The spirit of the age is pretty bad right now, I can sense it too. I'm trapped in a materialist society and take part in it (no excuses) but I have seen what it does to most, and how they significantly change - not all but most - when they become adults past 40 or so. Some maintain good spirits, but many really turn inward to self focus and lack joy. I don't want to be hypercritical but I sense it in interactions I've had with people who I've known for decades. They let stress and stubbornness rule their worlds.