We live in arguably the most advanced era in recorded human history. The general level of safety and medicine have never been better. Economic conditions appear to be improving as well, but it has been noted that young people are not as happy as they used to be in previous centuries. This paradox can be explained by the more intensive competition among young people and the information overload they have to deal with regularly. As for solutions, I can suggest bans related to the use of technology, the latter being a source of unprecedented levels of information.
Money, health and safety can help one be satisfied but not always guarantee happiness, especially now in our overpopulated world of the 21st century where almost every realm seems to witness intensive competition. In other words, people’s likelihood of achieving success and being recognized is lower, a factor that partly explains why they may feel more stressed. To explain this point better, we can use current university admissions as an example. Due to an increasing number of students, the standards in higher education have been rising, and a required academic score from 20-25 years ago may not be impressive or sufficient these days. Some hardworking students may not fulfil their academic goals and be overshadowed by more talented students, both locally and globally. Maslow’s Pyramid can also help explain this phenomenon. As this famed theory explains, after having basic needs fulfilled and achieving a certain level of comfort, people need recognition to be happy, and that is what young people are struggling to accomplish these days.
Another and more important reason for young people’s discontent is related to the proliferation of technology, which presents people with much information to digest on a daily basis. As a 27-year-old who used technology for a bigger part of my life, I know exactly what it feels like to continuously suffer from this new phenomenon we call ‘information overload’. The worst part is the youth often consumes content that has a negative impact on their mental health. Instagram, for example, has been an infamous source of mental health struggles because young individuals using it often compare their own lives with those that seem to be richer, more popular and more respected. This way, they often hurt their self-esteem and feel insecure.
Although some elements of the presented development appear inevitable, some level of unhappiness among the youth can be addressed through effective prohibitions of technology use. In schools and some public places, for instance, teenagers and young adults could be totally banned from using their devices, especially for social media. This way, at least for a few hours daily, they could lead a healthier life where they do not pay too much attention to all notifications and messages they would otherwise have to process.
In conclusion, it is clear that young people are not as happy as one may expect because of the elevated level of stress that comes with fierce competition and information overload. While there may not be a way to deal with this increased competition, measures in terms of reducing technology use can help to make young individuals feel better mentally.