Happiness – isn't that the thing most of us are striving for? The problem is, though, that not a lot of people nowadays feel happy. Young people are particularly disillusioned; according to the 2024 World Happiness Report, the young are the least happy age group of all.
This generation faces an interesting irony: the world has the resources to make life better and more comfortable for most people, yet most of us are still wildly unhappy. Communites like the Lost Generation subreddit reflect this sentiment pretty accurately. So, here are some posts that echo what the current generation thinks of the world and their place in it.
#1 Wake Up America
Image credits: Sensitive-Jury-1456
#2 This Is So Heartbreaking
Image credits: ImpishMisconception
#3 We Are Not Free
Image credits: ppargamma
If we were to believe Maslow's hierarchy of needs, we need our basic physical needs met in order to be happy. That includes food, shelter, stable income, and good health. Sadly, not all Americans have that. In fact, a whopping 37.9 million people were in poverty in 2022 in the U.S.
If the original Lost Generation got its name from living through two world wars, this current generation calls itself 'lost' because we feel that the system is rigged against us. As stated in the description for the r/LostGeneration community, we "did everything our parents told us to do... now what?"
#4 The Truth's S**t
Image credits: aBEnCeNQ
#5 This Is How The World Ends
Image credits: infamouszgbgd
#6 8 Guys vs. 4 Billion People
Image credits: Sensitive-Jury-1456
One of the reasons experts say people under 30 are so unhappy is social media. The U.S. surgeon general Dr. Vivek Murthy told The Guardian that as of 2024, there is no data proving that social media is not harmful to children and adolescents. He says that governments having no regulation of social media for children is "insane."
It's not just the young people who are perhaps overusing social media. A typical user spends from two to two and a half hours a day on social media sites. Experts are saying that the prevalence of social media has contributed greatly to an epidemic of loneliness and isolation.
#7 Simple Truths, Complex Barriers
Image credits: Brian_Ghoshery
#8 The Land Of Dreams
Image credits: rrevmartinn
#9 My Bank Its $37 ?
Image credits: DocAtCDI
Jonathan Haidt, an NYU social psychologist and author of "The Anxious Generation," wrote for the Atlantic about how spending too much time online can put us into a habitual state of defensiveness. "Kids going through puberty online are likely to experience far more social comparison, self-consciousness, public shaming, and chronic anxiety than adolescents in previous generations," he noted.
#10 The Board Is Set, The Pieces Are Moving
Image credits: salaam
#11 Reminder To The Politician
Image credits: dsa_losangeles
#12 Cops Are Just Psychopaths With A God Complex
Image credits: [deleted]
However, other reaserchers are seeing a more nuanced picture. They say that the unhappiness of young people comes from economic uncertainty. One in three adults ages 18 to 34 in the U.S. live with parents. Many of them do so because they can't afford their own place to live. According to The World Economic Forum, student loan debt and stagnant wages also contribute to a lack of financial stability for young people.
#13 Spending $788 Billion On Military Budget And Still Having No Healthcare
Image credits: DTMICNow
#14 ??????????
Image credits: knguyenpoetry
#15 Now I'm Thinking About It Too
Image credits: SachVntura
Youth unemployment rates are also high not only in the U.S. but in other developed countries as well. The age-old "Get an education and you'll get a sturdy job" rule also often goes out the window. Joanie Bily, chief workforce analyst at Employbridge, told CNBC that many college graduates are taking jobs that have nothing to do with their degrees. "They’re looking to enter into the workforce and launch their careers, and many of them are taking jobs even in leisure and hospitality, because that’s where the jobs are."
#16 This Is Why You Don't Use The "Proper Channels"
Image credits: joncstone
#17 Know The Real Culprits
Image credits: CecilleSimpkins
#18 It's A Real Head Scratcher
Image credits: jzux
The current generation is also very uncertain about the future of the planet. The climate crisis, political unrest, and the dire prospects for our species has many young people skeptical and wondering whether they should have children or if they should even bother working towards any goals.
#19 Do You Accept?
Image credits: snowpie92
#20 The American Dream Is Crumbling
Image credits: Comfortablejack
#21 Basically, The Laws Exist To Protect The Capitalist Class
Image credits: ShylyComplex
A 2021 BBC survey found that almost 61% of young adults feel extremely or very worried about climate change. Americans have similar worries, as at least 60% of college students say they have symptoms of anxiety due to the climate crisis. Many aren't happy with how governments deal with it, saying that for much of the world's leaders, climate change isn't a priority.
#22 Hmmm Sounds About Right!
Image credits: asmrgurll
#23 Pretty Much Most Countries Just Say F**k You To Your Teeth And Eyes
Image credits: andlikelaura
#24 Freefromwork
Image credits: OqUETeRE
Political polarization is another issue that has many young people stressed. Although some people claim that Gen Z are pretty polarized themselves and good targets for extreme, anti-establishment candidates, others suggest that the new generation might be the one to phase out polarization from American politics.
#25 I'm So Sick Of This Dynamic
Image credits: jzux
#26 Don’t Be A Rat Comrades!
Image credits: [deleted]
#27 There Is No Such Thing !!
Image credits: John_1992_funny
Authors of Generational Politics in the United States claim that all the previous generations (The Silent generation, Baby Boomers, and Gen X) were more polarized in their political views than millennials and Gen Z. They theorize that because these generations are less religious, more ethnically and racially diverse, a new political center could form, one where polarization isn't as prominent.
#28 America Is Immoral
Image credits: nevertellmethe0ddz
#29 This Needs To Be Shared!!
Image credits: [deleted]
#30 Exactly!!!
Image credits: AlanKnoxHasty
If you feel like the world is going to bits and no one else cares, just check out what people on the r/LostGeneration subreddit are saying. You may find that many actually have a similar mindset to you! You can also see more discussions about today's harsh realities in our previous posts about the subreddit here, here, and here!
#31 A Trans Man In Ohio Was Beat Up And Arrested For Using The Bathroom Associated With His S*x Assigned At Birth. This Isn't A Bug, It's A Feature
Image credits: yuritopiaposadism
#32 This Is What We're Up Against
Image credits: RainaHobbs890-
#33 One Can Dream, Can’t They?
Image credits: PATM0N
#34 Tax The Rich One
Image credits: intelligentshoplifti
#35 This Country Is So Depressing, All It Takes Is One Medical Emergency And Your Finances Are Ruined
Image credits: [deleted]
#36 Murica
Image credits: nevertellmethe0ddz
#37 Just In Case You Didn't Get The Message
Image credits: Fuck_Off_Libshit
#38 I Know A Lot Of Friends With The Side Hustle Mindset. I See It As Sad More Than Anything
Image credits: ConsoleKev
#39 Oh, No! Anything But That!
Image credits: Kevin_dream88
#40 No War But Class War
Image credits: jouscat
#41 Some Bootlicker Making Poverty Wages Went And Shot A Pregnant Women To Protect His Capitalist Overlords
Image credits: yuritopiaposadism
#42 Let's Talk About This
Image credits: EsquELISCr
#43 The Cruelty Is The Point
Image credits: AntonioArellano
#44 Thanks Reagan…
Image credits: [deleted]
#45 *angry Mao Noises*
Image credits: kevinowdziej
#46 You Are Drinking From A Bottle
Image credits: kevinowdziej
#47 Labor History Is Important!
Image credits: PristineAdff
#48 USA Would Never ?
Image credits: [deleted]
#49 This Logic Brought To You By The State Of Tennessee
Image credits: LiveWithinYourMemes
#50 Cool Cool Cool
Image credits: kevinowdziej
