You are making the assumption that because people's lives are materially more comfortable, that they should be happy. Happiness is more of a mental state than a matter of keeping your body in a comfortable situation. While there isn't as much bodily suffering in western countries, there is more mental suffering. This is because there is no culture (which you alluded to when you referenced the lack of upbringing that most people have). People don't know how to control their thoughts or emotions, or live with purpose. Even people who do try to live with nobility and purpose face an increasing amount of alienation as the world descends further into degradation. Also worth mentioning is the isolation and lack of connectedness that many people feel--again due to lack of culture. This leads to very real mental suffering, as in, the opposite of happiness. It's not as severe as children starving in Africa or people getting their limbs blown off in war, but it's real nonetheless. To completely ignore these means that you lack compassion, which reflects poorly on your character. Usually people who have suffered a lot learn to develop compassion for the suffering of others.
