Is the search for long-term stability in life just an illusion?

Question

With everything that is going on in the world is there really a place that offers real long term stability? And will it ever be truly everlasting?

abc3643 · Accepted Answer

Stability requires money.

Instability is the leading cause of the declining birthrate. I am 63 and I could see this coming early in the Reagan Administration about 45 years ago. Why? What happened since 1981 was a combination of factors that led to the destruction of the middle class and an ever increasing wealth gap.

From Google Gemini:

U. S. wealth distribution has seen a dramatic shift toward increased concentration at the top over the past four decades, transitioning from a relatively more balanced, though still unequal, landscape in the early 1980s to a highly concentrated structure in 2026. According to Federal Reserve data as of Q1 2026, wealth inequality has intensified.

Wealth Distribution: Early 1980s (c. 1981)

Income Trends: The early 1980s marked the start of a long, steady rise in inequality, with the top 5% of families seeing incomes grow significantly faster than lower quintiles.

Wealth Gap Beginnings: From 1981-1990, the highest-earning 20% saw income gains of 2.1% annually, while the bottom 20% saw a 0.1% loss, setting the stage for decades of divergence.

Concentration: While early 1980s data was less detailed than today, trends show that from 1983-2004, the top 1% captured 42% of all new financial wealth, setting the stage for continued inequality.

Wealth Distribution: 2026

Top 1% Ownership: As of Q3 2025, the top 1% of households controlled a record ~31.7% of U. S. wealth, amounting to approximately $55 trillion.

Concentration Level: In early 2026, the richest 10% held over 67% of American wealth, while the bottom 50% held just 2.5%...

Key Differences (1981 vs 2026)

...

Inequality Level: The share of wealth held by the top 1% grew from 23% in 1989 to 27% by 2022, and reached even higher levels by 2025/2026.

The "Top 1%" Shift: The top 1% went from controlling roughly 17% of wealth in 1990 to over 26% by the end of 2022, growing to over 30% by 2025/2026.

Bottom 50% Stagnation: The share of wealth held by the bottom 50% of the population has remained largely stagnant at 6% or less over the past three decades.

========

So, basically, because the people who have money but don't need money are accumulating it faster than those who do need it but don't have it, life is increasingly unstable for those those without money... and that population is increasing faster and faster.

Unfortunately, people without money are going to fall into two camps:

1. Those who realize that the American dream is horseshit for them - more so than their parents or grandparents - so they give up and waste whatever money they have on crap to make themselves feel better.

2. Those who are frugal and try to save and work harder because they understand that any chance they have of having a decent stable life requires either that or marrying into money like Melania Trump did. Unfortunately, many of these people are now the people not having children because they realize it's sort of "us or them" regarding survival between them and their kids. Think of a lifeboat analogy: When you're stuck on a life boat, the less people in the boat helps stretch out the supplies needed to survive. So, if you don't have kids, then you don't have the expenses of kids and can save for your own survival.

BCRanger10 · Accepted Answer

It depends on what kind of stability you're talking about, but generally, I think it is. It mostly comes from knowing yourself, what you want, what you need, and charting the best course based on that.

As far as jobs and careers are concerned, you need to find out as early as possible what your strengths and weaknesses are, how you can be trained, mentored, and developed, what you're good at, and finding a path that offers all of that. And you don't need to work for some mega corporation or something or other. Find a local family-owned chain or business and commit to them. There are plenty of them that are very profitable and can offer long-term prospects. My own employer has done business with one of their suppliers (another local business) for nearly 90 years; they've practically "grown up together". There are many people at my employer who have been there for 30 or 40+ years.

And here's another thing: You don't need to be "the boss" to be happy or successful. You don't have to work at a corporate desk or be a manager, you don't need to climb the ladder. I said on a post just yesterday that I'd be perfectly happy staying in the same role for the rest of my career if the money was right.

And you DEFINITELY don't have to and SHOULD NOT chase internet fame as an "influencer".

In terms of relationships, again, know yourself. Have humility and understand that you will not find the perfect person. A relationship, especially marriage, is two universes coming together as one. You have to understand that you are going to change and grow over the course of a relationship and so will your SO. I remember sometime in 2018, there was a woman here saying she was going to divorce her husband because she'd "grown a lot as a woman". And I told her that if she's grown a lot, there aren't many better reasons to stay in that marriage. You're going to learn new things about yourself, you're going to adapt to the person you're with, and re-evaluate how they love you and how you love them.

And ultimately, if someone is looking for something that offers stability in the long-term, this is one reason among many why I recommend traditional Catholicism. Not only is there a rich and diverse devotional life and tradition with something that appeals to all personality types and temperaments, but there is also that rhythm of life that the calendar offers. There are the seasons of Advent and Lent, ember weeks, meatless Fridays, and a host of other markers throughout the year that help keep the soul grounded and guided.

Anyway, the bottom line is that long-term stability is in fact realistic and can reasonably be pursued.

