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News & politics

When were you happiest?

(38 Posts)
trisher Sat 19-Oct-19 14:24:26

There is some very strange research out there at the moment that says the happiest year ever was 1880 and the most miserable 1978. It's based apparently on looking at printed matter and finding certain words and how often they occur. Now I can believe that there were people who could read and write who were happy and wanted to read lightweight things , but as for everybody? I really doubt it.
As for 1978 I had a young baby. I was just shattered all the time!
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-happiest-year-1880-queen-victoria-ashes-australia-benjamin-disraeli-a9156036.html

boodymum67 Sun 20-Oct-19 16:17:51

becoming 40 was great for me. I`d lost a lot of weight, became a WW leader, passed by driving test, got a car, got promoted in my day job and life was good.

A decade later, I was in a wheelchair, fat again, and dependent on carers for everything!

aprilrose Sun 20-Oct-19 16:14:35

I tthink 1970/71 was the last time I really recall being happy. 1978 was an awful year. I do remember that.

grannyactivist Sun 20-Oct-19 15:26:33

As someone else said up thread, happiness is fleeting and comprised of moments I think, rather than a state of being. I am more content now than I have ever been.

Happiness often comes from sharing others' moments of joy or excitement. I was happy this week (actually I was close to being ecstatic with relief) when a homeless man was, after a very long battle, finally Sectioned and is now getting the care he needs instead of potentially dying on the streets. I was also happy to hear a relative who has suffered from a severe depression got his first graduate job.

varian Sun 20-Oct-19 15:16:48

There are currently about 67 million people living in the UK. We are constantly told that 17 million voted leave three and a half years ago, but of course many of them will have since died.

Therefore there are about 50 million people living in this country now who never voted for brexit but all of us would be affected for the rest of our lives if it is not stopped.

To go back to the OP, we have seen serious divisions in British society, a weariness with being battered by pro-brexit propagand, a sad decline in a feeling of well-being, and an increase in anxiety and depression for the last three or four years .

It is high time this nonsense was stopped so we could get back to concentrating on what matters most without this shadow hanging over the whole country.

Calendargirl Sun 20-Oct-19 14:47:05

As usual, we seem to digress from the original post on to the dreaded Brexit.

varian Sun 20-Oct-19 00:43:12

I refer to those living here now, all of whom will be affected if brexit is not stopped

WOODMOUSE49 Sun 20-Oct-19 00:32:43

Official statistics. Referendum was in 2016 and the population then was 65.6 million. More than 30 million voted

varian. - 50 million of the 65.6 million never voted for brexit! Figures do not tally. If you are stating how many didn't vote in 2016 you need to state what the population was in that year not 2019.

GagaJo Sun 20-Oct-19 00:27:05

In my life, happiness has come in snippets. A memorable holiday in the middle of a romance, 12 years ago. Holding my baby grandson (thought I'd never have a grandchild) at 2 months while my daughter slept. Watching 'my' girls at school in an event I'd organised. Teaching my favourite novel. My students, spontaneously, dressing up as characters from my favourite novel on World Book Day. Time with my wonderful flat mate, 4 years ago.

Hopefully there'll be more.

But 1978? No. Shit childhood. Shit year.

LondonGranny Sat 19-Oct-19 23:55:15

...those figures do not reflect UK citizens living in the EU who were not allowed to vote in the referendum.

varian Sat 19-Oct-19 23:50:21

The current UK population is over 67 million, and more than 50 million of us never voted for brexit.

Fiachna50 Sat 19-Oct-19 23:25:51

1978 was the year my father died suddenly. Not a good year for me and one I would rather forget.

LondonGranny Sat 19-Oct-19 23:07:20

Sorrygrannyqueenie, not replying to your post, but to varian & woodmouse.

LondonGranny Sat 19-Oct-19 23:04:13

The actual figures are 17,410,742 Leave voters, 48,629,095 who didn't vote, were too young or unable to vote eg in prison or a mental institution or voted remain. (govt figures).

grannyqueenie Sat 19-Oct-19 23:01:37

I was happy in 1978 as after a difficult pregnancy I had twins! After losing both my much loved dad and my mil in 1977, it was the start of a much happier year for us, even though I was exhausted every single day!

WOODMOUSE49 Sat 19-Oct-19 22:52:43

varian Population of UK in 2016 was 65 million according to Office of National Statistics. You say: 50 million of these never voted !

varian Sat 19-Oct-19 20:49:01

Many happy moments which we treasure but there has been a shadow over the last three and a half years for the 50 million of UK residents who never voted for brexit.

WOODMOUSE49 Sat 19-Oct-19 20:15:45

It's being so emotional reading others happy moments throughout their lives along with the sad ones.

I suppose this thread being on the news and politics forum, was because it referred to a news item link.

I hope Varian there is a little tiny personal moment of happiness in your life away from politics.

varian Sat 19-Oct-19 19:12:27

I was perfectly happy, as I think many folk were, in 2015 before we'd ever heard of this appalling brexit nonsense.

Gonegirl Sat 19-Oct-19 18:13:57

I was very happy in '78.

I had my two girls, 10 and 6, and the birth of my son, although I obviously didn't know it then, was just around the corner (three years away). We were living in our house we built ourselves, everything was still new and fresh. And I was young. Fit and healthy.

Happier every day than I am now, but I wouldn't go back. I am just glad my grandsons are now around, even if I don't see them quite as much these days.

GrandmaJan Sat 19-Oct-19 18:10:26

I can’t actually pin point one particular time I was the happiest because there have been a few. 1970 was when I started my nurse training when Matron ruled and we HAD to live in the Nurses Home. They were wonderful days as was my wedding and birth of the both my children then my grandchildren.

Beechnut Sat 19-Oct-19 18:04:18

There have been several times but one was walking down the aisle with my lovely dad to be met and exchange vows with my soon to be husband ?

kittylester Sat 19-Oct-19 17:08:01

I agree with blinko. I'm happiest now but I tend to be a pollyanna so would say that whenever you asked me.

Greenfinch Sat 19-Oct-19 17:00:41

I agree with shysal and others who are saying the same thing.

Grandma70s Sat 19-Oct-19 16:31:03

I too was happiest in the 1970s. I had two young children and stayed at home to look after them. Loved it, apart from one child’s spectacular tantrums, which I never learnt to cope with.

Oopsminty Sat 19-Oct-19 16:28:28

I was ridiculously happy in 1978.

I was 17. I'd gone on my first holiday abroad without parents.

Met the most gorgeous Spanish waiter and ended up moving there.

The gorgeous environment, weather, discos, it was just wonderful

My parents weren't hugely impressed but they got over it