NY, CT, NJ rank dead last in happiness

[billski]

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/research_finds_the/

NY is dead last, followed by CT and NJ.
MA, PA and RI are not far behind.
Interestingly, in the middle of the pack are CO, NM, UT, VT.
Most surprising to me is ME at #10

Guess it's time to move?

 

[dmc]

I'm surprised the UK is doing this kinda list...

I call BS...

 

[Glenn]

Doesn't really surprise me.

 

[billski]

I'm surprised the UK is doing this kinda list...

I call BS...

The NJ Star-Ledger weighs in. Pretty funny:

"In a recent poll of 1.3 million Americans, New Jersey ranked 48th in happiness. To which we respond: Yeah, so what? Want to make something of it?

A couple of economists took data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over a four-year period and applied it to a happiness ranking based on criteria ranging from the availability of public land and open space to commuting times and local taxes.
Heck, with a poll that rigged, it’s a wonder New Jersey didn’t finish last. (New York did.) What, no questions about excessive tolls, potholes the size of municipal pools, oblivious drivers who clog the left lane or governors in sweater vests?
True, there was one small parcel of open land left in New Jersey (west of Clinton, we hear), and someone just built a condo on it. But all that density and body heat will help us keep our utility bills low in the winter. And yeah, we spend more than 237 hours a year getting to and from work — but that gives us more time to talk or text on our cell phones. Plus, it makes us more valuable to businesses who advertise on radio.
And our property taxes are the highest in the nation. But, hey, corruption isn’t cheap.
Nowhere in the survey were true quality-of-life questions, like: Where can you get the best pizza? Make $200,000 as a cop? Retire with three state pensions?
Louisiana, the poll told us, is the happiest state in the union — right, the state still mopping the muddy waters of Hurricane Katrina from its living rooms. But maybe it makes sense after all: Louisiana always ranks near the top of any lists with the worst schools, and it’s one of the most obese states in the nation.
So does that mean they really are fat, dumb and happy?
Look, it’s not that we’re unhappy, we’re realists. We’re among the wealthiest and smartest people in the nation — which means we understand just how bad things are right now.
And being ranked near the bottom isn’t a bad thing. The other states near the top -- Hawaii, Florida, Tennessee and Arizona.​

So, to the pollsters we say: You want %$&$# happiness? We got your &%$*# happiness right here. Merry Freakin’ Christmas."

 

[faceplant]

this makes me sad
very very sad

 

[drjeff]

Not suprising, sad but not suprising.

 

[dmc]

this makes me sad
very very sad

Don't let a newspaper make you sad!!!

All that matters is what you think!!!

I've been to England... We got it way better here... WTF do they know...

 

[jaywbigred]

Any attempt to quantify "happiness" is a sham from the get go.

 

[St. Bear]

I'm not into flame wars, so I'll refrain from commenting on this piece. I'll just say that I know lots of people who are very happy living in NJ.

 

[Warp Daddy]

When you educate people you raise their expectations and thus their potential to both succeed and also be critical

Is it any surprise that Louisiana one of the most backward states in the Union is rated #1 gives REAL meaning to the old adage " IGNORANCE IS BLISS"

.

 

[Dr Skimeister]

When you educate people you raise their expectations and thus their potential to both succeed and also be critical

Is it any surprise that Louisiana one of the most backward states in the Union is rated #1 gives REAL meaning to the old adage " IGNORANCE IS BLISS"

.

Good point, Warp.

But....my experience, from having lived in Louisiana is that the happiness there is related to alcohol intake. I have never seen a place where as many people drank as much as in southern Louisiana.

 

[drjeff]

When you educate people you raise their expectations and thus their potential to both succeed and also be critical

Also raises the sense of entitlement IMHO (both from those that took the time and put forth the effort to advance their education and from those that didn't, but feel they should be included as well)

Gotta stop posting in this thread before I cross the sacred "no politics" line now

 

[billski]

When you educate people you raise their expectations and thus their potential to both succeed and also be critical

Is it any surprise that Louisiana one of the most backward states in the Union is rated #1 gives REAL meaning to the old adage " IGNORANCE IS BLISS"

.

Yepper, exactly what I was thinking.

I visited some very impovershed villages in Eastern Europe, and found the villagers to be some of the happiest sould I ever met. They have next to nothing, and yet, they've learned to be satisfied with what they have and make the most of it.

I'm sure dmc has a similar story to tell.

 

[deadheadskier]

Any attempt to quantify "happiness" is a sham from the get go.

In a survey? Definitely

Clinically? No

I lived in Southwestern PA / Western MD for about a year between the towns of Confluence, PA and McHenry, MD. My gf at the time was a psych major at WVU and a number of studies concluded that the town of Johnstown, PA had the highest rate of clinical depression of any town/city in the country. The study was quite believable. I practically wanted to kill myself living in that area. :lol:

 

[wintersyndrome]

Any attempt to quantify "happiness" is a sham from the get go.

+1

 

[andyzee]

Don't let a newspaper make you sad!!!

All that matters is what you think!!!

I've been to England... We got it way better here... WTF do they know...

Yeah, I think they're just jealous, Do they even have mountains in England?

 

[4aprice]

I'm not into flame wars, so I'll refrain from commenting on this piece. I'll just say that I know lots of people who are very happy living in NJ.

And lots of us who want to get the hell out of here and sit back and watch the state implode. The editorial board at the Star Ledger are a bunch of idiots.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[St. Bear]

And lots of us who want to get the hell out of here and sit back and watch the state implode. The editorial board at the Star Ledger are a bunch of idiots.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

Can't disagree with anything said here.

 

[ctenidae]

I'll just say that I know lots of people who are very happy living in NJ.

And we're all happy that they're likely to stay there...

 

[ERJ-145CA]

I like Jersey, the only other places I'd consider living in are VT or NH. There must be a reason it's the most densely populated state, enough people like it.