Jonathan Rauch on Why Many People Are Unhappy in Middle Age (and How Life Gets Better After Fifty)
Oct 21, 2023
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Jonathan Rauch, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth and The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After 50, discusses how our sense of satisfaction with life is age-related, the U-shaped well-being curve, navigating midlife dissatisfaction, and shifting the social narrative around aging.
Aging provides emotional resilience and stability, making people less reactive to negative situations.
The podcast highlights the emergence of an ideology that shapes discussions around race, gender, and sexuality.
Understanding the U-shaped curve of happiness throughout life can help individuals navigate midlife dissatisfaction and anticipate contentment in old age.
Deep dives
Aging brings emotional resilience
Studies show that aging makes people more emotionally resilient and stable. Older people are less likely to be swayed by strong emotions and have stronger reactions that pass more quickly. Aging provides a buffer against negative situations, making people somewhat less reactive to health or financial shocks.
Identity synthesis and the rise of an ideology
The podcast discusses the emergence of an ideology based on the synthesis of ideas about identity from various thinkers. The ideology includes a skepticism towards objective truth, the use of discourse analysis for political ends, a focus on identity, a proud pessimism, and a preference for identity-sensitive legislation. This synthesis informs the current cultural environment and shapes discussions around race, gender, and sexuality.
The U-shaped happiness curve
The podcast explores the U-shaped curve of happiness throughout life. It reveals that life satisfaction tends to be lowest in the 40s but increases again in the 60s and 70s. This pattern holds across countries and even primates. The aging process itself contributes to emotional resilience and a greater ability to find contentment, despite challenging circumstances. Understanding this natural curve can help individuals navigate midlife dissatisfaction and look forward to the contentment that comes with aging.
The Midlife Slump and the Expectations Gap
The midlife slump is a common phenomenon where individuals in their 30s and 40s may experience a continued sense of dissatisfaction and disappointment, even though they have achieved their goals and have a seemingly successful life. This can be attributed to the expectations gap, where individuals in their 20s set high expectations for their future, believing that achieving certain life milestones will bring them fulfillment and happiness. However, as they constantly achieve their goals, the goalposts keep moving, and the happiness they anticipated does not materialize. This realization can lead to a sense of disillusionment and disappointment, questioning one's own identity and feeling stuck on a never-ending treadmill. Over time, as individuals reach their late 30s and 40s, they begin to recalibrate their ambitions and shift focus towards building relationships, contributing to their community, and finding more lasting sources of happiness. This shift in perspective towards more realistic expectations and meaningful connections can lead to increased life satisfaction.
Navigating the Midlife Slump and Society's Role
Navigating the midlife slump requires both individual and societal changes. On an individual level, seeking support from counselors, friends, or coaches can provide valuable insight, helping individuals gain a more objective perspective and identify areas to reconsider. Making rational changes to align ambitions with personal strengths and values can also lead to greater satisfaction. Additionally, practicing cognitive behavioral techniques, such as interrupting negative thought patterns and avoiding isolation, can be helpful. On a societal level, ageism needs to be addressed, as the assumption that old age is a period of decline and decay is not only inaccurate but also harmful. The workplace and retirement structures should be redesigned to harness the skills and knowledge of older individuals, allowing for gradual transitions and opportunities for reinvention. Accessible educational options, like gap years or returning to school in midlife, can facilitate personal growth and retooling. Ultimately, a shift in the social narrative is needed, recognizing midlife as a time of renewal and continued growth, rather than viewing it as a peak that leads to disappointment. This collective change in mindset and support will help individuals navigate the midlife slump more successfully.
Jonathan Rauch is a senior fellow in the Governance Studies program at the Brookings Institution, a member of the Persuasion Board of Advisors, and the author of books including The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth and The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After 50.
In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Jonathan Rauch discuss how our sense of satisfaction with life is age-related in ways that are often independent of our objective circumstances; the academic research showing that happiness across one’s lifetime often resembles a U-shaped curve; and how we can better align societal practices to facilitate this midlife transition (and better utilize the assets of old age).
