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Pew research did a survey where it asked 42,000 people in 38 different nations how their day was. Respondents could answer 'particularly good', 'typical', or 'p

Pew research did a survey where it asked 42,000 people in 38 different nations how their day was. Respondents could answer 'particularly good', 'typical', or 'particulary bad'. Nigerians are having the best time, with 73% of respondents saying they were having a particularly good day. In Japan on 11% were having a particularly good day. The outcomes of this pew study correlate inversely with studies that objectively measure quality of life. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/01/02/particularly-good-days-are-common-in-africa-latin-america-and-the-u-s/ http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/01/02/particularly... A ship is safe in harbour, but that's not what ships are for.

barrkel 9y ago
People are biased to want to grow and be challenged. An easy life is an unsatisfying life. Are games the answer?
bildung 9y ago
Interesting! Amartya Sen's theory of justice had a similar passage about quality of live of Indian women: Originally they self-assessed as healthy and without problems (while objectively being in very poor condition and having very low life expectancy), then, years later, as both education (esp. health-related) and access to healthcare improved, self-assessed as unhealthier than before! Turns out they didn't know/ couldn't imagine their health problems as something optimizable. Life just was how it was, alternatives not imaginable.
- msaharia 9y ago
  I think you mean Idea of Justice. Theory of Justice is by John Rawls.
  - bildung 9y ago
    You're right! I read the German version and translated back from memory.
api 9y ago
Another factor is that there exists a massive advertising industry in developed nations whose goal is to convince everyone they can't be happy unless they are X or have Y.
fulafel 9y ago
If a typical Nigerian faces a calamity every 14 days and a Japanese citizen every 140 days, you will get a much more relieved and appreciative average answer for daily life from the Nigerians to this question. Especially if those who faced a calamity in the last couple of days are less likely to participate in the survey.

barrkel 9y ago

People are biased to want to grow and be challenged. An easy life is an unsatisfying life. Are games the answer?

bildung 9y ago

Interesting! Amartya Sen's theory of justice had a similar passage about quality of live of Indian women: Originally they self-assessed as healthy and without problems (while objectively being in very poor condition and having very low life expectancy), then, years later, as both education (esp. health-related) and access to healthcare improved, self-assessed as unhealthier than before! Turns out they didn't know/ couldn't imagine their health problems as something optimizable. Life just was how it was, alternatives not imaginable.

msaharia 9y ago
I think you mean Idea of Justice. Theory of Justice is by John Rawls.
- bildung 9y ago
  You're right! I read the German version and translated back from memory.

api 9y ago

Another factor is that there exists a massive advertising industry in developed nations whose goal is to convince everyone they can't be happy unless they are X or have Y.

fulafel 9y ago

If a typical Nigerian faces a calamity every 14 days and a Japanese citizen every 140 days, you will get a much more relieved and appreciative average answer for daily life from the Nigerians to this question. Especially if those who faced a calamity in the last couple of days are less likely to participate in the survey.