Happiness of Cultures

[Paul B. Gallagher]

Genevra Gerhart wrote:

> The latest (November) issue of Scientific American has a very brief
> article and graph on p 32 entitled "Calculus of Happiness."
> This article is very interesting, but the article at the web site is
> absolutely fascinating: http://wvs.isr.umich.edu/papers/genes.html
> Subjective opinions on one's own happiness are compared across
> cultures and across time (however briefly).
> Russia is a real shocker. Only Belarus and Ukraine are more unhappy.

I see nothing shocking in this at all.

On the other hand, I know many people use "shocking" to mean "upsetting,
disappointing." ("I am shocked that Saddam Hussein is trying to build
nuclear weapons.") The primary sense is disappointment, and there is an
admixture of surprise.

Where I come from, we use it to mean "surprising," especially in a
negative sense. The primary sense is surprise, and there is an admixture
of disappointment.

And I see nothing surprising in a survey that finds Russians unhappy
with their lives today.

--
War is hell. Bush wants to go to war. Fine. Let him go to hell.
--
Paul B. Gallagher
pbg translations, inc.
"Russian Translations That Read Like Originals"
http://pbg-translations.com

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