Why happiness seems to be declining | Peter Attia & Arthur Brooks

I'm gen X and remember much of life without social media, cell phones...I can say without a doubt these things have not made my life happier but more distracted.

On the flipside, I freakin' LOVE YouTube! There are zillions of great lectures, classes, talks, and entertaining videos created by colorful, brilliant creators, covering every subject on Earth.

Work has lost much of its appeal due to the lack of ownership and loss of autonomy. A few generations ago, most worked as an owner of or in a small business. Workers had pride in their craft and much closer relationships with their employer/employees and customers. Those small businesses are largely gone, replaced by a few very large employers. These employers have no relationship with their employees, don’t trust them, see them as a cost to be minimized. The employees cease to have loyalty to the company and view work as merely trading time for dollars. This attitude has progressed beyond minimum wage workers all the way into the professional classes: doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. We are all someone else’s servant, there’s no more calling, it’s just trading hours for dollars.

The problem is wages haven’t kept up. In the older days you could buy a house and a car and raise a family off one income and retire with a pension. Nowadays most people live paycheck to paycheck and literally have no money left to save meanwhile inflation keeps increasing.

Most of your happiness has to do with the quality of your relationships. The other part has to do with whether or not you are living an authentic life according to your beliefs, values & convictions. Social media causes people to fall into the comparison trap. That leads people to feel insecure, less than & unworthy.

My high school golf coach used to say comparison is the thief of joy all the time. Glad I grew up in a time where social media didn’t exist like it does today.

Not going into the office 5 days a week has made me happier!

The 90s was the greatest decade for 1- Contentment 2- Health 3- Economic stability 4- Personal social connections 5- National political stability 6- Internet accessibility but contained in it's infancy. I wasn't alive in the post WW2 decade but in my opinion, the 90s win by a landslide

As an INTJ I can confirm, I will never return to an office or on-site job for the remainder of my life, even at 44 years of age. Socialization is exhausting especially when it comes to business profession. Limited, scheduled Socialization works much better for Introverts.

As an owner of a small farm, I feel that disconnection from nature is a big part of unhappiness. It was just 150 years ago when America was an agrarian society. Evolution is a slow process. The Industrial Revolution and new technology has grown faster than humans can adapt.

Remote work = 200% increase in happiness in the vast majority of people. The personal time saved from not having a commute is life changing.

Ignored the other major obvious factor…the rising income inequality from the late 80’s early 90’s continuing till today. Also the massive rises in immigration of that same period cutting down on social cohesion through a shared culture and creating more social hostility

The main problem i see is we have so many avenues to pleasure now. You hardly have to live in a state of challenge or going without. That pleasure doesnt equate to happiness it equates to bondage and addiction that leaves us feeling empty

In Bosnia in one school a principal have banned phones(smart) for teens with approval from parents, some were arguing, but in the end all agreed. After observing them for two weeks teens started more communicating, socializing, smiling, unbelievble changes. So they have continued without phones. And more schools are adopting the same changes. 😊

I generally agree with this. But “laying down roots” in the workplace doesn’t lead to happiness and it doesn’t happen because the average workplace treats their people like trash. Long hours, low pay, micromanagement, no recognition and pizza parties instead of bonuses. Can’t forget being forced to commute to an office just to log on to a computer and join a virtual meeting. Insane stupidity and unnecessary loss of precious time we can never get back. Think of the hours wasted “acting like you’re working” and commuting to be on virtual chats. Modern office culture is largely responsible for unhappiness. Many people are much happier not going to the office and working remotely instead…and being away from people, because lots of people in this world suck. I’m infinitely happier working remotely. The only relationships I need are with my family and real friends. Not fake drama seeking/narcissistic colleagues.

Definitely felt the "work from home and not returning" routine...extremely isolating and detrimental for someone who is single with no distractions or company, such as kids or a spouse.😢

Working remotely has increased by happiness by so much. Yes I’m an introvert but beyond that its given me back hours a day that I use to go to the park every morning with my husband and dog, exercise every day on my lunch break and make dinner each night. I can’t help but disagree that working in an office made me happier. It was raining and expensive.

I always find it odd that people strive for happiness when what they actually seek is peace.

I feel for youngsters, and i suppose all people that succombe to the influence of social media. Im 62 and for my own sanity turn off my mobile phone at 8pm and back on at 6am. My kids complain that they cant contact me. Tough luck. Aim for a simpler life everytime .

There're many other factors besides social media contributing to the decline in happiness. Competition, materialism, rising cost of living, unemployment, lack of adequate housing, inadequate healthcare etc. also contribute to the downward spiral of happiness.