FreyaRed · Accepted Answer

You can increase the odds of long term stability with your actions but you can't ensure it. Investing too much time, efforts and resources in just one goal can have negative effects as well.

katiesmuff · Accepted Answer

For as long as there is GREED, DISHONESTY, and rACISM existing long lasting stability doesn't stand a chance.

MrOracle · Answer

You are looking for guarantees - life does not come with guarantees. Thus, having any expectations of a guarantee is foolish, and arguably ignorant or immature.

What you should be focused on instead are your ODDS - the likelihood of being successful based on your morals, values, and priorities. It's true that, once in a while, someone does everything as well as anyone could expect and things still don't work out, but that is the rare exception. What is FAR more common is that people get "main character syndrome" and they feel entitled to whatever they want whenever they want it, and so they make a series of short-sighted decisions with little real concern for the future and then get upset when it doesn't work out and try to blame their failures on someone else.

Nothing worth having comes without cost and effort. No accomplishment worth celebrating comes without pain and sacrifice and loss. If you only live to avoid the negatives, you will effectively avoid the positives too. The reason morals and values exist is to guide you through choosing which costs to accept to get the positives, and which to avoid because the cost is too high and the return is too low.

Most people who say they want a partner who is moral, or who is stable, or who has good values, don't actually choose people based on those things. Instead, they choose people for superficial reasons and THEN complain about their morality or their lack of stability. The thing is that the person was NEVER moral or stable, but you didn't care because they had physical beauty or money or status. You thought you could pick for those reasons and then get them to change their morals, values, and priorities later - but that's essentially impossible.

You can't have it all. You want contradictory things, which aren't available together in the same package. Instead you must give up one thing to get the other. Most people pick the superficial things instead of the substantial things, and then wonder why it goes wrong.

NathanDavis · Answer

as for the world and life... in general

we are actually on the "most stable" the world has ever been

and, as it turns out, that's not so good either... but I just think that "stability" is the wrong ideal... sustainability should be the goal, but that's a goal we've never ever had... because that would mean to eliminate the powers that be, as they are...

and well... that would require a lot of NOT stability, but conflict

isn't that ironic... lol

RavVid · Answer

Not for me. Part of that is giving up unreasonable expectations but is also defining what is long term stability is for me. It has to be relizable.

Financial with housing is how I see it and the pleasure of learning & understanding.

For others it might be a deep enduring relationship. To me that is inherently unstable.

OneViewpoint · Answer

3,000 years of human civilizations in constant conflict would indicate that volatility and violence is the natural state for our species.

The places you're looking for are probably relatively remote without natural resources in great supply and a modest economy. Those places tend to change slowly over time and no one is in a hurry to conquer them.

Still-alive · Answer

As long as the ultra wealthy/elite in our society continue to suck wealth up from the rest of us while also engaging in sick activities like pedophilia or even blood rituals (see the Epstein files) no. They need to be reigned in and our political leaders need to truly adhere to the will of the people. Then we can thrive!

that said if you’re lucky you can live a somewhat stable life.

exitseven · Answer

There us, an expression "man plans and God laughs" there is really no stability in life. It can all turn to shit tomorrow

Dargil · Answer

No, but you have to view it like an employment interview. You should have a list of questions in your mind that will reveal good and bad.

DryGermanGuy · Answer

I have the impression that gets lost more and more in the 21st century.

loveslongnails · Answer

Nothing lasts forever. Long term stability is good for as long as it lasts, and that can change in the wink of an eye.

LC75LC71 · Answer

It becomes more of a reality the older you get. Extra options start running out while physical ailments begin to take over.

HairF3tish · Answer

Well stability comes from the inside, so as long as someone is in harmony with himself/herself its very possible to have long term stability anywhere and at any time.

Xawyx-2 · Answer

No, I think it's possible under certain circumstances.

najekim · Answer

No, and no. The world, as well as live, is perpetually in flux. So any stability would only be temporary.

Mike_Hum · Answer

Sure. the Bible is your source for long-term stability.

AgentG111 · Answer

For some it maybe, others have it or are really close to it.

Anonymous · Answer

Yes.

msc545 · Answer

Yes, there is no stability in life. It begins and ends chaotically.

sage2021 · Answer

Nope! Not anymore about anything!!

Shiprex · Answer

Yes it's never stable anywhere

Cidknee · Answer

It seems to be for some.

TonyMetal___86 · Answer

Everlasting? I don't think so 🤷🏻‍♂️

RedInnocent69 · Answer

No, it’s a goal

MereAnarchy · Answer

In the long run we all die

beefcakebradybatson · Answer

Probably.

Is the search for long-term stability in life just an illusion?

Most Helpful Opinions

What Girls & Guys Said

Is the search for long-term stability in life just an illusion?

Most Helpful Opinions

What Girls & Guys Said

We're glad to see you liked this post.