The “Rising Wave of Unhappiness”
Deepak Bhargava, distinguished lecturer of Urban Studies at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, recently wrote about what he saw as the primary reason that many folks in the United States (and across the world) continue to vote for and support authoritarian personalities and regimes. Bhargava notes that the prevailing wisdom is almost always that economic indicators are the best way to assess the relative strength of a particular candidate or party, and that ignoring economic concerns is to risk loss of power and influence.
At the same time, researchers have noted a broader shift in support for authoritarian leaders and systems, what some have termed, “the rising wave of unhappiness.” Broadly speaking, “the rising wave of unhappiness” speaks to the growing sense of hopelessness, loneliness, and economic decline experienced, especially along class lines, by folks in middle to lower income brackets. This economic decline is linked to the growing financial chasm between the very richest Americans and everyone else, exemplified in the well documented failures of neo-liberal, trickle-down economic policies.
But what does any of this have to do with being people of faith? Probably a lot. Growing up in the church, I didn’t hear that many sermons (in fact, I can’t recall any) that addressed the relationship between our journey of faith and the broader economic systems of the world. It wasn’t until I was a third-year undergraduate student in philosophy and biblical studies that I noticed that God seemed to have an intense interest in how we treat other people, especially those who are victims of violence, oppression, and economic injustice.
In a very important way, especially as people of faith, we are uniquely situated to respond not only to “the rising wave of unhappiness” but also to the growing sense of loneliness and estrangement that underpin it. At the same time, much of the history of Christian belief has been a long exercise in “otherizing” and determining “who is in and who is out” through various church council and theological pronouncement.
I have come to understand that right belief is not essential to church participation, in so much as our religious practice is rooted in love, inclusion, and care for one another. At the same time, a religious practice that is rooted in love, inclusion, and care for one another suggests that we must pay close attention to the varied economic, political, and social systems that denigrate and destroy.
Through relationships with partner organizations and our own organizational initiatives, the Rhode Island State Council of Churches is well positioned to do the work of addressing entrenched economic realities while also advocating for a dynamic faith rooted in love and action. More to come in the weeks and months ahead.
