Elmo Reveals that We're Not Okay
A simple "How are you doing?" from Elmo on X prompts an outpouring of the stark reality that people are not doing well.
How are you doing?
From Elmo, the red furry monster on sesame street best known for his laugh and doing the right thing.
In a time where we could use a lot more humanity Elmo did the right thing by asking us “How are you doing?”.
Elmo quickly discovered that people are not doing well.
Elmo's innocent query ricocheted across social media platforms X (formally Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook, triggering an outpouring of heartfelt messages spanning from personal struggles to existential crises. As conversations erupted on Reddit and beyond, Elmo graciously became the unexpected confidant, embracing the tales of heartache and hope with open arms.
Little did Elmo know, he was about to be inundated with various responses ranging from football losses to job layoffs, marital woes, mental health challenges, and concerns about the state of the world.
The official Sesame Street account scrambled to share mental health resources in response to the overwhelming deluge.
Even President Biden weighed in.
Elmo's innocent question unearthed a nation teetering on the edge. From crippling debt to pervasive anxiety, from societal divides to existential dread, the fabric of American wellbeing appears frayed at the seams.
Kirsten Powers is 100% correct; "The way we live in the United States is not normal."
"I realized there are other places in the world (not just Italy) where life isn't about conspicuous consumption and "crushing" and "killing" your life goals, where people aren't drowning in debt just to pay for basic life necessities. There are places where people have free time and where that free time is used to do things they love — not to start a side hustle."
And, more reasons why we are not OK from Kirsten Powers.
One turning point was a dinner with our friends Frances and Ed, who have lived in Italy for half the year for decades. They brought along an American friend who had moved from Brooklyn to Tuscany to open a hotel a decade prior. I asked if she ever considered returning to the United States. She said no—she would never raise her son in the United States unless they changed the gun laws. She didn't want her child to be slaughtered at school by a lunatic gunman and listen to people chalk it up to the price you pay for "freedom," as though people in other countries are not free because they can't own an assault rifle.
Oh, right, this is not normal. We don't have to live like this.
Our nation's success is tethered to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a metric solely focused on economic health. But what about the broader indicators of our society's wellbeing – its people's health, safety, and happiness? GDP alone fails to capture the true pulse of a nation, leaving us blind to the fundamental aspects of humanity. We've lost sight of the basics of humanity in pursuit of an elusive American Dream, leaving a trail of broken spirits in our wake.
We have this insane belief that there needs to be suffering, dust yourself off, and pull yourself up by your bootstraps mentality to be an upstanding American. The prevailing notion that suffering is a necessary ingredient for success is flawed.
The repercussions of this narrow focus are evident.
Mental health is getting worse by multiple metrics. Suicide rates have risen by about 30% since 2000. Almost a third of U.S. adults now report symptoms of either depression or anxiety, roughly three times as many as in 2019, and about one in 25 adults has a serious mental illness like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. As of late 2022, just 31% of U.S. adults considered their mental health "excellent," down from 43% two decades earlier.
We live in a bitterly divided country where gun violence is common, people are struggling with loneliness, discrimination is getting worse around the world, more than 10% of the population lives in poverty, peacemaking efforts are in crisis as battles in Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine ensue, and the legal system is rolling back rights.
Americans are swimming in medical debt. According to The Urban Institute, 13% of Americans -- over 43 million people -- had medical debt in collections in 2022. That number is higher in communities of color, at 15%—a glaring symptom of a broken system. Even if you are one of the lucky ones to get insurance from their employee, you still pay thousands of dollars out of pocket and need a master's degree in insurance billing to make sense of the labyrinth of medical bills.
Traditional metrics like GDP only tell part of the story. A more holistic approach with metrics measuring happiness encompass a broader spectrum of wellbeing, including mental health, community engagement, and overall life satisfaction.
Understanding the genuine needs of their citizens empowers governments to prioritize initiatives that foster happiness, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for all. Change hinges on electing policymakers who prioritize the wellbeing of society over political agendas, ensuring decisions are driven by compassion and humanity rather than influence from lobbyists or political interests.
