Why are people today so unhappy?

@DarthVengeant

I know you and I disagree here and there but I always enjoy your posts because (even if I disagree) they contain wisdom. You also explain your experiences and take on things very well.  I have started to pay close attention to how people explain themselves because within that explanation you understand why they perceive what they explain.  The why is what bridges understanding from one set of ideas/thoughts to another if people are willing to look for that.

“I believe true happiness is unattainable now unless you live way out in the middle of nowhere. Just find some happiness in the simple things.”

Happiness is not only recently relegated to the simple things, that’s where it always was.  But happiness is the wrong word.  People today pursue happiness solely through the self and only in the moment.  This leads to a life of short periods of self pleasure that ultimately do not make you happy.  You seek more of them due to this and you feel more empty to the point you lose hope.  The word you are looking for is contentment.  Long term happiness.  This requires effort, some planning and sacrifice along the way.   It’s not that people would not be willing to do that, it’s that they are told the path to contentment are the short bursts of self gratification and that is entirely a lie.

“Eating Healthy and getting exercise can make you “feel” better, but again, that only goes so far when you have the mental nonsense we have to endure socially today.”

Agreed 100%.  Happiness/contentment is ultimately a feeling/emotion.  Your body alone won’t really create happiness but it can certainly detract from it.  And yes, the mental incongruity we see today DOES harm people. I fear that’s entirely the point of it.

“I have NO place for any of that in my life, at all. If people are not ENCHANCING your life, then they shouldn’t be in it. ”

I find that a very selfish and unproductive attitude.  Why?  People tend to assume the only way they affect another person is if they have some fairly decent relationship with them where they are involved in their lives frequently.  This is entirely incorrect.  Every interaction you and I have everyday with people can affect them negatively or positively.  This can be up-close or even from afar.  Most times you never know that a simple kindness you did that meant nothing to you meant the world to someone else.  In fact, these things we rarely ever know about.

So to refuse to participate in society is to deprive others of the good you can do.  Essentially just by being you in a positive way you can make the world around you slightly better.  If more people did this instead of taking a bottle of black pills (I am guilty of that myself) the world would be a much better place slowly but surely.

All the negativity has caused many good folks like yourself to recoil from society.  I believe that is entirely intended.  I have talked to a number of friends lately from different political sides and they all share this idea that nothing can change so why bother trying.  Again, that’s the way they want you to feel.  They don’t want you to fight they just want you to submit.

“‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.” -Leviticus 19:16

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”–John 13:34-35

@SuperSoynic_Speed

it’s not always directly monetary but there is always a reward you work for. People do not work longer hours for absolutely no reward. It’s either directly monetary or to show your ambition or skill for a possible promotion for example.

Well I mean to some degree that is primal.  A lioness when chasing a gazelle will instinctively only put so much effort into it as at some point the calorie expenditure of that hunt outweighs the caloric benefit.

But you are conflating immediate reward and delayed gratification.  The motivation for both is personal gain but one takes planning and determination and the other does not.

What you are stating is a major reason why communism and “equity” are failed systems.  The motivation that capitalism hinges on is not created by capitalism itself, it’s a human component, capitalism just acknowledges and harnesses it.

I mean if you put minimum effort without getting fired you are far from maximizing your reward. What I mean, again, is people tend to not work past the reward without benefits. Any person chooses the 9-3 over 9-6 with the same pay and ceteris paribus. Why would anyone spend extra time at the office knowing they get no reward, be it monetary or anything else, over spending time with their family for example? I think that is pretty obvious

When you say reward I think you mean something coming from an authoritative position such as a bonus or a promotion.  I believe you are projecting how you think of work.  But this is not the only definition.  Many people work for self achievement.  Some work as they enjoy it.  And others sometimes rather work than have to be home for a numbers of reasons.

So if we stick with your narrow definition then sure I guess you are correct.  But this is not the only way to look at it.

I love my job.  What I do, for me, is fun.  I will spend hours working on things that no one else will even know about.  So there is no external reward for me.  It’s an internal one.  And I ,about 2 days ago,  talked to a guy who was all about his work as well.  He is just starting out, he likes it and he will do more than what is needed as he rather be at work than home.  Things like that may be because you have some home situation you dislike because of family, or maybe you are lonely at home so you rather be at work with other folks.  Again, an internal reward.

It is often mentioned that we don’t appreciate what we have, and many times we have a lot.

I think this is absolutely true, well said.  But I think this means not only recognize how much you have, but realizing the value of the important things.  Have a $100k sports car might be cool.  And you should appreciate having such a thing and the resources to have it.  But it’s value is insignificant vs. having say a loving wife and kids.  Your (our) priority should be to make sure we keep and properly maintain the family and not so much the car.