Is the country happy or not?

Sunny Disposition

I think people are not happy, generally, and it's turning to anger.

20 years ago I think it'd be fair to say the country was broadly happy, the economy was flying, which is always important, and people had opportunities to do things and go places that they hadn't had previously.

Ten years ago the country was distinctly unhappy, with the recession having hit everyone hard.

These days I think the mood is more like 2014 than 2004. All you hear about is crises, housing, healthcare, immigration, cost of living. While there are lots of jobs again it is very hard for people to afford even basic things like houses or good second hand cars.

I suspect that the decline of communal experiences like everyone watching certain TV shows or reading local papers or going to their local pub has not helped us as a country. Community isn't what it was 20 years ago.

dxhound2005

I think it's great. Years ago there used to be gangs of marauding teenagers on the streets. The current crop stay indoors on their screens, or if they are out and about they are looking at their phones. While walking out into traffic. The ones who used to do the marauding, are now giving out about "young people today".

That is my personal experience, and I won't appoint myself as a spokesperson for the nation. How would I know if millions of people are happy or not?

AMKC

NO we are not happy. I am the only sane person between three neighbours. One mows their lawn even do there is nothing on it, the other leaves a pile of dirt that he just powerwashed from his drive on the road and then uses a bucket and fireplace shovel to pick it up lol. Too mean to buy a wheelbarrow and well my third close neighbour is not too bad he just leaves his back yard a mess but at least the lawn is not long this year.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122223273#Comment_122223273

I am the only sane person between three neighbours.

Sure, sure.

But do you think that has affected the happiness of the nation?

yourdeadwright

Its really a silly question,

There is huge difference between different classes in this country now, its impossible to call us happy or unhappy as a whole,

For example the men in Darndale may as well live in a different country than the lads in Blackrock or boys in rural Ireland down the country & vice versa

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122223319#Comment_122223319

Yes.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122223273#Comment_122223273

Ah come on! You're not happy but your neighbours, regardless of your opinion on their sanity or tidiness, could be perfectly happy with their lives. I find it interesting that you have issues with a neighbour for cutting his lawn and another for not doing so: it seems nothing would keep you happy.

As a nation, are we happy? It's impossible to tell. Polls suggest that we are and personally I'd say the vast majority of people I know are very happy. But, of course, there are deeply unhappy people in the country.

Pauliedragon

20 years ago a lot people were too happy and paid the price in 2008.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122223273#Comment_122223273

So you are using the royal WE then and represent 33% of you sample populations… and you expect the politicians to fix it for you??? Can you live stream fhe canvassers coming to your door or maybe a YouTube video…. it should make interesting viewing.

Quantum Erasure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122223973#Comment_122223973

We all partied

Jim2007

I was involved in Irish political campaigns when Enda Kenny was a boy and as I live in Switzerland now I'm involved over here. Ireland and Switzerland are unique in that their voters are heavily invested in the strategic direction of their country through referenda and that makes them very different to voters in other countries. They have a better understanding of issues and more important they understand the constraints and limitations of their decisions. And they very much tend to be multi issue voters.

So I'd say the question would be better phrased: Given the circumstances, is the country happy. I suspect that the answer is yes for a very large chunk of the population. Simply because a lot of the pressing issues don't impact them on a daily basis - housing is only a problem if you have not got one and most of the workable solutions would impact current house owners so they are not interested in having the problem solved.

Leg End Reject

I'm worried now that I'll cut the grass too short or let it grow too long.

And should I buy a wheelbarrow? I've been happily bringing the compost bin around with me for garden waste.

The happiness of the nation rests in my hands.

Baba Yaga

id be in the happy camp…guess that makes me a happy camper!

Mister Vain

Everyone is happy… on Instagram.

Strumms

am I happy….

Overall, yes……

I enjoy good health, comfortable surroundings, good relationships with others, good social & recreational outlets / positive interests, such as….reading, music, films, gaming, fitness, traveling, cooking, eating out, sports ….

Jim_Hodge

The World Happiness Index 2024 has Ireland at 17th of 147 countries. I'd settle for that.

