Recapturing Our Lost and Disillusioned Youth
Our nation's Declaration of Independence begins with the famous statement that "all men ... are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
But according to the latest Gallup World Happiness Report, Americans' success in the "pursuit of happiness" is diminishing.
For the first time since the annual report was first compiled in 2012, the United States is not among the top 20 happiest countries in the world.
In this latest 2024 report, the United States ranks 23 in the world, down from number 15 in 2023.
A large factor influencing the drop in happiness in the United States is particularly bad results among young Americans. For those age 30 and below, the United States ranks 62 in the world. This compared to those age 60 and above, for whom the United States ranks number 10.
What's going on with our youth?
A recent Wall Street Journal article about so-called Gen Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, identifies members of Gen Z who are 18 and up as "America's Most Disillusioned Voters."
The headline continues, "Young adults are now more skeptical of government and pessimistic about the future than any other living generation before them."
Per Wall Street Journal polling reported in the article, "More than three-quarters of voters under 30 think the country is moving in the wrong direction -- a greater share than any other age group. Nearly one-third of voters under 30 have an unfavorable view of both Biden and Trump, a higher number than all older voters. Sixty-three percent of young voters think neither party adequately represents them."
In the 18-25 age group, 28% say they have "hardly any confidence" in the Supreme Court, 34% in Congress, 37% in the executive branch and 52% in the press.
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