I'm kinda confused about this poll that says Americans are among the most stressed in the world

[ck4829]

Last edited Thu Apr 25, 2019, 07:33 PM - Edit history (1)

Americans are among the most stressed people in the world, according to a new survey. And that's just the start of it.
Last year, Americans reported feeling stress, anger and worry at the highest levels in a decade, according to the survey, part of an annual Gallup poll of more than 150,000 people around the world, released on Thursday.

"What really stood out for the U.S. is the increase in the negative experiences," said Julie Ray, Gallup's managing editor for world news. "This was kind of a surprise to us when we saw the numbers head in this direction."

For the annual poll, started in 2005, Gallup asks individuals about whether they have experienced a handful of positive or negative feelings the day before being interviewed. The data on Americans is based on responses from more than 1,000 adults.

In the United States, about 55 percent of adults said they had experienced stress during "a lot of the day" prior, compared with just 35 percent globally. Statistically, that put the country on par with Greece, which had led the rankings on stress since 2012. About 45 percent of the Americans surveyed said they had felt "a lot" of worry the day before, compared with a global average of 39 percent. Meanwhile, the share of Americans who reported feeling "a lot" of anger the day before being interviewed was the same as the global average: 22 percent.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/25/us/americans-stressful.html

But the Dow is at an all time high, billionaires are richer than ever, and we have a Republican white house, and the President has Alex Jones on speed dial; so it really makes no sense that Americans are so stressed... What's going on here? I'm a little confused here, peeps. Help me out here.

[tymorial]

1. We work more, we have greater wealth disparity and what we do have doesn't go as far as it used to

Even though many voters continue to vote for republicans under the delusion that Republican wealth somehow benefits them personally, despite their delusion they are not immune to reality.

[Kurt V.]

2. h y p e r c a p i t a l i s m. but we're so acclimated

we mostly don't see it.

[CountAllVotes]

3. Not everyone is a billionaire

Childhood poverty rates:

>>About 15 million children in the United States – 21% of all children – live in families with incomes below the federal poverty threshold, a measurement that has been shown to underestimate the needs of families. Research shows that, on average, families need an income of about twice that level to cover basic expenses. Using this standard, 43% of children live in low-income families.

Most of these children have parents who work, but low wages and unstable employment leave their families struggling to make ends meet. Poverty can impede children’s ability to learn and contribute to social, emotional, and behavioral problems. Poverty also can contribute to poor health and mental health. Risks are greatest for children who experience poverty when they are young and/or experience deep and persistent poverty.

http://www.nccp.org/topics/childpoverty.html

Not everyone has $ in the stock market.

Not everyone in America has everything they need and too many of us live in poverty today. If that alone does not cause unnecessary stress, I do not know what else will.

When you do not have what you NEED to live a good life, it is stressful!

[ck4829]

4. This is very true. Just to be clear, my comment in the OP is pure, unadulterated snark.

[CountAllVotes]

6. Oh thank god

Glad to know this, I really am!

AmeriKKKa ain't what she used to be before the world of dumpsters like tRump!!

[applegrove]

5. CEOs trying to get big bonuses by cancelling bathroom breaks and thus

forcing people to go without coffee or music all day. Hiring OCD people, nature's coutiers, as managers everywhere. US used to be a functioning democracy. Now it has taken on the structure of a monarchy.

[BigmanPigman]

7. You're focused on the wrong set of numbers.

Look at REAL income, not the stock market. Yesterday Elizabeth Warren said that she remembers when she grew up that a family of three could live on one working adult making minimum wage. That has not been the case in 40 years thanks to Reaganomics and greed, etc. Add increased costs in health care, education and rents(forget affording a home) and you have one very stressed out country. Loom at the chart in that article (I did from this other DU post https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2308058) and you will see that it has gotten worse since 2016 when the fucking moron entered our lives and made us go from bad to worse.

[empedocles]

8. Anyone growing up in the 50's-60's can see the decline so easily.

Younger ones can't quite 'get it'.

[BigmanPigman]

10. Yet, according to the article they are even more stressed out.

I don't get that since they don't have anything to compare it to.

[Yavin4]

9. This happens when the quality of your life is dependent on your utility to the capitalist class

Your education, healthcare, housing, food, etc. are directly tied to your "marketable" skills. When you don't have these skills, our society says that it's your fault, and instead of taking political and economic action to improve everyone's outcomes, we just swallow the stress and try even harder.