Measuring the happiness of Basingstoke?

[Chester]

I agree it's nothing to do with absolute wealth - it's human nature to always want more and that hasn't changed.

What is new is the feeling that we are no longer independent and able to determine our own destiny and how to live our lives the way we want. These days we are told what we can and can't do to an incredibly detailed level. We are told what is good or bad rather than letting us make our own minds up. And all the time we are monitored and watched to make sure we do what we're told and our spending habits are logged and analysed so that businesses can exploit our tastes even more than they do. The decision making is no longer done by people who we elect to do what is best for the majority whilst catering for minorities but by big businesses who are loyal only to shareholders and stakeholders.

We've lost our freedom as independent, intelligent beings. And the sad part is few people have realised it and few care.

[zenaphobia]

I think you've got a good point there chester - what you have described can of course be measured - it would be interesting from a B/stoke social survey whether what you are saying is true - otherwise of course it is just your opinion regardless of how valid we think you are!

[Chester]

I think everything I've written is a fact - apart from my last sentence. That sentence and whether those facts have a bearing on individual happiness or not is - as you say - my opinion.

[zenaphobia]

people however are not usually happy in a vacuum - they are happy because of the 'herd instinct' - we enjoy family, friends and our village life etc - if we are becoming more unhappy and yet burdening ourselves with materialism, then there lies the hub. Less materialism and more family - simple. My own family are spread all over the globe -literally - and I miss then like hell! -I would give up all my material wealth to get us back again - am i peculiar?

[zenaphobia]

If ya happy and ya know it clap ya hands!!

[Basshouse]

Can you measure something like happiness ?
The circles I move in, in B/Stoke, I would have to say that they are happy. It goes without saying that from time to time things happen that might upset or deflate them. But usually they are happy.
Whether that is because they (and me) live here, and B/Stoke makes us happy... or, it's the people that make this a happy town is open to debate.