I’ve been reflecting on how (and why) so many younger individuals feel lost, aimless, or simply adrift. The Global Flourishing Study (GFS) helps explain it. In the past, people tended to start out happy, get less happy in middle age, and then feel better again as they grew older. But GFS shows something different. For today’s young adults, happiness isn’t starting high. It stays low from age 18 through midlife and only starts to rise after 50.

This isn’t about a lack of access to knowledge or opportunities. Younger generations are more data-fluent than any before them. But without meaning, community, or trusted mentors, all the information in the world doesn’t create purpose. Algorithms pressure toward curated perfection; social feeds amplify loneliness. Choices proliferate, but purpose dissipates.

This is not a crisis of intelligence. It is a crisis of direction. Young people are fluent in data and immersed in content, but many are missing the in‑person connections and deep relationships that give life meaning. Instead, many live online, bombarded by influencers, judged by anonymous voices, and overwhelmed by choice. Algorithms built for engagement distort their expectations of success, beauty, and worth. No wonder despair and loneliness are rising.

We will not eliminate social media or scroll culture. But we can change how these systems signal meaning. We can build tools that nudge toward purpose and measure success by connection and growth, not clicks.

Purpose is not a platform or a product. It is stewardship. Flourishing happens when young people are rooted in relationships, guided by mentors, and grounded in real community, not drifting in algorithm‑shaped currents.

It is up to us to lead them out of this wilderness. We must provide clarity and conviction in the area of purpose, or young people will look elsewhere for direction. We must recover the language of calling. We must teach that purpose is not about platform or profit but about stewardship and service. This kind of flourishing requires intentional guidance from parents, mentors, pastors, and the tools we build.

We are at a crossroads. Technology alone is not the answer. But for digital natives, it can be a powerful force for good. Will we build systems that point young people toward significance? Or will we let them drift in a sea of distraction?

That is why at Gloo, we are building tools designed for more than doom scrolling. We are continually thinking about technology that is built to serve people, not the other way around.

Want to explore what that looks like?

Try Gloo AI Chat.