MLK – check the data again. Only 6% of people reported being unhappy. Most of the 24% were “mixed”.

JohnJ - some interesting points. Some questions:

If inequality causes unhappiness and inequality is rising, why do surveys not point to rising unhappiness?

Inequality of what? -
– Isee two key differences between the survey you cite and the ABS data I quote – firstly, time period (the Leigh survey covered a longer timeframe but was a little less up-to-date than the ABS), and secondly, the thing being measured. The ABS “equivalises” gross income for the effects of taxes, benefits etc. In general, recent years showed a trend of increasing inequality of own-source income that was offset by progressivity of the tax a benefit system to mean that effective disposable incomes of those on low incomes actually grew faster than average. But if subjective well-being depends on the status implied by absolute earnings, not the utility of what can be consumed, progressive taxes and benefits paradoxically might not make much different to we welfare of the relatively poor.

Relative to whom –
Am I going to become more unhappy because James Packer stack on a few more millions, or because I can’t afford a flat-screen TV like my next-door neighbour. I’d guess my comparators will be people somewhat like me. If so, the growing incomes of the superrich won’t bother me very much

What is the source of the unhappiness -
Is ranking or magnitude the key determinant – if our concern is with relative status rather than the absolute utility of consuming more, then I’d expect that status ranking rather than the magnitude of the gap to between comparators is the key issue (look at the intense rivalry between schoolkids over trivial points of difference). If so, unless we have exact equality then reducing the degree of inequality will not improve happiness very much.

Does it matter?
Life is not a contest against other people. The tenth commandment warns us against covetousness. If some people are discontented because they have less than others, should this concern us greatly?

Rhian,

I did check the data – one in four Australians included in the ABS surveys clearly admit to NOT being happy. And it is naive to ignore the cult of happiness and the stigma of unhappiness in our society as a factor in wellbeing surveys. Measuring a nation’s wellbeing by simply asking people to tick a box as to whether they are happy or unhappy – with all the value loading that this entails – is a deeply flawed system.

MLK

I suspect your insistence on inferring the most negative possible interpretation of the survey data, in contradiction of the evident meaning of the results, tells us more about your psychological state than the survey respondents.

However, I agree that there's more to a country's wellbeing that reported emotional states. But that’s precisely why I think the anti-prosperity ideologues are wrong to say that economic growth and living standard don’t matter. Living in a prosperous society gives us more opportunities to do the things that really contribute to our wellbeing, whether it’s education, health protection, opportunities to travel or meet people from different cultures, or even to opt out and live the simple life without the grinding poverty and hard work that entails in poorer societies. These things might not show up I a happiness survey, but they contribute to our quality of life in a broader sense.

Rhian,

‘… I agree that there's more to a country's wellbeing that reported emotional states.’

Well … I am so pleased that you have finally decided to agree with me on this. Thank you. As for YOUR insistence on proving the ‘anti-prosperity ideologues’ wrong, I never entered the debate on causal links between prosperity and happiness. My concerns on this thread have been the folly of relying on value-loaded happiness surveys as gospel truth and a questioning of the ‘real’ happiness of (what I perceive to be) a culture that invests too much of its self worth in external measures. It’s a pity you were much more interested in taking pot shots at my supposed psychological state than reading what I actually wrote.

PS I won’t be commenting any further on this.