Younger generations aren't inherently weaker; they are reacting to an unprecedented volume of external voices from social media. Previous generations contended with a few dozen key influencers (family, teachers), not the thousands that now amplify the inner critic daily.

Technology exposes us to limitless possibilities—from parenting styles to body modifications. This creates a pervasive insecurity and a 'rabid delusion of endless craving.' The constant awareness of what others are doing or have drives a pathological need to keep up, leading to profound consumerism and dissatisfaction.

Young people face a dual crisis: economic hardship and a psychological barrage from social media's curated success. This creates a "shame economy," where constant notifications of others' fake wealth intensify feelings of failure, loneliness, and anxiety more than any other societal factor.

The distorted perception of one's financial health, or 'money dysmorphia,' is not exclusive to the financially insecure. A significant portion of Americans earning over $100k annually do not consider themselves wealthy, revealing a stark disconnect between financial reality and perception fueled by online comparisons to extreme wealth.

While technology enriches the world on an absolute basis (e.g., flight, internet), it also dramatically expands our "comparison set" via social media. This paradox means that seeing others' seemingly better lives can make individuals feel more miserable, despite their own improved conditions.

While technology improves life on an absolute basis, it paradoxically increases feelings of inadequacy. Social media exposes everyone to the lifestyles of the ultra-wealthy, shifting our happiness benchmark from local peers to a global elite and fueling relative dissatisfaction despite objective progress.

Despite living with unprecedented wealth, many in the West feel a 'cost of living crisis.' This is because human happiness is dictated by a narrow frame of reference—we compare ourselves to our immediate peers, not to the global population or to past generations. Our sense of well-being is relative, not absolute.

Historically, financial comparison was contained within socioeconomically similar neighborhoods. Social media removes these geographic and social barriers, constantly exposing individuals to global, hyper-affluent lifestyles. This distorts the perception of 'normal,' making luxury seem common and fueling widespread feelings of financial inadequacy.

A major source of modern anxiety is the tendency to benchmark one's life against a minuscule fraction of outliers—the world's most famous and wealthy people. This creates a distorted view of success. Shifting focus to the vast majority of humanity provides a healthier perspective.