[CliffFletcher]

Yes, our declining life satisfaction is rooted in social alienation more than material deprivation. People in the bottom quartile in income suffer hardships that affect their happiness. But people in median income households don’t get any happier as they climb the income ladder. Once you’re not poor, social connections, belonging, and meaning become far more important indicators of life satisfaction than income.

The number of people you’re close with, how much time you spend with them face-to-face, whether you feel valued. Essential stuff, and all on a downward trend. But as a society we’re at a loss for how to restore social networks and find meaning. So we point the finger at corrupt elites, the rich, or the system.