarities.

I don’t think we are a happy country. And in fact, in Gallup’s annual list of happiest countries, America ranks 23rd this year, following the United Arab Emirates, has dropped from 15th place last year. If you’re looking for a happy country, go to Finland, which is at the top of your list along with most of the Nordic countries.

The most surprising thing about the happiness data is that the unhappiest demographic is people under 30, which is ironic given their unique understanding of and access to new media.

But no matter what age group you look at, people are feeling depressed.

Overall, Americans feel bankrupt and broken, even though the country is generally in good shape. news about inflation.

Financial stress is one of the reasons many Americans want to immigrate to another country. A recent poll by Monmouth University found that One-third of respondents Fifty years ago, 10% of people said they would like to live in another country. (Not many had an exact destination in mind.)

There are other factors that can cause unhappiness, but common problems include: general concerns The latest polling data from Gallup reveals where America is headed on nearly every issue from education to politics.

And that dissatisfaction leads to the belief that America is less respected abroad.American satisfaction our global position That’s the lowest since 2017, according to Gallup.

Unhappiness is both a political condition and a mental health crisis, but we rarely think of them as interconnected.

anxiety Affects 1 in 5 adults.

is more than 20 percent of teenagers I have seriously considered suicide.

Mental health experts point to social media as one of the causes of social disconnection.

Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist at New York University’s Stern School of Management and co-author of The Coddling of the American Mind, says that with each step we take down the social media path, our self-confidence increases. It reminds us that we are losing. ourselves.

“The story of Babel is the best metaphor I’ve found for what happened to America in the 2010s and the divided country we currently live in. Suddenly, something went horribly wrong. ,” Hite said. wrote in the atlantic magazine. “We are disoriented, unable to speak the same language or recognize the same truths. We are cut off from each other and from the past.”

But politics also affects stress. This period of national diaspora is also reflected in his 2016 election, where voters appeared to be far apart. Neither party could understand the other. But most journalists and pollsters miss that gap; I was surprised Due to Donald Trump’s popularity and his victory over Hillary Clinton.

In his book, “President Trump’s trip to America” Journalist Daniel Allott traveled the country after the election and found that many voters in the center felt left out, unheard and misunderstood, and their votes were an expression of that dissatisfaction. I discovered that.

Add to this the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic, and people I don’t feel connected yet From mainstream life.

According to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, distancing is a national epidemic. who says that? “Disconnection has a fundamental impact on our mental, physical and social health. In fact, loneliness and isolation increase the risk that individuals will develop mental health problems in their lives and Lack of connection can increase the risk of premature death to a level comparable to daily smoking.”

So what could be the solution?

First, we have to start listening to each other. As described at this year’s conference, it is “generous listening.” world economic forum. When it comes to work, the consensus at the annual meeting was that “today’s workforce continues to feel ambivalent, cynical and powerless.”

Second, we must return to an open and positive mindset, if for no other reason than health and well-being.

a Recent research from Johns Hopkins Medicine Researchers found that “people with a family history of heart disease and a positive outlook are more likely to have a heart attack or other cardiovascular event within 5 to 25 years than those with a more negative outlook.” They found that “the chances are one-third less likely.”

According to the Mayo Clinic“When your overall mental state is optimistic, you’re better able to deal with everyday stress in a more constructive way. That ability contributes to the widely observed health benefits of positive thinking.” There is a possibility.”

Third, we need to strengthen our political dialogue in the upcoming campaign season to value the perspectives of others, even those with whom we disagree. Without basic civility, we are really at risk of pushing ourselves further into a “rotten” state.

Tara D. Sonnenschein is a former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Public Affairs and a Senior Fellow at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.