"The Happiness Gap" as a Barometer of Risk Society ─ The Perils of a "Weak Pyramid" Revealed by a Survey of 32 Countries: Countries Where "Only I Am Unhappy" vs. Countries Where "Everyone is Fairly Happy"

1. In an Era Where "Disparity" Is Not Just About Money

Rising prices, war, recession, pandemic—
over the past few years, observing global news, it feels like a "future where we can live safely" is gradually slipping away. Both the government and media repeatedly mention "economic disparity" and "division," pointing out the instability of society.Phys.org

In this context, a study by Professor Kenichi Ikeda of Doshisha University and Associate Professor Naoki Akaeda of Kansai University attempts to interpret the risk society from the perspective of "happiness disparity." They focus not on income but on the "distribution of happiness" across society, or "how many people feel how happy they are."Phys.org

2. Insights from the World Values Survey Across 32 Countries

The research team used data from the 6th and 7th waves of the "World Values Survey," which has been tracking values across countries for years. They analyzed responses from people in 32 countries who self-evaluated their "life satisfaction" on a scale from 0 to 10.DOI.org

At the same time, they focused on "social risk perception," or how much individuals feel their country or society is at risk. This includes risks like war, terrorism, economic crises, natural disasters, and political instability—threats that individuals cannot control.DOI.org

In conclusion, "the higher the perceived risk in a society, the lower the happiness of its people"—this is an intuitively understandable result. However, the crux of the study is that the effect varies entirely depending on "how happiness is distributed."Phys.org

3. "Weak Pyramid" and "Inverted Pyramid"

The study defines two types of "relative inequality" as indicators of happiness distribution.Phys.org

• Upward disparity (Iu)
  A state where there are many people with low happiness and few with high happiness. The society is "thick at the bottom and thin at the top"—a weak pyramid type.

• Downward disparity (Id)
  A state where there are many people with medium to high happiness and few with low happiness. In other words,a thick middle class inverted pyramid type.

The important point is that this difference is not easily visible by looking at the average value alone. Even if the average score is 7, the experience of living in a society where "most people score 7-8 with hardly anyone at 1-2" is completely different from one where "there are many scoring below 5, but also some scoring 10."

The study found that when risks increase,the most damage is done to "weak pyramid" societies. As social anxiety rises, the already low happiness group is pushed further down, causing the overall happiness to plummet sharply. Conversely, ininverted pyramid societies with a thick middle class, happiness levels remained relatively stable even when risks increased.Phys.org

4. Where Does Risk Perception Come From?

The study also examined the possibility of reverse causation using statistical methods (instrumental variable method), questioning whether "anxious people are simply more likely to perceive the world as dangerous." Although a definitive causal relationship cannot be established, the study suggests that "perceiving high risk seems to work in a direction that lowers happiness."DOI.org

Moreover, even when macro indicators like GDP, income disparity, and the degree of democracy are considered, the relationship between risk perception and happiness remains. This indicates that there is a psychological issue at the societal level that cannot be explained solely by "economic prosperity."DOI.org

5. Why Is Japan's "Anxiety Level" High?

Professor Ikeda has long pointed out that "Japanese people tend to overestimate social risks compared to objective indicators." In his book published in 2022, he analyzes Japan's political and governance anxieties, focusing on the theme of "wavering trust in the nation" in an era of ongoing crises.Phys.org

This study extends that line of thought by linking "risk perception" with "happiness distribution." If Japan has a social structure close to a "weak pyramid," it might be a society where people are prone to anxiety and mental damage, even if objective indicators of economy and security are not that bad.

For example, with the increase in non-regular employment, living alone, and the weakening of community ties, people may feel there are fewer "people who would help them in times of trouble." Such feelings of isolation might be amplifying the perceived risks across society.

6. The "Happiness Disparity" Debate on Social Media

When the content of this article was reported, various reactions flooded social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Threads. Here are some typical voices (all are summaries of discussion trends, not actual posts).

• "Isn't it basically saying that countries where many people have been dismissed with 'personal responsibility' arguments are weaker to risks?"

• "I never quite understood the idea of high average happiness, but the concept of looking at the distribution is interesting. If there are many 'struggling people' around, of course, you'd feel anxious."

• "Even if they say the middle class is important, with taxes and prices gradually eroding, staying in the middle is the hardest part..."

• "Reducing 'happiness disparity' ultimately means policies to 'increase moderately happy people,' right? Like basic income or educational investment?"

On the other hand, there are also calm observations like this:

• "Isn't there a positive aspect to 'feeling risk' itself in a disaster-prone country like Japan? The issue is whether that anxiety is shared and leads to mutual support."

• "It sounded like the message is that it's important to not only support those with low happiness but also not reduce the number of 'moderately happy' people."

What emerges through social media discussions is a sense that there is a gap between "high average values" and "personal and surrounding experiences." Statistically, things shouldn't be bad, yet tired voices flow through the timeline. Concepts like "happiness disparity" and "weak pyramid" seem to be resonating as explanations for this gap.

7. A "Thick Middle Class" as a Psychological Safety Net

The research team states that "a society with a thick middle class is psychologically resilient." In a society where many people feel "moderately happy," there are cushions that mitigate each other's anxiety even when risks and fears rise.Phys.org

Conversely, in societies with a thick layer of low happiness, the feeling of "I might be done for too" can quickly spread as soon as risks increase. This mirrors the scenario where economic shocks lead to a surge in people facing financial difficulties or the rise of populist politics.

A thick middle class does not simply mean "many people have money,"

• but that jobs and income are relatively stable

• there is support from social security, family, and community even in cases of illness or unemployment

• and there is a shared foundation of psychological security where people feel "things will somehow work out," neither completely pessimistic nor overly optimistic about the future.

This state can be described as widely shared.

8. Implications for Policy: Monitoring the Distribution of Happiness

The researchers propose that over the next 5 to 10 years, governments should regularly monitor the "distribution of happiness" and use it in policy evaluation.Phys.org

Specifically, the following uses can be considered:

1. As an early warning indicator in times of rising risk
   By checking not only economic indicators and security statistics but also "how thick the low happiness layer is," it is possible to detect rising social anxiety early.

2. Visualizing the "emotional impact" of policies
   It is possible to track how tax reforms and social security revisions have changed not just "average income" but also the "distribution of happiness."

3. As an indicator for medium- to long-term "resilience building"
   When shocks like disasters or economic downturns occur, it is possible to evaluate how much the thickness of the middle class acted as a cushion.

While immediate policies like countermeasures against rising prices and disaster investment are important, adding the perspective of "which social structure makes people's spirits less likely to break" might lead to more sustainable system design.

9. What Can Individuals Do?

"So, do we just have to wait for the government to increase the middle class?" Of course not. While societal structural issues are difficult for individuals to change, our individual actions can influence **"how we perceive risks" and "the distribution of happiness around us."**

• Avoid overexposure to anxiety-inducing news and maintain a balanced "information diet"

• When you find voices saying "it's tough" or "I'm struggling" on social media, support each other within reasonable limits

• Regularly reflect on your own life satisfaction and consider "what could raise it by one level"

• Increase small spaces, whether in your community or online, where you feel "it's okay for me to be here"

Such efforts may not immediately appear in statistics, but they contribute to gradually nurturing an "inverted pyramid" around you.

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