34% Of Young Adults Report Feeling Loneliness - Jordan Peterson

Summary

The Harvard Graduate School of Education's report reveals alarming rates of anxiety among young adults aged 18 to 25, with 34% feeling lonely and 58% lacking purpose. The discussion explores the impact of societal and therapeutic influences on mental health, emphasizing the importance of long-term relationships and social integration for a stable identity and purpose. It critiques the modern focus on self-esteem and short-term gratification, suggesting that a broader, socially inclusive aim is key to mental well-being.

Takeaways

• 📊 A recent report from The Harvard Graduate School of Education reveals high levels of anxiety among young adults, with 34% feeling lonely, 51% affected by achievement pressure, and 58% lacking purpose.
• 🔍 There is a significant gap in understanding the mental health of young adults compared to teens, despite young adults reporting double the rates of anxiety and depression.
• 👨‍🏫 The speaker suggests that the modern therapeutic approach may contribute to mental health issues by promoting a subjective view of mental health and identity, leading to self-centeredness.
• 🧐 The idea that one can define their own identity is criticized as unrealistic, as identity is a social construct that requires mutual recognition from others.
• 💡 A long-term, stable relationship is posited as a prerequisite for mental health, suggesting that commitment to others and community can provide a sense of purpose and reduce anxiety.
• 🤔 The speaker questions the modern focus on self-esteem and self-identity, arguing that it may lead to increased anxiety and a lack of direction in life.
• 🎯 The importance of setting aims and goals that are socially inclusive and long-term is highlighted as a means to achieve mental health and a meaningful life.
• 🎙️ The speaker's experience with podcasting is used as an example of how engaging in activities that contribute to a broader audience can provide a sense of purpose.
• 🔗 Accountability and maintaining harmony between one's words and actions are presented as important aspects of social integration and personal development.
• 🚫 The reduction of sexuality to mere sexual gratification is critiqued, with a call to embed it within the context of a committed relationship for a healthier conceptualization.
• 🌐 The script contrasts two reproductive strategies in the animal kingdom to emphasize the high-investment strategy of humans, which involves long-term relationships and commitment.

Q & A

What percentage of young adults aged 18 to 25 reported feelings of loneliness according to the Harvard Graduate School of Education report?

According to the report, 34% of young adults aged 18 to 25 reported feelings of loneliness.

How did achievement pressure impact the mental health of young adults as mentioned in the transcript?

Achievement pressure negatively impacted the mental health of 51% of the young adults surveyed.

What percentage of young adults felt a lack of meaning or purpose in their lives?

58% of the young adults reported lacking meaning or purpose in their lives in the last month.

What is the speaker's view on the role of therapists in shaping mental health perceptions?

The speaker suggests that therapists, who are described as 'secular, liberal Protestants,' tend to conceptualize mental health as subjective, which may contribute to the idea that one can simply define their own identity.

Why does the speaker believe that young adults might be feeling lost?

The speaker believes young adults might be feeling lost because they are thinking about mental health as something dependent solely on themselves, rather than considering the importance of long-term, stable relationships and social integration.

What does the speaker suggest as a precondition for successful adaptation as a young adult?

The speaker suggests that being married or establishing a long-term, stable relationship is a precondition for successful adaptation as a young adult.

How does the speaker relate the practice of short-term sexual gratification to the development of negative personality traits?

The speaker argues that practicing short-term sexual gratification can lead to the development of psychopathic, narcissistic, and sadistic traits, as it involves using oneself or others for short-term pleasure.

What does the speaker say about the consequences of indulging in short-term sexual gratification, as shared by Russell Brand?

The speaker mentions that Russell Brand experienced despair, anxiety, and hopelessness as consequences of indulging in short-term sexual gratification.

What is the speaker's view on the relationship between self-esteem and the pursuit of short-term desires?

The speaker suggests that focusing on self-esteem and the pursuit of short-term desires can lead to a downward spiral of anxiety, loneliness, and aimlessness.

What does the speaker suggest about the type of people who engage in short-term sexual relationships?

The speaker suggests that those who engage in short-term sexual relationships are likely to be damaged individuals, and that such behavior can lead to further damage.

How does the speaker connect the idea of identity to mental health?

