Why rich societies became prosperous and anxious

Material progress without happiness

Developed societies enjoy better health, safety, and wealth than ever before, yet experience widespread unhappiness and anxiety despite these objective improvements.

Negativity bias dominates

Humans tend to fixate on threats like climate change and inequality rather than appreciating the achievements that created current prosperity.

Humans are cultural creatures first

We evolved to cooperate through shared beliefs and social interaction, not merely to maximize individual utility as economic models assume.

Collective belief drives economic outcomes

Shared faith in progress and purpose determines institutional effectiveness and GDP growth more than rational calculation alone.

Identity requires shared mission

Individual wellbeing depends on feeling part of a collective endeavor larger than oneself, linking personal identity to group outcomes.

Economics legitimized selfishness

The profession's focus on utility maximization—amplified by Chicago School evangelists like Milton Friedman—replaced collective good with permission to pursue pure self-interest.

Technology accelerates isolation

Smartphones and social media enable physical withdrawal from community, eroding the face-to-face interactions essential for human satisfaction.

Extreme ideologies fill the vacuum

As traditional communal beliefs erode, polarizing movements from MAGA to the "manosphere" rush in to provide the belonging and identity humans crave.

Rejecting degrowth pessimism

Environmental concerns have morphed into anti-development beliefs that lack faith in human ingenuity to solve climate challenges while continuing to advance.

Innovation isn't exhausted

The belief that we've run out of big ideas reflects dangerous complacency rather than actual technological limits, comparing unfavorably to the 1870-1970 period.

Redefining societal mission

Societies need shared narratives focused on long-term progress, understanding the universe, and mutual care rather than zero-sum competition over static resources.