The average well-being of our societies is not dependent any longer on national income and economic growth. … But the differences between us and where we are in relation to each other now matter very much.

Wilkinson is arguing that once societies reach a certain level of material prosperity, further increases in GDP do not reliably raise average well-being. Instead, what becomes decisive is relative position—how people compare with one another in income, status, and social standing. The quote reflects his broader thesis that inequality, more than absolute wealth, shapes health and social outcomes by intensifying status competition, anxiety, and social distance. In this view, policy aimed solely at growth misses the drivers of modern distress; reducing disparities and strengthening social cohesion would do more to improve population well-being.