The speaker connects the idea of identity to mental health by stating that playing identity games in the modern world, such as defining oneself by sexuality, can lead to anxiety and hopelessness.

Outlines

00:00

📊 Mental Health Crisis Among Young Adults

This paragraph discusses a report from The Harvard Graduate School of Education that highlights the mental health struggles of young adults aged 18 to 25. Key findings include high rates of loneliness (34%), achievement pressure negatively affecting mental health (51%), and a lack of meaning or purpose (58%). The speaker notes that young adults experience twice the anxiety and depression rates compared to teens, and attributes part of this crisis to the therapeutic world's emphasis on subjective mental health and self-identity. The paragraph also touches on the importance of long-term, stable relationships for mental health and criticizes the modern tendency to define oneself by immediate desires and short-term gratification.

05:01

🎙️ The Role of Podcasting and Social Responsibility

The speaker explores the personal satisfaction derived from podcasting, emphasizing that it is not about self-focus but about establishing a responsible relationship with an audience. Accountability and consistency in one's actions and words are highlighted as crucial for maintaining harmony within a social hierarchy. The paragraph delves into the concept of setting aims and goals that are beneficial in the long term and across various social contexts. It critiques the modern identity games that lead to anxiety and hopelessness, particularly the reduction of self to one's sexuality, and questions the long-term consequences of such a narrow self-definition.

10:03

🛌 The Consequences of Short-Term Sexual Gratification

This paragraph examines the impact of indulging in short-term sexual relationships and the personality traits associated with such behaviors, like psychopathy, narcissism, and sadism. The speaker argues that consistent practice of short-term gratification can lead individuals down a path of despair, anxiety, and hopelessness. The discussion includes an anecdote about Russell Brand's experiences with fame and the pitfalls of unlimited access to short-term sexual encounters. The paragraph concludes by warning against the desolation that comes from a life focused on immediate, low-level desires and the importance of broader life goals and social connections.

15:04

📘 Promoting Element: A Hydration and Health Product

The final paragraph is a promotional message for Element, a hydration product that the speaker has been using for over three years. It describes the benefits of Element, including its electrolyte ratio and its impact on the speaker's daily routine, appetite, and brain health. The promotion introduces a new flavor, chocolate caramel, and offers a no-questions-asked refund policy. The paragraph invites listeners to try Element with a special offer for a free sample pack of all eight flavors with the first box purchase.

Keywords

💡Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. In the video's theme, it is highlighted as a significant issue among young adults, with a report indicating that young adults aged 18 to 25 experience higher rates of anxiety and depression compared to teens. The script discusses the various drivers of anxiety, such as loneliness, achievement pressure, and lack of purpose.

💡Mental Health

Mental health refers to a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how one thinks, feels, and acts, and also influences one's ability to cope with stress and to relate to others. The video emphasizes the negative impact of achievement pressure and lack of meaning on young adults' mental health, suggesting that these factors can exacerbate feelings of anxiety and depression.

💡Loneliness

Loneliness is the distressing feeling that arises from a lack of social connection or companionship. The script reports that 34% of young adults aged 18 to 25 feel lonely, which is a key driver contributing to their anxiety. Loneliness is portrayed as a significant issue that can negatively affect mental health.

💡Achievement Pressure

Achievement pressure is the stress or strain one feels to perform well or to meet certain standards of success. The script mentions that 51% of young adults feel that this pressure negatively impacts their mental health, indicating that societal expectations can lead to mental strain and anxiety.

💡Meaning or Purpose

Meaning or purpose refers to a sense of significance or reason in one's life. The script reveals that 58% of young adults reported lacking this, which is linked to their mental health struggles. The absence of a clear purpose or meaning can lead to feelings of emptiness and can exacerbate anxiety.

💡Identity

Identity is the characteristics determining who or what a person or thing is. The video discusses the concept of identity in the context of mental health, suggesting that a stable and integrated identity can provide a sense of belonging and purpose, which can protect against anxiety. The script criticizes the modern tendency to define identity based on subjective desires rather than broader social roles and responsibilities.

