Posted on 12/21/2009 10:48:59 PM PST by neverdem
In this season given to tidings of comfort and joy, word has come that we New Yorkers are the sad sacks of the United States. This is something of a surprise. Sure, we complain a lot. Grumbling could qualify as the official state sport. But are we really the unhappiest of them all?
It seems so, judging from a study by two economics professors, newly published in Science magazine. The academics — Andrew J. Oswald, of the University of Warwick in Britain, and Stephen Wu, of Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y. — examined piles of data, tossed them into a research Cuisinart and came up with a guide to American happiness, ranked by state. On the smiley scale, New York landed on the bottom.
Dead last?
“I’m sorry about that,” Professor Oswald said by phone from Warwick.
It’s rather dismal. If there were a National Happy League, we’d be the New Jersey Nets. We’re No. 51 out of 51. The District of Columbia was included in the list as if it were a state. It made it all the way to No. 37 despite the handicap of having Congress in its midst.
At least New Yorkers can take comfort in knowing that their immediate neighbors in Connecticut (No. 50) and New Jersey (No. 49) are not appreciably happier.
A remarkable aspect of this study is that Professors Wu and Oswald concluded that we are not gruntled without even having asked what we think of...
--snip--
The state-by-state rankings were not a priority, he said. But they are what has inevitably drawn the most attention. In case you were wondering — and you know you were — the Top 10 states on the happiness scale are, in descending order, Louisiana, Hawaii, Florida, Tennessee, Arizona, Mississippi, Montana, South Carolina, Alabama and Maine...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
The worst layout I've ever seen in a press release.
Objective Confirmation of Subjective Measures of Human Well-Being: Evidence from the U.S.A.
Guess where I am from..and I am happy. I know lots of happy people, too. How come nobody asked me?
Oh no!
You mean high taxes, massive regulations, coddling terrorists, failing school systems, arrogant elitist politicians and widespread corruption make people miserable?
Who’d of thought it?
Mukasey may challenge Gillibrand The AG's son
Giuliani Decides Against a Run for the Senate
FReepmail me if you want on or off my New York ping list.
Yeah, but how much did it drop after Hillary moved there?
Well, I was conceived in NY and I ain’t happy. Does that count ?
That's why.
Well, I just came from visiting there about ten days ago and I'm happy. Does that mean anything. ;-)
First Place in Taxes = Last place in happiness.
Oh does my tagline apply.I love posting that.
California ranked third from worst.
Blue states suck because liberals are miserable mean spirited people.
Folks there can be incredibly rude...some ethnic-religio groups worse than others....whining is acceptable
but some folks I liked a lot...like hardcore Italians all over from downtown to Brooklyn...the Irish...the Greeks
and WASPy Manhattan folks even if liberal were at least interesting...think Surf Club...pretty girls too if you liked pearls
but some folks there I wouldn't piss on if they were on fire
I fear it's not their fault...big cities just become less folksy and friendly...although I never found rural Vermont too warm spirited either
my daughter brought her Hudson Valley beau down this past weekend to rural Tennessee for a visit with us....he was floored by how warm everyone was here...even waiters and stuff...I warned him though that even if you take our black crime that folks down here are much quicker to kill one another over a slight than what he is used to and if someone gets in his face it is not just more hollering like in New York...down here it means to get ready.
he wants to move here....a solid young Italian cracker from Cornwall who knows what time it is culturally, he thinks he will fit in better here
I agree, Yankees like him we need more of here..
New York should cast out New York City if it wants to be happier.
That's an understatement, but its liabilities are starting to overrun its assets. It's "interesting times" in worst sense.
Libs are miseries...and the Mets didn’t help this year.
Gee...you description sounds like New Jersey. I wonder where NJ stood in that list? Probably 48th-49th.
Easy to be happy here when you got friendly people.
I rather be in New York right about now because I like Christmas in NY. Otherwise, people are the same everywhere I go.
that is a good point...Manhattan ..especially the nice parts are very Christmas(y) despite being so Jewish.
aren’t you in like east PA now?
Merry Christmas.
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