Countries prioritizing happiness tend to have lower levels of income inequality, more robust social support systems, and more sustainable environmental practices. By measuring happiness, the U.S. can work towards creating a more equitable and sustainable society.
Countries like Denmark, Norway, and Finland consistently rank among the happiest nations in the world, thanks in part to their comprehensive measures of wellbeing. These countries prioritize healthcare, education, and work-life balance, recognizing that material wealth alone doesn't guarantee happiness.
The World Happiness Report consistently ranks Finland among the world's happiest nations. The government prioritizes education, robust social support systems, and a harmonious work-life balance as foundational pillars of wellbeing. Similarly, Norway consistently earns high marks in happiness indices, underpinned by its emphasis on social trust, extensive support networks, and a culture that values individual freedom in life decisions. Meanwhile, Denmark stands out as a perennial leader in global happiness rankings, credited to its unwavering trust in government institutions, comprehensive social safety nets, and a society characterized by strong communal bonds.
Improving the overall wellbeing requires that we prioritize supporting our basic fundamental needs in order to survive and thrive. Access to affordable housing, education, job training, building out community spaces and peer support programs, and increasing availability of fresh food and green space can profoundly affect wellbeing.
How Measuring Gross Domestic Happiness (GDH) Would Change Our Lives
Adopting a GDH approach would prompt a fundamental shift in our societal values and priorities. People would be encouraged to prioritize relationships, mental health, and personal wellbeing over material wealth and consumption. Decision-makers would then need to consider how their choices impact the overall happiness of the population.
A GDH-oriented society would place a more significant emphasis on healthcare, preventive medicine, and mental health services. Access to quality healthcare, including mental health support, is a crucial aspect of national wellbeing.
Education would evolve to focus on nurturing creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. Lifelong learning would become a core aspect of personal development, contributing to overall happiness and adaptability in an ever-changing world. Education should be accessible to all, and teachers in all parts of the country deserve more appreciation, value, and increased wages. Shame on us for saddling our youth with student loan debt and creating a system where access and choices coincides with wealth.
The pursuit of sustainability would become paramount. Environmentally friendly practices and policies would be prioritized to ensure the wellbeing of current and future generations. Conservation and responsible resource management would be essential considerations.
The traditional work culture in the United States could experience a significant transformation. Emphasis on work-life balance, flexible work arrangements, and reduced working hours might become more prevalent to enhance employee happiness and satisfaction.
“European countries like Germany and Spain ranked high for work-life balance, due to their lower number of hours worked per year. German employees work the least amount of hours in the world, clocking in 1,349 hours per year. That's compared to the U.S., where employees work 1,801 hours per year. What would you do with nearly 500 extra hours of free time?”
Stronger communities and social bonds would be encouraged. Decision-makers would prioritize policies that promote social cohesion, volunteering, and community engagement, fostering a sense of belonging and happiness. We know from Harvard's longest study on human happiness that good relationships lead to health and happiness. The trick is that those relationships must be nurtured.
How does one build relationships if they are working three jobs just to put food on the table?
Policies aimed at reducing inequality, discrimination, and poverty would become central. Social safety nets, fair wages, and affordable housing would be prioritized to ensure a more equitable distribution of wellbeing.
The adoption of Gross Domestic Happiness as a central measure of success in the United States would usher in a much needed change in our society. This shift would encourage a more holistic approach to wellbeing, valuing mental and physical health, education, social connections, environmental sustainability, and economic prosperity. Decision-makers at all levels would need to consider the impact of their choices on the overall happiness of the population. Ultimately, measuring Gross Domestic Happiness could lead to a more balanced, equitable, and fulfilling way of life for all Americans.
Thank you, Elmo, for asking how we're doing.
Now, one can only hope we don't pass this off as just acceptance that it's normal not to be okay in America and instead prioritize our efforts on caring for one another with the humanity and dignity we all deserve.
Watch this for some inspiration!
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