Challenges of a Grievance‑Driven Society and Paths Forward

The illustration above is the headline from the TIME article “We Are on the Precipice of a Grievance-Based Society”, written by Richard Edelman, CEO of the global communications firm Edelman.

The following essay examines the core challenges of a grievance-driven society and reflects on how the concerns raised in the Time article might be understood and addressed.

1. The Rise of Grievance as a Social Paradigm

The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, as highlighted by Time, reveals a profound societal shift from polarization to grievance — people feeling that systems, businesses, and governments make life harder while enriching the few.

About 60% of respondents report moderate to high grievance levels, believing institutions fail them.

This grievance is deeply intertwined with economic anxiety:

• Stagnant wages
• Fears over automation and globalization
• A bleak outlook for future generations (only about a third believe the next generation will fare better)
  Source: TIME

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2. Deepening Distrust and Polarization

Trust in institutions is fracturing:

• Low-income groups trust institutions far less than high-income ones (48% vs 61%)
• A staggering two-thirds of people worry institutions are intentionally deceiving them
• Disinformation is rampant
• Over half of young adults support online aggression or violence to effect change

Source: TIME

3. When Businesses Become the Default Arbiter

In a vacuum of trust, business is often seen as the most capable institution — but:

• Its moral and ethical credibility is eroding, especially among the aggrieved
• Lower-income respondents view businesses as less ethical and less competent

Sources: TIME, Cooley Pubco

4. Alarming Consequences

This all leads to a toxic mixture:

• Economic insecurity
• Deep distrust
• Disinformation
• Radically confrontational attitudes

This climate threatens societal cohesion and risks normalizing aggressive activism as a legitimate tool for change.

Proposed Solutions: Rebuilding Trust and Reducing Grievance

A. Reaffirm Institutional Competence and Fairness

Governments should:

• Deliver tangible benefits: higher wages, reskilling, affordable essentials

Businesses should:

• Prioritise stakeholder well-being
• Provide living wages, transparent taxes, retraining, and environmental responsibility

Source: Cooley Pubco

B. Enhance Information Integrity

• Media must combat disinformation directly
• Collaborate with tech platforms to flag falsehoods and amplify verified reporting
• All institutions should communicate transparently, admit mistakes, and explain decisions

Source: TIME

C. Bridge the Economic Divide

• Invest in low-income communities
• Expand equitable job opportunities and local development
• Design inclusive policies that empower the next generation
• Focus on education, housing, and stable careers

Source: TIME

D. Promote Civic Engagement and Empathy

• Create dialogue between opposing viewpoints
• Encourage community service and public forums
• Cultivate empathy-driven leadership and inclusive governance

Source: Renée DiResta

E. Foster Institutional Collaboration

• Encourage joint efforts by business, government, NGOs, and media
• Co-design solutions, engage the public, and restore shared agency

Source: TIME

See business not as a universal solver, but as part of an interdependent ecosystem.

Conclusion

The Time article issues an urgent alarm:

We’re on the edge of a society shaped by grievance, distrust, and radicalization.

But these challenges are resolvable.

• Restore economic security
• Rebuild trust through transparency
• Bridge societal divides
• Promote empathetic, inclusive engagement

Bringing people back from the brink requires a shared reconstruction of trust — a collaborative, inter‑institutional effort to re-anchor society in fairness, competence, and mutual regard.