The Human Blueprint: What the World Values in an Age of Upheaval

Listen to the main concepts in this article in our Deep Dive. The Data-Driven Map of Human Values: From Survival to Self-Expression

What does it mean to live a good life? For generations, philosophers have debated this question in the abstract. Today, for the first time in history, we have data. Monumental research efforts like the World Values Survey (WVS), the Gallup World Poll, and the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project have given us an empirical window into the soul of humanity.¹, ², ³ Spanning more than 95 percent of the world’s population, these initiatives use rigorous, standardized methods to chart the landscape of our deepest priorities.⁴, ⁵, ⁶

What they reveal is a story of profound and predictable transformation. Human values are not a random assortment of beliefs but a structured system, animated by a dynamic tension. On one side are the universal, non-negotiable needs for security and social connection. On the other is the emergent, modern drive for individual autonomy and self-expression. The journey from one to the other is the great story of our time, a process systematically, though not uniformly, governed by a society’s march toward modernity. As nations grow more secure and their people more empowered, the very definition of a “good life” evolves before our eyes.⁷, ⁸

This analysis moves beyond simple lists of what people want. It first decodes the architecture of our belief systems, revealing a cultural map that explains why a person’s views on God, gay rights, and global warming are often part of a single, coherent worldview. It then explores the bedrock values—family, health, safety—that unite us across cultural and economic divides. From there, it charts the rise of “post-materialist” aspirations like environmentalism and personal freedom that blossom only when the soil of survival is secure. Finally, by examining the crucial differences across regions, generations, and genders, it paints a nuanced portrait of a world in the midst of a profound values revolution.

The Architecture of Belief

To understand what the world values, one must first grasp the structure of those values. Decades of research from the World Values Survey have produced a remarkable tool for this task: the Inglehart-Welzel cultural map. This framework, now a cornerstone of social science, posits that the vast majority of cross-cultural variation can be plotted along two fundamental axes: one stretching from Traditional to Secular-Rational values, and the other from Survival to Self-Expression values.⁹, ¹⁰

The vertical axis, from Traditional to Secular-Rational, charts a society’s source of authority. Societies with strong Traditional values emphasize the importance of religion, deference to authority, and tight-knit family bonds; making one’s parents proud is a primary life goal.¹¹, ¹² Divorce, abortion, and euthanasia are widely rejected. In contrast, societies with Secular-Rational values look to science, law, and state bureaucracy for guidance. Religion and traditional family structures lose their central organizing role, and individual choice on moral issues becomes more acceptable.¹⁰, ¹²

The horizontal axis, from Survival to Self-Expression, captures the shift from material to post-materialist priorities. Societies defined by Survival values are preoccupied with economic and physical security. This focus is often linked to an ethnocentric outlook, low levels of interpersonal trust, and intolerance toward out-groups.¹⁰, ¹² Conversely, societies rich in Self-Expression values prioritize subjective well-being, individual freedom, and quality of life. This orientation fuels support for environmental protection, gender equality, and tolerance of diversity, along with rising demands for participation in political and economic life.¹⁰, ¹²

This map is not static. A revised theory of modernization shows that societies predictably move across it as their life conditions change. The journey from an agrarian to an industrial society brings greater existential security—a stable food supply, longer life expectancy, and freedom from constant threats. This security lessens the need for the absolute certainties of traditional religion, pushing societies upward toward Secular-Rational values.⁸, ¹² The subsequent shift from an industrial to a post-industrial, knowledge-based society enhances individual agency—through education, access to information, and skilled work. This empowerment fuels the drive for autonomy and personal fulfillment, pushing societies rightward toward Self-Expression values.⁸, ¹² This process creates distinct “culture zones,” with societies clustering together based on shared history and religion. The Protestant nations of Northern Europe, for example, consistently appear in the upper-right quadrant (Secular-Rational, Self-Expression), while the Islamic societies of the Middle East occupy the lower-left (Traditional, Survival).¹⁰, ¹²

Table 1: The Four Quadrants of the Inglehart-Welzel Cultural Map

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*Source: Synthesized from World Values Survey findings.*⁹, ¹⁰, ¹²

The Universal Foundations

While the cultural map reveals a world of difference, the data also points to a bedrock of shared priorities. Across cultures, a handful of elements consistently emerge as the foundation of a good life.

