The contemporary society has hit some fundamental marks of quality of life with people living longer than before, having access to better education, being more connected than ever before and so on.
Still, a majority of people think life today is not as enjoyable as it used to be half a century ago.
In the era, marked by digital and medical advances, there could be a lot of factors that leave a collective effect on the wellness of people and their perceptions.
So, what exactly is behind this state of mixed fortunes?
A new report on the social well-being of the people has some answers, that may generally be true about all societies having capitalist, mixed, developing, and struggling economies.
The World Social Report 2025 specifically point out , loss of jobs, economic instability, conflict, and climate shocks around the world shape a sobering sentiment, indicating a widespread lack of confidence in the future. In fact, the report finds that billions of people around the world are living in fear of job loss or struggling to find work.
“Despite people living longer, being better educated and more connected than ever before, many believe that life today is worse than it was 50 years ago,” a UN summary of the report says.
Around 60 per cent of people surveyed on life satisfaction reported that they were “struggling” with a further 12 per cent describing themselves as “suffering.” In a growing contrast with the previous decades, economic instability is no longer limited to the world’s poorest regions. In high-income countries trends like rising job uncertainty, gig work and the digital transition are contributing to this trend.
The give and take in these jobs does not seem to help either. Such jobs may offer flexibility but they often come at the cost of security and rights. As a result, workers are reduced to being mere service providers in a commodified labor market.
Another reason that adds to dissatisfaction of people low and middle-income countries is the employment with no safety net remains the norm, locking workers into cycles of low pay, instability, and zero benefits.
There are 2.8 billion people living on less than $6.85 a day – the threshold for extreme poverty. In this scenario, “even a small shock can send people into extreme poverty and any escapes from poverty are often temporary,” the report warns.
A worrying dimension of the study is the eroding confidence in public institutions that is linked to financial pressures and instability. This way confidence becomes a casualty, particularly among young people.
As per the findings, more than half the world’s population (57 per cent) now expresses low levels of confidence in government. The trust levels are even lower among people born in the 21st century – raising concerns about long-term civic disengagement and political instability.
Apart from the confidence in public institutions, people are no longer trusting each other as they would in the past. The UN News says fewer than 30 per cent of people in countries with available data believe that most others can be trusted, undermining social cohesion and complicating efforts for collective action.
“The spread of misinformation and disinformation, facilitated by digital technologies, is reinforcing divisions and fueling distrust,” the report says, warning of abuse and misuse of digital platforms and social media to spread deceit and hate speech, and stoke conflicts.
“Often, users find themselves immersed in virtual and siloed ‘echo chambers’ where they are exposed to news and opinions that align with and may even radicalize their views.”
The report notes that platform algorithms facilitate the creation of such echo chambers and reward more extreme content and engagement with higher visibility.
Hope amidst challenges
A silver lining in the gloomy scenario could be human unity.
As part of rescue efforts the report recommends a bold shift in policymaking – one grounded in equity, economic security and solidarity like greater investment in people through with access to quality education, healthcare, housing and robust social protection systems. The objective is to enable resilience and inclusive growth.
“Now more than ever, we must strengthen our resolve to come together and build a world that is more just, secure, resilient and united, says UN Secretary-General Guterres.
However, there is a lot the society can do to heal itself, and there has been some good news as well. Acts of sharing and caring in troubled times could be an effective antidote, a force for recovery of confidence and a way toward resilience.
Such comforting results can be achieved through both individual actions and well-orchestrated work through organizations, especially programs that enhance people’s skills, give scholarships to students, and open new ways for the disadvantaged to adjust to the new demands of life.
There are several examples of such work in almost all civil societies. In Pakistan, Abdul Sattar Edhi and in India Mother Teresa accomplished amazing results in terms of helping the suffering people. Similarly, highly impactful microfinance initiatives like Bangladeshi Dr. Muhammad Younis’s Grameen Bank and Pakistani Dr. Amjad Saqib’s Akhuwat began as community organizations and grew into large organizations.
In this respect, the World Happiness Report found that in 2024, benevolent acts continued to be 10% more frequent than in 2017–19 in all generations and almost all global regions.
These acts of benevolence increased during COVID-19 in every region of the world. When people needed more help, others responded.
WHR notes, “when society is more benevolent, the people who benefit most are those who are least happy. As a result, happiness is more equally distributed in countries with higher levels of expected benevolence.”
There are many other things that people can do in these times of heightened awareness about health and wellness, especially when faced with loneliness and isolation. For example, Individuals can also help themselves like practicing the timeless values of being content while struggling for the better.
