Gallup recently conducted a poll ranking the American states by how happy they are. Don’t ask any questions about methodology or legitimacy: I’m not even going there. Let’s just all be happy for the people of Kansas, who ranked higher than California.
Here’s what I want to point out.
SF Weekly reported on this survey, and their post concluded with this paragraph:
So why does any of this matter? Gallup editor-in-chief Frank Newport told 24/7 Wall St.why states should try to foster more joy: “Well-being is important because of the hypothesis that it leads to good outcomes,” he said. “If your citizens have high well-being, they’re more likely to be better citizens and engage in better behaviors and make things better all the way around. It’s a positive goal for those that look at what we ought to emphasize in society.”
Wait … We’re justifying HAPPINESS because “of the hypothesis that it leads to good outcomes”?
The idea is that I should be happy because it might lead somewhere good? Is that it? I should follow this happiness thing and see if it pays off down the road? And if it doesn’t, I’ll try misery out because that might be the shortcut to enhanced results? That’s where you’re going with this?
To think people don’t trust polls.