2025年可以稱為焦慮的年代。全球10大事件，包括AI失控與低質內容氾濫、川普關稅政策與貿易緊張、地緣政治衝突升溫、氣候災害頻發、經濟放緩與通膨壓力、社群平台情緒操控爭議、民主信任危機、能源與糧食安全問題、全球健康焦慮，以及虛擬社交導致的心理孤獨，這讓我們感受到生活在一個充滿不確定的時代。
COVID-19後，全球一直處於「易變、不確定、複雜、模糊」的混沌狀態，到2025年，更在科技失速、政治撕裂、環境危機、經濟壓力、心理失衡而加劇，映照出人類在高速變動中的脆弱與渴望。
台灣同樣充滿焦慮，兩岸局勢緊張、政黨對立加劇，全球供應鏈重置、通膨與民生成本增加，詐騙激增與世代孤獨感蔓延，極端氣候與颱風水災，能源與安全軔性不足，這讓社會瀰漫著不安全感。
而全球各地選出2025年的年度代表字，正反映人們情緒與關注，英國提出RageBait(憤怒誘餌)、Parasocial(擬社交互動)、VibeCoding(氣氛編碼)，美國選出Slop(數位餿水)，日本選出「熊」、台灣選出「罷」，中國選出「軔」及「稅」，這都與全球的不確定性及焦慮有關。
但焦慮時代並非世界末日，卻呼喚著「韌性」與「信任」的渴望。我們需要科技治理，需要民主修復、環境行動，更需要心理支持與社會正面思維。透明制度及理性溝通是基礎，而積極行動則是曙光。
台灣的曙光來自鏟子超人的故事。花蓮縣光復鄉水災，近50萬志工與11萬國軍，在20天內清除40萬噸淤泥。他們來自台灣各地、各行各業、不約而同在危機快速動員，拿起鏟子投入救災，展現台灣社會最真實的韌性與互信，也證明，團結與行動在焦慮時代帶來的希望。
2025 can be described as an age of anxiety. Ten major global developments－including runaway AI
and the spread of low-quality content, Trump’s tariff policies and rising trade tensions, escalating geopolitical conflicts, increasingly frequent climate disasters, economic slowdown and inflationary pressure, controversies over emotional manipulation on social media platforms, a crisis of trust in democracy, challenges to energy and food security, global health anxieties, and psychological loneliness driven by virtual socialization－have made us acutely aware that we are living in an era filled with uncertainty.
Since COVID-19, the world has remained in a state of “volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and
ambiguity.” By 2025, this condition has only intensified, fueled by technological acceleration, political polarization, environmental crises, economic pressure, and psychological imbalance. Together, these forces reflect both humanity’s vulnerability and its longing amid rapid change.
Taiwan is no exception to this anxiety. Cross-strait tensions persist and deepening partisan divides,
global supply chain restructuring, rising inflation and living costs, a surge in fraud cases, generational loneliness, extreme weather events, typhoons and floods, and insufficient resilience in energy and security systems. These factors combine to create a pervasive sense of insecurity.
Interestingly, the “Words of the year 2025” chosen across different regions mirror these emotions
and concerns. The UK highlighted “rage bait” ,“parasocial” ,and “vibe coding”. The U.S. chose “slop” (digital junk), Japan selected “bear”, Taiwan picked “recall”, while China emphasized “resilience” and “tariff”. Each term reflects the global climate of uncertainty and anxiety.
Yet, the Age of Anxiety is not the end of the world. It is a call for resilience and trust. We need robust
technology governance, democratic renewal, decisive environmental action, and comprehensive mental health support. Transparent institutions and rational dialogue are essential, as is a positive social mindset that transforms fear into constructive action. These are the rays of hope piercing through the clouds.
In Taiwan, that hope is embodied in the story of “Shovel Superman.” After the flooding in Guangfu
Township, nearly 500,000 volunteers and 110,000 members of Taiwan’s Military worked together to remove 400,000 tons of silt in just 20 days. Coming from all corners of Taiwan and all walks of life, they mobilized swiftly in the face of crisis, picked up shovels, and devoted themselves to disaster relief. Their actions embodied the truest form of Taiwan’s resilience and mutual trust－and proved that, even in an age of anxiety, unity and action can bring genuine hope.
