Results
More than every second German citizen is concerned about increasing aggression in everyday life. A lack of respect, a declining willingness to help others and growing envy within society are also making many people feel uneasy. Interpersonal concerns that are not caused by global crises or economic uncertainties are therefore becoming more of a focus - it is about direct interaction in everyday life. A comparison of the current results with earlier surveys reveals a clear change: while fear of crime has decreased significantly since 1999, concerns about aggression have risen noticeably. The topics of xenophobia and social coldness are also mentioned more frequently today than a quarter of a century ago, while fear of social injustice has declined slightly. The differences between the generations are particularly striking: Older people are significantly more concerned about disrespectful behaviour, a lack of compassion or a decline in the willingness to help, while younger people are more relaxed about these aspects.
Reasons
The increasing concerns in the interpersonal sphere can be explained by a variety of social and individual developments. Although the number of recorded criminal offences has been falling since the 1990s, the subjective feeling of security of many people has not increased to the same extent. Media reporting plays a key role here, often focussing on individual cases and thus conveying a distorted picture of everyday social life. At the same time, social networks are shaping the way we live together in a new way: Permanent comparability not only promotes envy and resentment, but also reinforces the feeling of social division. Added to this are changing values, which older people in particular perceive as a loss of respect, politeness and solidarity. Their greater concern about declining helpfulness or disrespectful behaviour can also be explained by their increased vulnerability - they are more dependent on support and react more sensitively to the social climate. The younger generation, on the other hand, has grown up with rapid social changes, experiences new forms of behaviour as normal and sometimes interprets them more positively, for example when informal language is seen as an expression of openness. Differences in the perception of care between the generations are therefore less an expression of objectively different experiences and more the result of different perspectives and realities of life.
Forecasts
Interpersonal issues will continue to characterise social interaction in the future - both in the form of specific concerns and as a starting point for positive developments. Increasing awareness of social skills, for example through violence prevention programmes, initiatives to promote civil courage or measures to strengthen mental health, can contribute to more respectful and empathetic interaction in the long term. At the same time, digital technologies - despite their risks - offer new opportunities to strengthen citizens' sense of security. However, this requires a transparent and responsible approach to monitoring and control systems. Challenges remain: Envy, xenophobia and a lack of willingness to help can only be overcome through long-term investment in education, integration and equal opportunities. Young people in particular can become important sources of inspiration here - their openness towards diversity, their increased networking and their fundamentally optimistic view of social change offer potential for greater cohesion. However, openness alone is not enough. The decisive factor will be whether it is possible to combine this attitude with empathy, education and structural support. Only then can more social community be created and only then will there be less worry.
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