The world may look more and more materialistic, and the pandemic still seems far from being over. Just these two factors could have upended the thinking of many.
But thankfully, a major new opinion survey reveals that a majority of people in the developed world still see family at the center of their satisfaction and fulfillment in life.
The Pew Research Center undertook the survey with an open-ended question about the meaning of life to nearly 19,000 adults across 17 advanced economies.
And what was the single word that rang across the spectrum – family. More people see family as a “source of meaning in their lives than any other factor,” the survey found.
By family, most people cite their relationships with parents, siblings, children, and grandchildren. Spending time with the nearest is one source of gratification, pride, and accomplishment.
In Australia, New Zealand, Greece, and the United States, around half or more say their family is something that makes their lives fulfilling, the Pew said in a report.
The survey findings come as the United States gears up to celebrate winter holidays with two of the biggest festivals – Christmas and the New Year – seeing a lot of people traveling to be with family on these occasions. These two festivals come after Thanksgiving, which remains the biggest binding occasion for people living away from their families.
The survey findings say people are also “largely united in the relative emphasis placed on careers and occupations.”
In terms of financial stability and advancement, jobs are one of the top three sources of meaning for people in most places surveyed.
“Still, the emphasis placed on them can vary widely, from a high of 43% in Italy to a low of 6% in South Korea.”
At the same time, in Italy, many cite their occupation as citing their family as a source of meaning.
In places like the U.S., only around a third as many cite their careers.
The research organization reports that health, too, is relatively top of mind, coming up as one of the top three sources of meaning for people in around a third of the places surveyed.
Still, the relative emphasis on health can vary widely, from 48% who mention it in Spain – making it the top source of meaning for Spaniards – to only 6% who say the same in Taiwan.
But for most people, the emphasis on health is not tied directly to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pew says.