💡Therapeutic World

The term 'therapeutic world' in the script refers to the field of therapy and the cultural influence it has on conceptualizing mental health. The speaker argues that therapists, who are often portrayed as 'secular, liberal Protestants,' tend to view mental health as a subjective, internal state, which may contribute to the rise of individualistic and self-focused identity issues.

💡Social Hierarchy

Social hierarchy refers to the ranking or pecking order within a society or group. The script suggests that establishing oneself within a social hierarchy can provide a sense of identity and purpose, which can be protective against anxiety. It implies that taking on roles and responsibilities within a community can contribute to mental health and well-being.

💡Long-term Stable Relationship

A long-term stable relationship is a lasting and secure bond between individuals, often romantic or familial. The video posits that being in such a relationship is crucial for mental health, as it provides a foundation for identity and purpose, and counters the negative effects of aimlessness and impulsiveness.

💡Self-esteem Movement

The self-esteem movement is a cultural and psychological trend that emphasizes the importance of self-worth and self-acceptance. The script critiques this movement, suggesting that an overemphasis on self-esteem can lead to a self-focused mentality, which may contribute to anxiety and hopelessness by prioritizing immediate desires over long-term well-being.

💡Sexuality

Sexuality in the script is discussed in the context of identity and mental health. It is criticized when reduced to mere sexual desire or acts, suggesting that a healthy understanding of sexuality should be embedded within a relationship and not used as a defining aspect of identity. The speaker argues that defining oneself by sexuality can lead to a narrow and potentially damaging self-concept.

Highlights

A recent report by The Harvard Graduate School of Education reveals the drivers of anxiety in young adults aged 18 to 25.

34% of young adults reported feelings of loneliness, indicating a significant issue with social isolation.

51% claimed achievement pressure negatively affected their mental health, highlighting societal expectations' impact.

58% of respondents reported a lack of meaning or purpose in their lives, underscoring a widespread existential crisis.

50% stated their mental health suffered from uncertainty about life direction, emphasizing the challenges of young adulthood.

Young adults report twice the rates of anxiety and depression compared to teens, revealing a critical transition period.

The therapeutic world's approach to mental health as subjective may contribute to the issue, suggesting a flawed conceptualization.

Therapists' tendency to allow individuals to define their own identity may lead to unrealistic expectations and mental distress.

Long-term, stable relationships are suggested as a precondition for successful adaptation in young adulthood, emphasizing commitment.

Commitment to others, family, and community provides identity, purpose, and protection from anxiety, offering a multi-level approach.

The pursuit of validation may actually be an investigation into one's social hierarchy, suggesting a deeper need for social integration.

Self-consciousness and negative emotion are linked, with self-reflective descriptors often leading to distress.

Engaging in activities that benefit a broader audience can provide satisfaction and a sense of utility, beyond self-focus.

Aimlessness and impulsiveness are equated with a lack of commitment and a focus on immediate desires, leading to immaturity.

The identity game of defining oneself by sexuality is critiqued, suggesting a reductionist and potentially harmful perspective.

A high investment strategy in sexual reproduction for humans implies that sexuality is embedded in relationships, not isolated acts.

Short-term sexual gratification is associated with negative personality traits like psychopathy and narcissism, indicating harm.

The self-esteem movement's focus on 'me' may inadvertently lead to a focus on immediate desires, causing desperation and unhappiness.

The promotion of element as a daily supplement for hydration, appetite regulation, and brain health, with a risk-free trial offer.