Royale with Cheese

If you have a house that you got 5-10 or 20+ years ago then you've probably little to be complaining about, if you don't...

Greyfox

Lots of people are not happy as a huge amount of people have experienced at least some decline in there quality of living. Ireland has a few serious issues at the moment that don't have easy solutions but with a bit of effort there's still loads of reasons to be happy.

Daisy78

The outcome of the election would suggest that a majority of people are happy with the status quo. Or at the very least content.

whitelaurel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122243446#Comment_122243446

Yeah I guess the moaners moan loud but ain’t that much of them.

bigroad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122224109#Comment_122224109

Is there not a boards website in Switzerland.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058354694/is-the-country-happy-or-not

Im happy, everyone I know is happy, why wouldn't you be happy?

Most people I knew had hard times during the recession but to describe people as "distinctly unhappy" would not be reflective of what a lot of people felt, yes it was hard but it was a lot harder years before the celtic tiger and people would still be happy then

If all you near about is crisis, then you need to get a different opinion or a different source of information

Community is what you make of community, sitting in moaning on the internet about no community, will mean you have no community. Get out, volunteer in the community, join sports clubs etc

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122243455#Comment_122243455

The moaners are usually creating 20 accounts to tell everyone and themselves how bad it is, everyone else couldn't be arsed so you dont get a balanced view

Quantum Erasure

I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I got sunshine in a bag
I'm useless, but not for long
The future is coming on
It's coming on, it's coming on
It's coming on, it's coming on

Wanderer2010

Way too broad a question. Some people who have very little money and a lot of hardship in their lives are very happy and content with what they have. Other families who are up to their necks in debt and chained to 30yr mortgages and car loans may post "perfect" smiley happy family pics on Instagram but are falling apart with depression and anxiety behind it all.

Add in abusive relationships, loneliness, workplace bullying and a rake of other issues that folks face daily and it's very hard to give a definitive answer to that question. Some are happy, some are neutral others are unhappy, suicidal or suffering greatly. Also when you ask people are they happy they will always give you the stock painted smile answer a lot of the time to avoid the painful truth.

BarryNumber1

Spend a few months in some of the shitholes our immigrants come from, come back and yeah, very happy again. No one is bombing us, we get to vote, get to go on the odd holiday thanks to cheap Ryanair flights, women aren’t repressed, and so on.

Mr. teddywinkles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122243787#Comment_122243787

And some are here for free ****. Dont paint them all the same cause there not.

BarryNumber1

Not painting anything, that’s for a different thread. You don’t even have to travel, just listen to those now working here… those with good jobs or those having to work 2 or 3 jobs and where they come from. You find out Ireland ain’t so bad so that might increase one’s happiness.

fergiesfolly

Easier question... What have you to be UNHAPPY about?

Not the media, social media, the auld ones you overheard on the bus, your neighbours cousin who can't afford 2 foreign holidays a year anymore. You.

I bet it's feck all.

We're told what we need, want, deserve by gobshites who've never met us. And if we don't have it, we should be miserable.

I think if everyone took stock of their lives, what's important, I mean really important, most of us would be happy with our lot.

Deebles McBeebles

I'm constantly f*cking delighted and can only assume the entire country follows my lead. Like how the fridge light goes off when I close the door, or how people stop existing when I leave the room.

Greyfox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122243508#Comment_122243508

In fairness theirs quite a bit that's bad in Ireland at the moment it's just that for the vast majority the good things in life always outweigh them. You can be unhappy about some things and very happy about lots of other things

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122247779#Comment_122247779

Some stuff will always be bad, everything will never be perfect.

It's the most profound statement ever but people seem to struggle with it

If you don't go to school, then don't get a proper education, can't get a proper job, it's nobody fault but your own.

Greyfox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122247806#Comment_122247806

That statement is very true all right. Your last point is true but having a proper job is not a guarantee of happiness

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122247884#Comment_122247884

Not saying it is.

Just saying actions have repercussions. A lot of people blame everyone else for the repercussions of their own actions

baxterooneydoody

You might as well ask " is the country sad or not " there's a place between happiness and sadness where the vast majority reside, no one is happy or sad all the time.