Author: Stanley, L., Tanner, W., Treadwell, J., Blagden, J.
Summary
Youth is supposed to be a time for optimism and exuberance. We are conditioned to think of young people as carefree, socially connected and democratically liberal. And historically, at least, it was true. Surveys from the middle of the last century show younger people were considerably happier and more socially trusting than older people. But something has changed.
Young people today are unhappier, less socially trusting, and more detached from society than young people historically or older people today. They have fewer friends and lower quality friendships. They are less likely to volunteer or contribute to their neighbourhood. They are more likely to suffer emotional problems at school and stress at work. And their narrowing social networks are undermining economic mobility. All of these are self-reinforcing, with narrower networks driving greater loneliness and lower social trust.
This is not just about rising loneliness among young people. It is also driving a generational slide away from social and democratic norms towards atomisation and authoritarianism. Nearly half of millennials believe that army rule would be a good way to run the country, for example, triple the level a decade ago. The atomisation of youth will have profound implications if left unchecked.
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