Transcripts

I wanted to bring this to you so

interesting so recent report was

released by The Harvard Graduate School

of Education detailing the drivers of

anxiety for young adults aged 18 to 25

34% reported feelings of loneliness 51%

said achievement pressure negatively

impacted their mental health 58%

reported lacking meaning or purpose in

their lives in the last month 50%

reported their mental health was

negatively influenced by not knowing

what to do with my life there has been

much examination of the well-being of

teens aged 14 to 17 not much has been

known about those occupying the critical

young adult years and yet young adults

report roughly twice the rates of

anxiety and depression as teens the

young adults are not

okay yeah I believe that I saw even with

my own kids that the the mo like when I

was a

kid probably the time between 13 and 15

was the most difficult transition but I

saw that become older by the time my

kids my kids are 30 now basically by the

time my kids were young adults I could

see that that transition into adulthood

was the place where the difficulties

were starting to

mount I think perversely that the

therapeutic world has a fair bit to do

with this partly

because therapists who are basically

secular

liberal

Protestants that's a good way of

thinking about them tend to

conceptualize mental health as mental as

subjective right it's like mental health

is something you carry around in your

head like you carry around your identity

that's why we have these ridiculous

ideas that you can just Define your own

identity I am whoever I say I am well

obviously you're not because other

people what other people have to go

along with your game they're buddy and

they're either going to do that they're

not going to do it or they're going to

do it voluntarily or they're going to do

it by force if they're not going to do

it you're screwed if you have to use

Force that's not going to work and if

you want them to do it voluntarily then

it's not going to be all about you

obviously even no four-year-old can find

someone to play with if he always gets

to pick the game okay

so why might young adults be lost well

part of it is that they're thinking

I'm not trying to be judgmental of a

whole generation it's a it's a form of

thought your mental health isn't

dependent on you that's not the right

way to think about

it you I don't think you can be mentally

healthy in the absence of a long-term

stable relationship so you have to be

married let's put let's let's make that

part of the precondition for successful

adaptation as a young adult you have to

be married so you have to establish a

relationship with someone that

integrates sexuality that's there for

the long run because there for the long

run is the same as

sane there for tomorrow there for the

next minute that's not sanity that's

impulsiveness that's aimlessness they're

the same thing if it's what if it's all

about what you want right now or more

accurately all about what something in

you wants this moment that's the

definition of immature Insanity you have

to commit so you commit to someone else

you commit to your family you commit to

your community like there are multiple

levels of identity that stretch out into

the social world and voluntarily

adopting those levels of hierarchical

responsibility gives you an identity it

gives you a purpose it protects you from

anxiety it does that in all sorts of

ways like you know you said earlier that

one of the things you do is seek for

validation and you you related that to

uncomfortable experiences you had when

you were very young well it might not be

precisely that you're seeking for

validation you might be properly

investigating how you should be embedded

in a social

hierarchy at every possible level it's

like well people think their mental

health is something that they just carry

around in their head and that if they

just got the way they looked at the

world right or if other people just

played their game that all of a sudden

they'd be meant healthy it's

like there's no difference between

thinking about yourself and being

miserable technically if you if you if

you look at you can you can

group descriptive statements about

yourself

statistically all the all the

descriptive all the descriptors that are

reflective of self-consciousness load on

negative emot otion can you not think

about yourself in a positive

way probably not really

not well let's take that

apart you like doing your podcast and

you feel positive about it okay but your

podcast isn't about

you right so if you're thinking about

how you're of utility to a broad number

of people you know maybe you would take

some satisfaction in that but that isn't

exactly thinking about yourself is it

it's thinking about the relationship

you've established with other people and

it's a relationship of responsibility

why do you like your podcast you can

pursue what you're curious about but you

wouldn't have to do that publicly okay

so why do you do it

publicly for a few reasons first one

being that it keeps me accountable that

was one of the main reasons that it kept

me accountable because I knew that if I

didn't do it if I wasn't rigorous and

precise and and uh aligned with what I'd

said and done previously that there was

an external eye that's watching keeps

okay okay so well that's very

interesting so I would also say that's

not exactly about you that's about your

ability to live to establish Harmony

between what you say and the way you act

and the expectations that an

increasingly Broad Social Community has

a view as a consequence of what you say

and how you act okay that's not about

you that's about your nesting in a

social hierarchy right and so I think I

think you can and then you might say too

well maybe you're thinking about

yourself when you're establishing an aim

or a goal well not if they're good aims

or

goals because if they good aims or goals

and and I would say what good means

technically is an aim or goal that will

play out

well in the medium to long long

term across a multitude of situations

including many many people so the a

solution that iterates across

