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Recently I was asked in an exam to discuss what the ideas of happiness were over fifty years ago compared to ideas of happiness in the twentieth century, in as much as I was dumb for some minutes because it was a speaking exam, I was still able to make up some cogent points which I will like to buttress here in today’s blog.
Few days after my exam, I was still pondering on the many ways happiness level differs between the two dispensations in question. Even though during my exam, I based my arguments on job satisfaction and how readily available job gives absolute rest of mind with job securities. But now, I have some more points that I have looked into and one of them is the present conditions of the world which is totally different from what the world was back then, happiness then seems to be very cheap and people sort of find satisfaction in the little they do and own. However, in today’s world, it is a completely changed story.
Romance was easy and Real
Today, everything seems sophisticated, even Romance which is supposed to be among the easiest source of Happiness. Before you take a girl out on a date, you must really consider your pocket because an average lady won’t mind wrecking you on the first date, eating all and drinking all to make you back off. Literally, that was from experience, I went out on a date and the lady ordered for a Pork Rib, I have never tasted pork in my life and here I am sitting with a lady who wanted a whole rib for lunch at the cost of three-quarter of my then salary. Ladies back then are not as greedy, hence a man could be very happy to go on a date with one and come back engaged.
If you do not have a car now in the present time, your chances of being happy from a new found love are zero except if you want to go bankrupt renting a car because of a lady that will go out on dozens of dates with dozens of guys the different time of the week. Then the debts soar and your level of happiness starts to decline till ground zero, these were never the case back in the days. There might be some level of gold-digging but it is nothing compared to now that drains the joy out of a loving caring innocent man that had fallen, a victim.
The Joy in the Weather Condition
Life back then was a lot easier than it is now, taking Climate change into consideration. Environmental degradation alone is enough to cause some nervous breakdown to anyone who is not emotionally and physically strong. For instance, how do you feel when winter is prolonged more than what you are used to? Going to work in extreme cold when spring is due or in a hotter climate where Rainy season came earlier by the first month in the fourth quarter of the year. Over sixty years ago, this was never experienced and frankly, weather conditions could determine the level of happiness or comfortability humans could endure or go through.
Although, there have been several severe environmental hazards in the past that had wrecked a lot of havoc, but it is getting worse compared to what is happening now. Scientifically, the body functions well under certain temperature and conditions, this brings maximum output out in individual’s input either from work or in their everyday lives. In essence, weather conditions have changed and this is one of the reasons that could alter ideas of happiness in anyone, someone in extreme heat may not share the same joy with someone in moderate temperature and this has been altered by the incessant Environmental degradation.
Job/Work Satisfaction and how readily available it was influenced happiness
Majorly, this was my topic of discussion in the exam. Advancement in Technology in the Information age has created a lot of competition between man and machine which was never the case over fifty years ago. As a college graduate, an average job that provides basic necessity to humans in the sixties has been computerised which then resulted in a massive vacuum in the employment sphere, so after college, an individual will likely be jobless and depend on someone else for survival or get a job that ever satisfies their needs hence creating depression and increased suicide rate across the world.
More importantly, there is a certain joy and satisfaction that comes with been financially independent and then been fulfilled career-wise. Back then in the 1960s, an average college graduate is a professional and they get standard employment, this alone is a unique form of happiness on its own as many older and educated folks I have met had testified.
Socio-Economical influences on Happiness
The rate of Austerity had increased across the world compared to the many decades ago, Government policies are now being made to favour economic situations than the actual citizens. This brings about unhappiness in most of the people, especially below average citizens.
Inflation rate in the past was under control and there were minimal public funds swindling cases, corruption came with advancement in technology and the more we as human advances, the more devious ways of money laundering were developed and once this fund get syphoned out into a foreign offshore account, the Citizens pay the prize in terms of zero or poor infrastructures, basic amenities becomes mega-million projects that create more avenue for more swindling. I could attest to this from my own perspective where I am located on the globe and I must say this had reduced the happiness rate in citizens compared to the 1960s where these socioeconomic mischiefs were still minimal or not in existence.
Another issue like the aforementioned is Government orchestrated violence; this is a tool to seize control of absolute power/authority in some part of the World. Some of these tribes lived in absolute peace in the past and there were happiness and joy, presently the reverse is the case. Many of the locals had been turned against each other subliminally by the Government and its allies for some sinister political schemes or more.
In conclusion, the ideas of happiness now seem like a mirage to me. We now derive happiness in instantaneous things that don’t last than in the past. You could buy a brand new car now and your joy is short-lived by some new Government policies about climate change and how emission from your brand New Mercedes (an idea of happiness) is contributing to its depletion. Something that was never an issue over fifty years ago when the climatic condition was still more favorable than now.
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