Wars, unhappiness, and loneliness frighten nearly 1 in 2 young people, survey finds

Wars, unhappiness, and loneliness frighten nearly 1 in 2 young people, survey finds

(ANSA) - ROME, 28 OTT - Wars, unhappiness, and loneliness frighten nearly 1 in 2 young people in Italy, a new survey has found. International geopolitical tension has emerged this year as the top fear among the younger generations, according to the Observatory on Generational Fears—an initiative by the portal Skuola.net—which surveyed 1,000 young men and women aged 11 to 29, asking them to identify which of the various "specters" presented in the study they found most daunting. The results paint a portrait of these generations—known as Gen Z and Gen Alpha—caught in a double bind: on one hand, the terror of rapidly escalating global catastrophes, and on the other, a deep, personal sense of insecurity regarding their own futures and romantic lives. Only 13% of respondents felt confident—or fortunate—enough to claim they had "none of these fears," with this sentiment being significantly more common among males (20%) than females (8%). Unlike similar surveys conducted in previous years, 2026 shows a dramatic shift at the top of the list. The fear of a nuclear or global war now ranks first, cited by 45% of young people. This represents a sharp increase compared to the past, when this fear stood at 34% (in 2025) and 33% (in 2024). At the same time, young people continue to grapple with a profound sense of inner distress. Right behind the specter of war—in second place—is the fear of never being happy or satisfied, cited by 43% of the sample (a steady increase from 40% in 2025 and 38% in 2024). Rounding out the top three is another concern closely tied to one's personal life: the dread of never finding love, which has seen a significant jump to 41%, up from 33% a year ago. Further down the list, anxiety regarding financial independence takes hold: 38% of young people fear not having enough money, while 37% are frightened by the prospect of failing to build a life of their own. Also at 37%—tied with the previous concern—is a growing worry about the rise in social violence, which has surged by 11 percentage points from 26% last year. Just outside the top tier, at 35%, are the nightmare of being unable to find work and the fear of climate change—an issue that has once again begun to weigh on people's minds after remaining relatively stable at 24% for the past two years. Rounding out the list are the fear of having no friends (31%) and the fear of being unable to travel (23%) to explore a world that increasingly appears closed off and hostile. (ANSA). Read article...