time that and that

is situation independent and that's

broadly socially inclusive is a better

aim right it's a higher aim because it

integrates more all right now you might

want to be setting up aims and you might

be pleased about how you're prog ressing

in relation to those aims but if those

aims aren't don't have the

characteristics that I just

described

then if the aims have the

characteristics I just described they're

not about you and then we could also ask

what do you mean about you exactly what

you are you talking about here you know

and so we play these identity games in

the modern world that are making people

anxious and hopeless and one identity

game is I'm defined by my sexuality okay

so let's take that I'm defined by my

sexuality okay but what do you mean by

your sexuality exactly do you mean the

opportunity to engage in sex like are

you reducing sexuality as such to the

act of sex okay let's say you are so now

what you're telling me is that who you

are is who you are when you're sexually

desirous that's what you've reduced

yourself to but it's even more than that

it's the kind of SE ual desire that

wants gratification right now with no

relationship whatsoever so not only have

you now reduced who you are to your

sexual desire you've reduced your sexual

desire to the minimal set of

preconditions that would satisfy it well

then the first question that might come

up there is why not just use porn it's a

lot simpler and the answer to that is

that is what people are doing well it's

no wonder that they're anxious and

Lonesome and aimless because they've

they've reduced themselves to to a

short-term desire they found the easiest

possible way of gratifying that and

they've abandoned everything that would

be a much broader conceptualization of

what sexuality would be if it was

embedded properly in how about a

relationship to start with and I'm not

just these aren't just opinions

so there are two different strategies of

reproduction broadly in the animal world

one is

zero

investment fish mosquitoes million

Offspring they all die but one right so

you can reduce reproduction in

mosquitoes basically to sex and you make

a million mosquito Offspring all you

need is one to survive problem solved

okay on the opposite end of the spectrum

literally are human beings because we

have the longest dependency period of

any animal by a large margin we have a

high investment strategy y sexual

reproduction strategy so whatever sex is

for human beings isn't you're off and

that's over that's not what it is for

human beings it's embedded in a

relationship now you might say well we

could pull sexuality out of the

relationship and just indulge in it for

the pleasure okay so now let's forget

about all the other animals now we've

got two types of human being we've got

the one night stand human being

repetitive one night stands and we've

got the long-term committed relationship

human being and then we might ask okay

what are the personality characteristics

of the people in those bins so let's go

to the short-term one night stand

sequential relationship types okay who

are they Psychopathic narcissistic

mellan and sadistic all one night stand

people if they don't start out that way

they're going to end that

way right because you can't use your

yourself or other people for short-term

gratification look the definition of a

psychopath is someone who uses someone

for short-term

gratification okay so it's definitional

right so and then you might say well I'm

not like that I just like sex it's like

yeah but if you practice that for five

years you're not going to become what

you practice you know

and I talked to Russell Brand about this

a little bit on and I can say this

because it was on his podcast so it's

not like this is secret you know Russell

had what Andrew Tate promis as his

followers he had Fame he was

charismatic and he had more or less

unlimited access to short-term sexual

gratification okay in combination with

you know the chemicals that make that

even more likely alcohol and cocaine

let's

say so what are the consequences well I

asked him what were the consequences you

had this he said uh despair anxiety and

hopelessness right but but not just that

because you know Russell got himself in

trouble here month and a half ago just

about took him out well it was his past

coming back to haunt him like and he had

to scroll through his psyche and see you

know well and with all these short-term

relationships these

short-term sexual gratification binges

that I indulged in did I ever cross the

line well the answer is well you're

going to have like 200 encounters like

that you're not going to cross the line

when you're drunk when you're on cocaine

you're going to cross a bunch of lines

and then it's going to come back and

haunt you and

so it's very interesting to see in our

culture back to the hopelessness and

despair that you were mentioning that's

characterizing young adults life it's

like well it's all about me that's the

self-esteem movement but then me becomes

it's all about what I want and then that

becomes it's all about what I want right

now then it's it's what the lowest part

of me wants right now and to hell with

everyone else it's like

okay how are you going to play that game

without being desperate you're going to

be desperate as soon as you start

playing that game and the other thing

it's even worse than that because you're

going to end up with

the Jeremy the the the porn star problem

anybody you're not going to be very

happy about being with the people who

want to play that game with you because

they're not going to be the people that

are really going to make you feel that

life is worth living they're going to be

the people especially on the female

side women who are willing to take

advantage of themselves for short-term

sexual gratification those aren't happy

women they're they're usually damaged

women and if they're not damaged when

they start playing that game they're

going to be plenty damaged by the time

they're done with it we'll get back to

talking to Jordan in one minute but

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