Britain to introduce happiness index

Well this is a strange one.

LONDON — The government plans to introduce a "happiness index" to gauge its population's psychological and environmental wellbeing, a source told the Guardian newspaper Monday.
Prime Minister David Cameron will ask the Office of National Statistics to prepare methods which will measure the "general wellbeing" despite reservations about the timing.
"The aim is to produce a fresh set of data ... to be published at a frequency to be decided that assesses the psychological and physical wellbeing of people around the UK," the source told the paper.

Linkwww.google.com...
Link2 news.yahoo.com...

Happy happy joy joy
What's your take on this in a time of doom and gloom they want to see how happy we are unbelievable.

Well if it works in America why not give it a go as you can see Obama and friends have been briefed.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/e7c02f9bef3e.jpg[/atsimg]
Thanks

reply to post by mars1


hmmmm.... and they get to set the framework on how that is gauged
I can't see any misleading stats suddenly appearing in the MSM to tell us, we really are happy nation

Oh dear. Just... oh dear.
There's something sinister-sounding about a "happiness index". It's good to know that instead of actually putting money into, you know, making people's lives better, they would rather set up an institution to observe rather than interfere.
Who's to say that media outlets start broadcasting propaganda to tell us how happy we all are whilst the seams around us are splitting?

Bhutan has it first, and it's "falling" after the arrival of TV to Bhutan. Well at least according to the article.

Bhutan's falling happiness index

Gross national happiness

reply to post by thoughtsfull


This is almost the stupidest thing the CONDEMED have done they do all this to us and want to know if we are happy they already know don't need stats for that.

This country is run by idiots simples.

Thanks

You're pulling my leg aren't you Mars1?

I started reading and imagined myself being stopped in my local shopping centre by some young girl with a clip board asking: ''Excuse me, Sir, would you consider yourself happy?''

I read [and contributed] to the Depression is NOT a real disorder thread very recently and while I found myself empathetic with the vast majority of what has been put there, I couldn't help but feel mortifyingly drained from it. It sucked all my emotions and to be honest I found it very irritating in the end. It encouraged me to postulate that there may very well, possibly, be a link between the number of members on a Conspiracy Website that are currently experiencing depression of some form.

I digress...

It was food for thought that's all I can say. If asked the question 'am I happy?' my answer would be: ''Yes, yes I am and for good number of reasons too.'' Would you like to know my secret?

reply to post by BAZ752


No not pulling your leg it was on BBC news this morning thought i had been time warped to 1st of April
Here's a picture of Cameron floating the idea with Sarkozy.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/8fb15001b430.jpg[/atsimg]

Thanks

Hmmm let me make a prediction after 4 yrs of these people in government; on a scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is the most happiest i would say 80 % of the country would be around 1 to 4.

Heard about this on radio this afternoon (Radio Scotland). Someone had an example of the questions that are going to be asked on the form that will be attatched to the census form.

Questions....

Do you talk with everyone in your family group?
Do you have a 5 year plan?
How many of your extended family own their house?
How many social friends do you have?
Do they share the same politics, religion, interests as you?

These are just the ones I heard mentioned. The concensuss was that the whole idea is a means of data-basing us.

Respects

Check this out.


Where are the Happiest Places in the World ??

Table: The World's Happiest Countries
1 Denmark Europe 82 17 1 7.9
2 Finland Europe 75 23 2 7.8
3 Norway Europe 69 31 0 7.9
4 Sweden Europe 68 30 2 7.9
4 Netherlands Europe 68 32 1 7.7
6 Costa Rica Americas 63 35 2 8.1
6 New Zealand Asia 63 35 2 7.6
8 Canada Americas 62 36 2 7.6
8 Israel Asia 62 35 3 6.4
8 Australia Asia 62 35 3 7.5
8 Switzerland Europe 62 36 2 7.6
12 Panama Americas 58 39 3 8.4
12 Brazil Americas 58 40 2 7.5
14 United States Americas 57 40 3 7.3
14 Austria Europe 57 40 3 7.7
16 Belgium Europe 56 41 3 7.3
17 United Kingdom Europe 54 44 2 7.4
18 Mexico Americas 52 43 5 7.7
18 Turkmenistan Asia 52 47 1 7.5
20 United Arab Emirates Asia 51 48 1 7.7
The list goes on www.forbes.com...

Well it seems even Americans are not that happy too.

Thanks

Myself I would use it in this way.

15% of people are for something.

15% of people are against something.

70% are undecided or uninterested.


It's when the people in the middle decide which way to go that things get done. And in this case we are relying on the herd mentality. When a critical mass of feet start moving in one direction, the whole heard goes in that direction. 15% may still be braying that we are going in the wrong direction, but their feet speak otherwise so they don't get trampled.

In the course of making their decision on which way to go the undecided middle takes their clues from the ones around them, and the general sound of what is going on.

By making a happiness index, when another poppy burning happens, instead of a massive flare up of unpredicted outcry overnight, "The Authority"(tm) can say that happiness is still above 50% thus killing any instinct individuals have to join in. It will leave each one feeling like what they are seeing isn't real. That this isn't a real outcry, and these are just a few nuts. The kind I want nothing to do with.


In other words, I see a happiness index as an effective tool to discredit public opinion.


David Grouchy

I have always wondered why Britain has never followed the success of the northern European countries like Denmark and Sweden. It seems we like to think ourselves as big players on the global scene, wanting to maintain interests on a global scale. I think moving closer to these European nations would be a wiser move than trying to be America's side kick in policing the world.

Again these countries invest in their futures, providing excellent eduction systems. Education is valued and promoted and not seen as a burden on the taxpayer as we see in the UK.

I think it's down to values of our society. We seem to know the price of everything and the value of nothing.