Key word: “stories.” The average American worker works just under 39 hours a week.

US office culture is more of a free for all than a lot of places, for good and bad. You don't have unions telling the Type As and workaholics to back off and stop working so much, so they're free to do so, and earn that sweet sweet overtime. The flip-side is when one of those types ends up in charge, there's not a lot to stop them from putting those expectations onto the people below them either. Which you end up with can vary by industry, company, and even division within a company.

I think this chart can also reflect what people are lacking in each country. The US is very individualistic and people actually crave more connection. The responders probably didn’t think of material well-being as having as much purpose because they already have it.

Occupation is not something that gives your life meaning, just something that helps you survive. Most people in the US hate their job but they go anyway.

Honestly the reason the US is so depressing right now is because people don't feel like the things they spend most of their time doing are meaningful in any way.

I was surprised "Guns" wasn't even there.

Material well being steadily increases happiness to 100k approximately, knowing you could get fired and still have enough savings etc. to keep your lifestyle up for a long time is very securing and not having to worry about bills etc. Can be a big relief. And if you are paycheck to paycheck you might not even have time/ energy or a good enough job to be able to hang out with friends.

Without any material you're out sleeping on the street without any belongings or possession and have to ride the bus everywhere.

And if you're introverted you dont really need friends or socializing regularly to maintain your energy.

When i didnt have any good job or career i just felt internally and viewed myself as not as good as other people, i viewed others that did on a higher level and felt like tgere was something wrong with me and didn't even want to get a relationship or hangout with friends because i just felt sham

Wait what?? You do realize material well being here could also mean like… a house or apartment. Open ended responses means people wrote in various answers, and the analysts converted them to categories. So i highly doubt anyone wrote “Car” over family, but… they may value being able to move from home and provide for themselves materially as e most important thing in their lives rn.

No offense but, having a home sounds a lot more important to me than believing in someones god or goddesses. I do think Hinduism could be very enlightening and fulfilling… but like, would you practice it on the street?

It is high in muslim countries and poorer countries, as well as im sure Israel, the Vatican city-state.

The US is… well, im sure they’d hate to admit it, but the only developed country with that many white ppl who still believe in the gods/goddess religious structure.

But realize, a large swath of america is basically underdeveloped countries, i guarantee you a survey of Nyc + LA + basically the most economically developed cities wouldnt result in Faith being number 5… maybe still top 10 though?

Religiosity is insanely low in every other developed country

I would rank health as the most important thing in life, but I don't see how it is a source of meaning at all.

My spidey sense says the outcome is a result of badly phrased questions and confused respondents.

edit: Going to the source it turns out the exact question is "What aspects of your life do you currently find meaningful, fulfilling or satisfying?"

You are surprised that believing in things without evidence doesn’t rank higher?

I wonder if any answers such as “quality of living conditions” have been pigeonholed into this category?

And there's nuance to that too. I'm sure a high percentage of British people still identify as Christian, as that's how they were brought up, but an incredibly small percentage are active.