Millennial Love & Doom: Jem Calder's Bleakly Funny Novel

Jem Calder's debut novel, 'I Want You to Be Happy,' delves into the complexities of millennial relationships, technology's pervasive influence, and widespread ennui. The narrative centers on a 23-year-old named Joey and her situationship with the older Chuck, who struggles with commitment due to past relationships and economic instability.

Calder connects modern commitmentphobia to an "unstable and unpleasant" economic reality, where individuals may opt for casual relationships over settling down. This outlook, while hedonistic, proves to be a shallow way of life for his characters.

The novel also examines the disillusionment of men in their 30s and 40s facing creative or professional disappointments. Calder, who has worked various jobs alongside writing, finds motivation in his day jobs.

Alternating between Joey's and Chuck's perspectives, the book highlights a dynamic where older men may feel challenged by younger, talented women. This theme resonates across professions, including the arts.

Calder's characters are portrayed as addicted to instant gratification, using various distractions to avoid existential anxieties like climate change. The novel questions the definition of addiction in a world where such behaviors are common.

The author is often grouped with writers like Sally Rooney, identified as a "voice of a generation." However, Calder emphasizes that his goal is to realistically portray life and critique capitalism implicitly, rather than impose political views.