First and foremost is the power of social connection. Data from the World Values Survey and European Values Study shows that in all but six countries surveyed, over 80 percent of the population declares that family is “very important” in their lives.¹³ Gallup’s global research identifies “relationships with family and friends” as one of five universal elements of well-being, and a separate analysis of its World Poll data found “Family” to be one of the two strongest predictors of happiness.¹⁴, ¹⁵ This is not just a preference but a powerful determinant of life satisfaction. A Pew Research Center study found that Americans who mentioned their friends or romantic partner as a source of meaning rated their lives significantly more satisfying than those who did not.¹⁶

The second universal foundation is security—physical, financial, and personal. Good health is paramount. A Pew survey across emerging and developing nations found a median of 68 percent of people rated their health as “very important,”¹⁷ and other analyses of WVS data confirm health is a key determinant of life satisfaction.¹⁸, ¹⁹ Financial security is the cornerstone of the WVS “Survival Values” dimension, and Gallup likewise includes it as a universal element of well-being.¹⁰, ¹⁴ The link between income and happiness is one of the most robust findings in global research; richer countries are happier than poorer ones, and richer individuals are happier than poorer ones within the same country.¹⁷, ²⁰, ²¹ When the global public is asked to rank the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the top priorities are consistently “zero hunger,” “no poverty,” and “good health and well-being,” a clear reflection of these fundamental security needs.²², ²³

Finally, meaningful work is a critical component of a valued life. Gallup identifies “career well-being” as a universal element,¹⁴ and a Pew survey found that one-third of Americans who cite their job as a source of meaning report higher life satisfaction.¹⁶ Yet here, a global paradox emerges. While work is a source of meaning, it is also a primary driver of misery. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace reports consistently find that only about 20 percent of employees feel engaged at work, while 43 percent report daily stress.²⁴, ²⁵ This suggests one of the greatest opportunities for improving global well-being lies in transforming the quality of the workplace itself.

The Modern Aspirations

Once the foundational needs for security and connection are met, a new set of priorities ascends. These “post-materialist” or “emancipative” values, which define the Self-Expression pole of the cultural map, represent a shift from merely surviving to actively thriving.

Concern for environmental protection is a core component of this shift, gaining prominence as societies move into a post-industrial phase where survival can be taken for granted.¹⁰, ¹² In the United States, for instance, a clear majority supports prioritizing renewable energy and believes corporations are doing too little to combat climate change.²⁶, ²⁷ Yet when asked to rank national priorities, climate change falls to 17th out of 21 issues, far below the economy and healthcare.²⁶ This reveals a critical gap between abstract support and perceived urgency, a gap that is heavily polarized by politics.²⁶, ²⁷ Globally, “climate action” ranks 7th among the UN’s goals, its importance varying by a country’s wealth.²³

The desire for peace and justice follows a similar pattern. While enshrined as a UN goal, it ranks 10th in the global public’s priorities, again superseded by more immediate survival needs.²³ This aspiration is colliding with a grim reality. The Global Peace Index has documented a consistent deterioration in global peacefulness for over a decade. The 2024 report found 56 active conflicts, the most since World War II, with conflict-related deaths at their highest level this century.²⁸, ²⁹ Yet in a fascinating twist, a Gallup study found that a majority of people worldwide (61%) report feeling a sense of “inner peace” even amid external chaos.³⁰ This suggests a powerful human capacity for psychological resilience, a “peace paradox” where modernization, while failing to secure world peace, may be enhancing our ability to find it within ourselves.

