Let’s face it: We are a stressed-out country. The COVID-19 pandemic, economic upheavals, racial injustice, gun violence, climate change and political divisiveness have dominated news coverage for years and served as major stressors.
A 2022 study sponsored by the American Psychological Association found three-quarters of adults said violence and crime were a significant source of stress, with 73 percent agreeing that mass shootings added to their stress levels.
Lack of money is another significant stressor, with 57 percent worrying about being able to pay their mortgages, rent or buy food.
The Republican “war on woke” has also contributed to national anxiety. Sixty-four percent of all adults believe their rights are under attack, with 68 percent of women under age 35 and 72 percent of those who identify as LGBTQ in agreement.
Summarizing these results, the American Psychological Association described “a battered American psyche.”
Young Americans are reporting significant levels of stress. In 2018, the American Psychological Association sponsored a major study of Generation Z (those born in 1997 or after) and found a high degree of personal disillusionment: 81 percent were stressed about money; 77 percent were stressed about work; 73 percent felt stress because of school shootings; 62 percent were concerned about the rise in suicide rates; 58 percent were worried about climate change and global warming; 57 percent were stressed due to the separation and deportation of migrant families; and 53 percent reported stress related to widespread sexual harassment and assault reports.
These numbers are hardly surprising. Today’s youngest voters have been shaped by a series of governmental failures: economic dislocations, school shootings, climate change, racial discrimination, a worldwide pandemic and failed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have left this generation scarred.
Exorbitant college tuitions and student loans make buying a home a virtual impossibility. A recent study found one-third of Generation Z believes buying a home is something they will never be able to achieve while nearly a third report living with their parents. Ives Williams, a 24-year-old sales associate from Baltimore, told the New York Times: “Yeah, I’m going to kill this American dream in my head before it even really gets too deep in there.”
This is also the “shelter in place” generation that has been trained in what to do should an armed gunman invade their school.
Climate change has made Generation Z wonder whether will live on a habitable planet.
No wonder disillusionment is commonplace.
Government is hardly a source of solace. With a former president facing four indictments and 91 criminal charges, our political institutions are under the greatest stress since the Civil War. In 2022, 70 percent did not think people in government cared about them; 45 percent said they did not feel protected by U.S. laws; nearly two-in-five adults said the state of the nation made them consider moving to a different country.
The result is a diminished American Dream. More than three-quarters of adults say the future of the country is a significant source of stress, and 68 percent believe this is the lowest point in the country’s history that they can remember. Sixty percent said the current political climate causes them a significant amount of stress — and that was before the four Trump indictments.
All this has led to a diminished ability for many of us to carry out our daily activities. In that 2022 study, 37 percent were so stressed that they could not bring themselves to do anything; 21 percent experienced forgetfulness; 20 percent were unable to concentrate; and 17 percent had difficulty making daily decisions. Approximately one-third felt overwhelmed by stress on most days. Among these stressed-out adults, 36 percent said their mental health was adversely impacted; 33 percent reported changes in eating habits and 32 percent said their physical health had deteriorated.
James Carville once coined the famous axiom, “It’s the economy, stupid!” In Carville’s estimation, it was the economy that was the driving force behind election outcomes. A good economy meant incumbent presidents won; a bad one signaled defeat. An improved economy for Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama resulted in their reelection victories, while poor economic performances meant defeat for Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush.
But in this stressed out-nation, the economy may not explain next year’s results. Today, James Carville has expressed some skepticism about his old axiom: “I’m starting to doubt myself a little bit, because this economy is quite good. Maybe it will kick in. And sometimes it takes a while for people to feel it.”
In 1968, Robert F. Kennedy explained that economic indicators alone may be inadequate measurements of the nation’s well-being:
“The Gross National Product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate, or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country. It measures everything in short except that which makes life worthwhile.”
It is these deficits that are upending the old rules of politics and serve as one explanation for why the Biden White House has such a difficult time selling “Bidenomics.” While an improved economy matters and delivered results are important, what matters even more to our long-term political health is that we begin to feel better about ourselves — both in our daily lives and in the life of this country.
John Kenneth White is a professor of Politics at The Catholic University of America. His latest book, co-authored with Matthew Kerbel, is titled “American Political Parties: Why They Formed, How They Function, and Where They’re Headed.”