By January 2026, Iranian society occupies a juncture that defies explanation through the lens of a single economic shock, an isolated episode of political unrest, or a discrete protest cycle. What is unfolding is best understood as a cumulative condition of erosion –an erosion of livelihoods, trust, future horizons, and institutional capacity. This condition has not emerged abruptly, nor can it be traced to a singular decision or event. Rather, it reflects the long-term accumulation of pressures that have progressively reshaped the logic of everyday life.

The persistent rise in the cost of living, market disorientation, employment insecurity, environmental stress, power outages, and chronic water shortages have become normalized features of social experience. Under these circumstances, everyday life for large segments of the population has been reduced from “living” to mere “survival.” This downgrading is not solely material; it is inseparable from a pervasive sense of horizonlessness, chronic fatigue, and deep psychological attrition. ...

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