This paper presents a reflection based on some results of the research project Quality of life in complex societies: the depression between workers of petrochemical industry and artisan fishermen. Is must be pointed out that this research is a large part of a deep theory developed since the 90's. In a deep field research, the quality of life through analysis of depressive states in workers of the petrochemical industry (REPLAN, Paulínia, SP) and artisan fishermen (7 Colony Z - Itaipu and Piratininga, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro) was examined, considering that these workers are under intense social-environmental transformations in their daily routine and revealing depression as expression of subjectivity, in the individual, of an intense social complexity.
Subjectivity; social complexity; depression; quality of life