Poll finds increased U.S. unhappiness

I don't really understand it. What's it saying?

It's just playing poker,there was a thread a long time ago in the lounge,someone was giving out random smilies.I got poker-smiley.I don't even play poker,but there he is!

He keeps losing over and over again...

:(

Coincidence? I think not.

Coincidence? I think not.

(Then again, I'm in Brazil. MY country isn't ran by pro-death anti-fun knuckledraggers.)

Truly. :-)

The point I was trying to make was that people who are unhappy often eat more in an effort to comfort themselves. I know that this accounts for my weight gain; and I suspect it accounts for many other U.S. citizens. (If you recall, the article was talking about US citizens and not Brazilians).

on how much unhappiness has increased since 2000.

No doubt would show the wealthy getting happier AND wealthier while the rest of us are getting poorer and more miserable. The clueless in D.C. will never figure out why so many have the feeling of hopelessness,helplessness and no ability to change it. The jobs are fewer and pay is less. The bills keep going up. Benefits,pensions, going down. Seniors cannot enjoy their days because they have to worry about how to pay for utilities and medical needs. The forty somethings can no longer see the day that they can retire and the twenty something have become more cynical, no longer able to dream of living the way their parents did.

So, some of that may be related to the chances of seeing more death and disability going up with age (e.g. baby boom cohort's parents dying).

We're turning the corner on happiness.

in Indiana lately. Almost everyone is fed up with Bush. Indiana might not be so red this time.

amongst our peers - baby boomers that is. I'm 57 and every other month I hear about a cohort being diagnosed with cancer or dying. Let's face it. We're now the older generation and it's hitting too close to home.

I'm not trying to be contentious here - just that I still think "baby boomer" should be defined as those born during the 10 years after WWII ended - not 20 years. I think of myself and cohorts as the "true" baby boomers.

but even w/ good health, good finances ( but better during clinton years ) the MAIN cause of my unhappiness lives in the WH. bushco is the dark pall over my days and my same-age friends feel the same way.

Basically he says anyone born between 1946 and 1964 is part of the baby boom cohort. He calls anyone born in the latter part of this period "generation X" as well (especially the 1960-66 interval, but for some purposes he would place that a bit earlier, which would put people like me in that category). Most people think generation x is just a vague reference to 20 somethings, but that is not his nomenclature.

He does draw a sharp distinction between those born in the first half and last half of the 1946-1964 period, though, as their life experiences were very different. So, in that sense, you have a very good point.

I agree that it is not just parents, but members of the baby boom cohort itself, that would be contributing to this existential crisis. I have been to 5 funerals myself in the last year - some were baby boomer's parents, some were baby boomers, one was even a baby boom echo generation kid. The latter was the saddest, of course.

of baby boomers, I just don't happen to agree with it and never have. The term "baby boom" was coined after the soldiers came home from WWII (1944)and started to have their families. How can you stretch that to someone born in 1964? The average family back then was 4 children, mostly every two years and that's only a span of 8 years.

I just don't look at someone born in 1960 and think of them in terms of baby boomers. Sorry. That's just me. But then I mostly don't ever go along with convention:) That's why I'm a DU'er.

boomer to you?

a boomer, but no later than that. Just my pet peeve.

;-) i always have considered myself a boomer.

Seven kids, from 1946 to 1958. I was the last. Operationally, the baby boom just tends to be defined as the demographic bulge born during the 1946-64 period, which peaked in 1959 or so.

I agree though, that the term baby boomer is awfully broad, and includes people with very different life experiences, based upon very different historical forces. For example, early boomers came of age during the Viet Nam war, while late boomers came of age during the early 1980's recession. Early boomers had acid rock, late boomers had punk rock. I have always seen these as fairly distinct generational entities myself.

I was born in 1949. My three older siblings are not boomers, but three of us born in 1948, 1949 and 1952 all feel like we're the quintessential boomers. Came of age during VietNam (my older sister was in VietNam during the war), protests, women's movement, civil rights movement, and the best music ever!!!

Me, cause Bush was selected, she, who voted for Shrub, listens to Pat Robertson and agrees. So you see, we all have our own reasons, but I do believe the general morale is pretty low.

making new laws to stifle the unhappy, which will probably not make them any happier and maybe even regretful that they voted for them in the first place... (I saw far fewer pro-* items at work today and knowing those supporters, a corner HAS been turned... not a good one though.)

Hmmm, what could be going on that we don't know about? :think: :tinfoilhat:

That's the path to happiness, after all, gross consumption...

I dunno about that. I *DO* know that since Il Douche has been on the Topaz Throne, I've been on Welbutrin and in therapy.

Now the REAL project will be for someone at the conservative U of C to polish this turd.

people will be unhappier. With so many lacking health insurance and the cost of doctor visits and medication no longer affordable for so many, unhappiness will increase substantially!

I should leave the country. I am much happier now.

-somewhere in central america