Ask HN: Why is our generation so depressed?

[Monotoko]

Does anyone else feel like the entire 90's generation is a lot more depressed than older generations? The more I talk to people the more I realize it affects people everywhere, people lose hope, the drive to carry on. Why is that and why is it affecting my generation so badly?

[tokenadult]

Plenty of psychologists think that the "self-esteem" movement in schools when your generation was in school was harmful to school pupils, not giving them the resources to be resilient when facing adversity. See Martin E. P. Seligman's book The Optimistic Child

http://www.amazon.com/Optimistic-Child-Depression-BuildLifel...

(this book is good for adults too, even if they are not parents) for more information about how "optimism" differs from "self-esteem." Seligman's more recent book Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being

http://www.amazon.com/Flourish-Visionary-Understanding-Happi...

is also helpful.

[polyfractal]

Perhaps the 90's generation is just as depressed as any other generation, but it is more socially acceptable to discuss and share it with others.

[dholowiski]

At the risk of sounding like an old man, what makes you think the "90's" generation is any more depressed than previous generations?