Once a robust and cross-nationally confirmed pattern, the U-shaped curve in life satisfaction across age—with a trough in midlife—has begun to unravel in Western Europe. Drawing on Eurobarometer data spanning five decades, the article by Blanchflower and Bryson reveals a striking bifurcation: in Northern Europe, life satisfaction now increases steadily with age, while in Southern Europe, it declines, particularly for older cohorts. This transformation coincides with broader socio-economic shifts, notably the post-2015 reduction in youth unemployment in Southern countries like Spain, Portugal, and Italy, which has fuelled an uptick in young people’s well-being. In contrast, the once-documented midlife dip—often attributed to career pressures, health decline, or existential unease—has faded, especially in nations such as Sweden, Ireland, and the UK. The study employs multiple large-scale surveys (Eurobarometer, ESS, GFS, GM), all showing converging trends despite variation in methodology and survey mode (CAPI vs. CAWI), a factor that might affect youth responses more than those of older individuals. A crucial case emerges in Sweden, where a persistent rise in life satisfaction with age is paired with a notable increase in anxiety among young women, underscoring generational divergence. The authors caution that cohort, age, and period effects remain hard to disentangle and that apparent gains in older-age well-being may mask mortality selection biases. Ultimately, this study reframes the narrative on happiness and ageing, shifting focus from universal midlife malaise to a generational crisis of well-being among the young—a reversal with significant implications for public health, labour policy, and intergenerational equity.
