Are You Happy With Your Life?

[KukriKhan]

The Pew Global Survey Group has finished a study/survey (Link), that tried to measure peoples' general happiness with their circumstance.

People's sense of their own personal progress is clearly linked to their satisfaction with their lives. To measure progress, Pew analysts computed the proportion of people who say they are on a higher step on the ladder now than they were five years ago.

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So, following the Pew lead, given the past 5 years, are you happier, about the same, or less happy, today, than you were in July 2002?

Why?

edit: poll is anonymous

[AntiochusIII]

Gah! I read the whole link (I really need to stop doing that: It's the Backroom! Nobody ever read links!) and I think the survey results pretty much screams out "common sense," really. For one, a richer, more comfortable person is on average happier than an I-don't-know-if-I'm-gonna-die-tomorrow African, yet there's only so far you can go before that shiny new home theater system is really just a useless empty toy for a spoiled American suburban [/self insult]. Considering the West's "developed" status versus other countries' "developing" status "our" stasis when compare to other nations' improvements in happiness trends are almost self-explanatory.

Economics is important but it's not everything...which is the conclusion from the survey is it not?

As for the poll, I vote less happy for precisely one reason: I grew up.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Somewhat less, though I've grown more cynical with age, I guess. And slightly poorer.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Much happier now. I'm a lot more attractive, dress better, have my own place, am at university doing something I love, and have developed into a person I really quite like.

[KukriKhan]

Economics is important but it's not everything...which is the conclusion from the survey is it not?

I think so, although they're loathe to admit that their surveys try to arrive at any preconceived conclusions. :eyeroll:

Nevertheless, I was interested to see if backroomers thought, in general, they were happier, the same, or less happy, than they thought they were in 2002. And why.

We have an enviable international membership - that sadly doesn't include many developing countries. So, given that we are residents of developed countries, how do we feel?

[Papewaio]

Got married, lived overseas, had a kid, had a couple of salary raises... so I would think I would be happier.

[seireikhaan]

I was definitely happier back in 2002. Why?

1) Back then, I was an ignorant 12 year old with relatively minor worries and concerns.

2) Now, I am a hormonal teenager who is fed up with the hypocrisy of my high school, fed up with my government's leadership, fed up with the situation in Iraq...And of course the fact that I'm a hormonal teenager means that I generally blow situations way out of proportion to begin with.

[Marshal Murat]

I'm more satisfied...
1. M2TW is out
2. My bagpiping has improved (now it sounds like a semi-asthmatic pig, not three geese wailing with a cat)
3. I'm getting closer to graduating.

Less satisfied...
1. I'm becoming more cynical
2. Love problems
3. I 'm wishing I lived somewhere other than Florida

Before (2002) I was enjoyed living in Florida and was more innocent, didn't care so much about girls (I don't care to go into it)

[AntiochusIII]

I think so, although they're loathe to admit that their surveys try to arrive at any preconceived conclusions. :eyeroll:

True, they seem to try to interpret their data in a specific way they want.

We have an enviable international membership - that sadly doesn't include many developing countries. So, given that we are residents of developed countries, how do we feel?

I suppose Total War isn't very popular compare to other, more "iconic" computer games like Halo and the rest of them, which would allow for a wider fan base + community. In any case it doesn't help that even Thailand banned YouTube which generally suggests that users of developing countries with shaky civil rights often have to go through more trouble to use the internet (as for my guess for the reason, I suspect someone got offended over a random video showing negativities about "The King" and pulled the trigger. Shame really, I used to be in along with everyone else about how great The King really is for a large portion of my youth; goddam propaganda, I'll never forgive them...but I'm rambling here).

In a way though, one could argue that not being exposed to the Really Bad Stuff makes our happiness not altogether that different from people elsewhere, simply that we have relative standards. Even though the study is skewed I still effectively agree with their key point that there's a ceiling though sadly not a floor on where economics can go in terms of having a good trip 'round this pretty little Earth.

[KafirChobee]

With life, yes. With the reality of it, maybe not so much.
With the differences between 2002 and 2007? Well, we all get over most of the problems in 2008.

[Blodrast]

MUCH less happy.
5 years ago in July I was freshly married, in love (with my wife) (duh, I said freshly), had good future prospects, was about to immigrate to a better country and presumably better life, etc.
Today: divorced, been through a crapload of emotional anguish (I know, I'm repeating myself here), I'm alone, closest friend is 5000 km away, completely lacking motivation to do my job, haven't done any actual work in several weeks...

So yeah, I guess I voted less happy.

[JR-]

more happy.