A survey shows: Germans wish for more fun in their lives.

In February 2005, a book titled "Enough with the Fun! The End of the Fun Society" was published. The author, the then news anchor Peter Hahne, calls for people to live more responsibly and less narcissistically and hedonistically. Less fun, more focus on values. However, this idea apparently did not sit well with the Germans, especially the young ones. Because: 82 percent believe that society would be better off if people had more fun in life. This is according to a recent GfK survey commissioned by Media Markt, exclusively obtained by the Huffington Post. A total of 1002 Germans participated in the survey between October 20th and October 24th.

Especially the young people believe there is not enough fun in life

Especially the younger generation believes that there is not enough fun in our society. 73.8 percent of respondents in the 20 to 29 age group stated that they miss fun. Among those over 60, it is only 61 percent. The desire for more fun in their own lives is also greater among the younger ones. 80.7 percent of 20 to 29-year-olds wish for more fun, compared to only 62.8 percent in the 60 plus group. "In recent years, there has been a turn away from the topic of fun. People miss good spirits," said psychologist Rolf Schmiel to the Huffington Post. We feel like we are living in turbulent times. Media and populists fuel fear. Fear of refugees, the loss of thousands of jobs due to digitalization, economic uncertainty, war, and the rise of right-wing forces. Since the "End of the Fun Society" was declared, the joy in life has decreased. "In recent years, we have forgotten to focus on the good moments in our everyday lives. There has been a tendency towards negative hysteria," says Schmiel. Instead of good spirits, Germans increasingly feel the need to behave correctly.

44 percent of respondents feel societal pressure to lead a healthy and successful life

The feeling of having to meet societal expectations often leads to overwhelm. Overall, half of the respondents (50.3 percent) sometimes feel overwhelmed by the expectations of others. Women are particularly vulnerable. 58.4 percent of female respondents feel overloaded by others' expectations. And again, the younger ones suffer more from pressure. In the 14 to 19 age group, 71.1 percent feel this pressure, while in the 20 to 29 age group, it is still 58.4 percent. Among those aged 30 to 39, it is still more than half at 55.7 percent. This feeling decreases with age: Only 22.8 percent of those over 60 feel societal pressure. The reasons for this can only be speculated. Of course, with age, professional demands decrease. People are not at the beginning but at the end of their careers, no longer needing to balance children and work.

Half of the respondents feel overwhelmed by expectations

The feeling of having to meet societal expectations often leads to overwhelm. Overall, half of the respondents (50.3 percent) sometimes feel overwhelmed by the expectations of others. Women are particularly vulnerable. 58.4 percent of female respondents feel overloaded by others' expectations. And again, the younger ones suffer more from pressure. In the 14 to 19 age group, 71.1 percent feel this pressure, while in the 20 to 29 age group, it is still 58.4 percent. Among those aged 30 to 39, it is still more than half at 55.7 percent. This feeling decreases with age: Only 22.8 percent of those over 60 feel societal pressure. The reasons for this can only be speculated. Of course, with age, professional demands decrease. People are not at the beginning but at the end of their careers, no longer needing to balance children and work.

"The Facebook Generation lives in a state of constant comparison"

This also explains the increased need for fun in the lives of younger survey participants: "The higher the stress, the greater the need for fun," confirms Schmiel. According to Schmiel, the change in society, which the younger generation is more likely to participate in, is also responsible for the increased sense of pressure. "The Facebook and Instagram generation lives in a state of constant self-monitoring and continuous comparison with their social environment." Users only experience success and happiness reports from their surroundings. However, no one publishes arguments with their partner or boss on Facebook. "When comparing the picture-perfect lives of others with their own daily lives, most people tend to come up short in the long run. This triggers additional frustration." According to Schmiel, the younger generation is still missing an important realization: "At some point, people realize that they should not have too high expectations of life. In the Facebook generation, this moment has not yet arrived. Expectations of reality are very high there."

Too little fun makes you sick

And this frustration makes you sick. In the past ten years, there has been a significant increase in mental illnesses, as confirmed by Schmiel. Numerous research results show how important joy in life is for mental resilience. "Man is an emotional being," says Schmiel. If, in times of change, one prohibits oneself from having fun as a counterbalance, an "emotional vacuum" is created. This is then filled with negative emotions such as fear and anger. "Unfortunately, these emotions are destructive in the long run." The younger generation is particularly affected. "The mental resilience of the young generation has decreased."

Good spirits help with mental resilience

His remedy: laughter. Research focusing on mental resilience shows that fun and good spirits are enormously important for resilience. Laughter not only has a positive effect on the immune system. Humorous people can also handle stress better, explains the psychologist. In groups where a positive mood prevails, interactions are more helpful and fair. Therefore, Schmiel appeals: "I wish that a wave of good spirits sweeps through Germany."