Is the World Getting Happier? — And What We’re Missing

© 2026 By Luis A. Marrero, Boston Institute for Meaningful Purpose

[Text written by, with, and for human intelligence.]

Most of us assume that if the world becomes wealthier, healthier, and more technologically advanced, people should also become happier.

But that’s not what the data show.

Over the past two decades, we’ve made remarkable material progress — yet many people feel more stressed, lonelier, and less hopeful than before. The puzzle is not a lack of solutions. It is a deeper problem of meaning.

This blog explains what the evidence tells us, why well-being is faltering in many places, where we are seeing progress, and how a logoteleological (meaning-first) approach helps us understand both.

What the global data actually show

Looking across the best global sources — especially the World Happiness Report and Gallup’s Global Emotions data — three patterns stand out.

1) Happiness has plateaued in many places. For large parts of the world, life satisfaction is no longer steadily rising (Helliwell et al., 2024). People are richer than before, but not consistently happier.

2) Young people are struggling the most. Since about 2006–2010, happiness among people aged 15–24 has declined sharply in North America and parts of Western Europe—sometimes reversing the usual pattern in which young adults are happier than older adults (World Happiness Report, 2024).

3) Negative emotions remain high. Gallup reports that worry, stress, and anger remain much higher than they were a decade ago, even after the worst of the pandemic (Ray, 2025; Gallup, 2024).

4) More wealth does not equal more happiness. This echoes what economists have long called the Easterlin Paradox: income and happiness are related across countries at a given moment in time, but long-term economic growth does not reliably make nations happier (Easterlin, 2010).

But there is good news: some countries are doing better

The story is not only bleak. Two places consistently show a different pattern.

The Nordic countries

Countries such as Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden rank highly in happiness not because they are the richest, but because they have high social trust, low corruption, fair institutions, strong social safety nets, and real freedom of choice (Helliwell et al., 2024).

Costa Rica

Costa Rica shows that you don’t need extreme wealth to achieve high well-being. Its focus on public education, universal healthcare, environmental protection, and peace rather than military power has fostered strong social cohesion (UNDP, 2023).

Why well-being is faltering: the meaning problem

From a meaning-first perspective, several patterns explain today’s struggles:

Coherence breakdown 

When people don’t understand what is really happening in society, they feel anxious and distrustful.

Erosion of trust and belonging 

More young people report having no one they can rely on for support—now approximately 19% globally (World Happiness Report, 2025).

Values decoupling 

Many organizations say they value dignity and fairness, but their actions don’t match their words.

Aim pathology 

Many people chase goals that look good on paper but feel empty inside.

Shrinking sense of agency 

When systems feel unresponsive and unfair, people disengage.

How logoteleology helps people be happier

Logoteleology helps by diagnosing true causes, translating values into actual behavior, and realigning aims with a meaningful purpose.

From evidence to action

If we want a happier world, we must:- Diagnose meaning before designing solutions.  - Align policies and culture with stated values.  - Build trust through fair practice.  - Strengthen shared purpose.  - Protect early warning voices — the Cassandra Effect.

Want the full academic version of this blog?

If this sparked your interest, read the complete scholarly paper: "Is the World Getting Happier Over Time? Global Well-Being Trends, Logoteleological Failure Patterns, and a Meaning-First Path Forward."

Visit: https://www.bostonimp.com/research-meaningful-purpose-psychology to download the paper.

You can also read more about the Cassandra Paradox and Effect here:https://www.bostonimp.com/post/logoteleology-s-cassandra-paradox-and-effect

References

Easterlin, R. A. (2010). The happiness–income paradox revisited. PNAS, 107(52), 22463–22468.

Gallup. (2023). Global rise in unhappiness stalls.

Gallup. (2024). Negative emotions take a positive turn.

Helliwell, J. F., Huang, H., Wang, S., & Norton, M. (2024). World Happiness Report 2024.

Ray, J. (2025). Tracking the world’s emotional health. Gallup.

United Nations Development Programme. (2023). Costa Rica country profile.

World Happiness Report. (2024).

World Happiness Report. (2025).