I’m telling you guys: There is something deeply unwell in our society right now.
You’re not going to see it if you’re a member of the select, far right-hand side of the bell curve. If you and your peer group are educated, financially successful, and healthy, our society probably feels better than ever.
But, travel outside that bubble that most of us here—myself included—inhabit, and you’ll notice a pervasive sense that something just isn’t right.
I don’t know what it is. It’s more than economic. It’s more than physical health, or anything material (though it certainly creates ripple effects across all those domains).
It’s nothing less than metaphysical. For lack of a better term, it’s a vibe shift.
It’s a sense of apathy that you feel emanating from far too many people—especially from the young, who should have all the hope in the world. It’s a lack of aspiration, of seeking a better life and better conditions for oneself.
It’s dead eyes. Pop music and cinema that just feel lifeless. Teenagers not caring enough to get their drivers licenses anymore (or even to sneak a couple beers with friends). A world where too few of us feel like we have a purpose, and too many of us are finding nothing but despair on 6” phone screens.
I don’t know what the causes are. I’m sure social media, economic malaise, Covid lockdowns, fentanyl, and every other reason we hear about factor into it.
All of those reasons, though, in aggregate, still feel insufficient. They might be symptoms that compound the underlying disease, but they are not, in and of themselves, the root cause.
I also don’t know what the solution is. I wish I did. I’m one small person just trying to spread positive vibes on social media and trying to raise my kids right.
But I am 100% certain that something is wrong. And I hate seeing it, and I wish there were anything I could do about it.