Red, White, and Feeling Blue
Interestingly, Gen Z isn’t unhappy everywhere; it seems they’re particularly gloomy in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The latest edition of the world happiness report, released on Wednesday, indicates that individuals under 25 in other regions have actually reported improvements in their well-being over the last ten years.
The authors of this annual report aren’t quite sure why happiness levels differ so much, but they suspect social media might play a role. It appears that, well, social media isn’t exactly nourishing young minds, bodies, or souls.
John F. Helliwell, the founding editor and a professor emeritus of economics at the University of British Columbia, shared some thoughts on this. He noted that the decline in happiness among youth in those four countries is puzzling compared to other nations. It’s not that social media use is any higher there—after all, Gen Zers everywhere are practically glued to their screens. But perhaps, the shift in social attitudes might be influencing factors as well.
The report, which draws on data from the Gallup World Poll among other sources, suggests a link between heavy social media use and reduced happiness. However, this relationship varies greatly depending on individual users, the platforms they engage with, and how much time they spend online.
In fact, teens in the US average about 4.8 hours daily on social media. According to recent Gallup data, those who limit their social media use to less than an hour daily report higher happiness levels than those who don’t use it at all.
There’s a lot to unpack here. Social media can foster connections and a sense of belonging, yet it can also promote unhealthy comparisons, anxiety, and depression.
Interestingly, Generation Z isn’t the only demographic feeling this way—the world happiness report ranks over 140 countries based on quality of life metrics accumulated over three years.
The report considers various factors such as GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, and perceptions of corruption, among others.
Finland has held the top spot for happiness for nine consecutive years, boasting an average score of 7.8 out of 10, thanks in part to accessible education and healthcare.
You might find it noteworthy that countries like Israel (8th), Kosovo (16th), and the United Arab Emirates (21st) rank higher in happiness than the United States, which placed 23rd.
To give some context, the US was 24th in 2024, 23rd in 2023, and fluctuated between 15th and 20th in the years prior.
Helliwell also pointed out that as job and housing prospects appear more daunting, alongside rising polarization, these factors significantly impact people’s outlooks. While the overall rankings reflect a dip driven by young people’s unhappiness, it’s worth noting that older generations are feeling this shift too. Yet, the most pronounced decline in happiness is among the youth in these specific countries.
