In recent years, a growing number of young individuals in various countries worldwide have been enjoying unprecedented levels of wealth, safety and health. This notwithstanding, many representatives of these youth have been reporting lower levels of happiness which can be attributed to the inclination to take their privileges for granted and ubiquitous bombardment of advertising campaigns promoting desire for even more. I believe there are potential measures to sustain the well-being of the young through cultivation of familial values and sustaining a supportive educational environment.
One primary reason for this unhappiness among the young is their tendency to underevaluate their privileged circumstances which they take for granted. As they grow accustomed to a certain level of comfort and safety, they fail to acknowledge their improved living conditions. This phenomenon can be exemplified by the rising rates of anxiety and even depression recorded in many wealthy European nations, where young people compare their lives with the lives of those in social media, which are often idealized. Moreover, targeted advertising campaigns further exacerbate these issues by promoting unattainable standards, making vulnerable youth neglect what they already have and instilling the desire to pursue material possessions, often at the expense of mental well-being.
This paradigm can be addressed at two levels. First and foremost, it is imperative for parents to invest more of their time into upbringing their young and emphasizing the importance of interpersonal relationships and personal achievements over materialistic pursuit. Parents should model mindfulness and foster the familial environment in which their children recognize and appreciate the value of what they already possess, both at a materialistic and interpersonal level. Additionally, educational institutions should incorporate programmes that emphasize character development, social skills over pure materialistic success. Schools can engage students in meaningful discussion about values, such as hard work, support, friendship. Engaging young people in volunteer work or community service has the potential to redirect young minds from the influence of social media and advertisers trying to tie them to the materialistic rather than humanistic.
To sum up, the paradox of rising wealth but declining happiness among young people can be explained by their taking what they already have for granted and desiring more under the pressure of social media and advertisements.This can be addressed by instilling interpersonal values by families and adopting holistic development approach centres at promoting personal growth, supportive educational framework at schools.