Finally, the demand for personal freedom and equality is a powerful driver of modern values. The ability to make one’s own life choices is a central tenet of self-expression and is strongly correlated with higher life satisfaction across countries.¹⁰, ²⁰, ¹⁸ Gender equality is another key component of this cluster, with the shift to Self-Expression values consistently driving more egalitarian views.³¹, ³² Yet here, too, there is an implementation gap. While valued in principle, “Gender Equality” and “Reduced Inequality” rank near the bottom of the public’s priorities for the UN goals (15th and 12th, respectively).²³ The rising tide of support for these emancipative values is a slow, uneven process, heavily dependent on first satisfying the foundational needs for security and stability.

A World of Difference

This global story is not monolithic; it is profoundly shaped by where and how people live. A nation’s economic status, an individual’s age, and their gender all create distinct chapters in the book of human values.

The economic chasm between developing, emerging, and advanced economies is stark. Publics in wealthier nations report significantly higher life satisfaction.¹⁷, ²¹ However, this gap is closing, driven by rising happiness in fast-growing Asian and Latin American economies.¹⁷, ²⁰ In emerging and developing nations, satisfaction with one’s material well-being has the single biggest impact on overall happiness, a clear validation of the WVS framework’s emphasis on Survival Values in environments of scarcity.¹⁷, ²¹

Age and life stage add another layer of complexity. For decades, researchers observed a “U-curve of happiness,” where well-being dipped in middle age and rose again in later life.¹⁴ But recent data suggests a “great divergence” is underway. In many wealthy Western countries, flourishing now appears to increase with age; young people report lower well-being than their elders. Conversely, in several lower-income countries, the pattern is reversed, with youth reporting the highest levels of well-being.³³ This may be a cohort effect, with Gen Z and Millennials in the Global North facing unique pressures like economic precarity and loneliness that are fundamentally reshaping the experience of youth.³⁴

Gender also shapes what matters. Globally, women tend to report being slightly happier with their lives than men, particularly in less-developed regions.³⁵, ³⁶ In the U.S., women are significantly more likely than men to identify “family” as a top value (55% vs. 43%).³⁷ This is coupled with a gendered experience of modern pressures. American women consistently report higher levels of stress than men, with young women being the most stressed demographic of all.³⁸ While men and women report similar levels of loneliness, women are far more likely to turn to their friends and family for emotional support, suggesting a difference in how social networks are activated.³⁹

Table 2: Comparative Life Priorities by Global Region

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Source: Synthesized from Ipsos SDG rankings,²², ²³ WVS value dimensions,⁹, ¹⁰, ¹² Gallup’s five elements,¹⁴ and Pew Research Center findings on priorities.¹⁶, ¹⁷, ²¹ Note: Rankings represent a qualitative synthesis of multiple data sources reflecting dominant value orientations.

Conclusion

The data paints a clear picture: what people value most is not random but is part of a structured, dynamic system. This system is anchored by the universal needs for social connection and basic security. Upon this foundation, the forces of modernization build a new set of priorities, enabling a gradual but powerful shift toward self-expression, freedom, and quality of life. This is not a simple, linear path to a single global culture, but a complex and uneven process, shaped by history, economics, and demography.

Several key tensions emerge. The rising desire for self-expression is colliding with worsening threats to security, from war to climate change, which could halt or even reverse the trend. A “youth paradox” has appeared, where the young people driving value change are also experiencing acute new forms of distress. And a “peace paradox” shows declining geopolitical stability coexisting with high levels of personal, inner peace.

For leaders in policy and business, these insights are critical. Development strategies that push abstract goals like “good governance” or “climate action” are likely to fail in societies dominated by Survival Values unless they are tied to tangible improvements in food, health, and economic security.²², ²³ For global corporations, marketing and management must be value-sensitive, emphasizing security and family in some markets, and authenticity and sustainability in others.⁴⁰ Above all, the data calls for an urgent effort to resolve the “work-wellbeing paradox.” To attract and retain talent, and to boost global happiness, leaders must focus on the core drivers of a good job: quality management, realistic goals, a sense of purpose, and genuine social connection in the workplace.²⁴, ²⁵, ⁴¹ Navigating this world of evolving values is the central challenge of the 21st century.

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