There's truth here, but it's almost too obvious to point out that this is highly anecdotal and almost emblematic of all sorts of bias problems.
Selection bias is chief. Very few people are socially in touch with anything representing the general population. The author doesn't mention where he's initiating these conversations, but happy people do not hang out by themselves at bars very often or necessarily avail themselves to strangers in line at Starbucks. Many of them spend most of their socializing in families and tight knit groups of friends. It's very easy to interact with a certain strata of mildly depressed middle class people and think you're dealing with a diverse slice of society.
The other big one is projection. If you're a contemplative/philosophical person, especially a smart one, there's a good chance that you can tap right into people's ennui and disillusionment. People of a more manic bent can engage just about anyone in a fast-paced, neurotic conversation. The happier people I know are often under the impression that most people are more or less satisfied with their existence. Again, be careful.
Finally, most people also have a strong propensity to see themselves at a fundamental advantage to most people ("I'm doing good, everybody else is struggling."). I wish I remembered the name for the term.
It's an interesting conversation, but these kind of conversations need to proceed with a high-level of self-awareness that's somewhat absent here.
I agree. As the physicists would say, this little psychological observation is "not even wrong".
Not only does it matter who you ask and in what context, but the very wording of the questions is significant. By priming you properly (e.g. perhaps by asking you to name a bunch of extremely happy and fulfilled people and only then asking you if you feel happy and fulfilled yourself) I can probably make the results come out however I want.
> Finally, most people also have a strong propensity to see themselves at a fundamental advantage to most people ("I'm doing good, everybody else is struggling."). I wish I remembered the name for the term.
Selection bias is chief. Very few people are socially in touch with anything representing the general population. The author doesn't mention where he's initiating these conversations, but happy people do not hang out by themselves at bars very often or necessarily avail themselves to strangers in line at Starbucks. Many of them spend most of their socializing in families and tight knit groups of friends. It's very easy to interact with a certain strata of mildly depressed middle class people and think you're dealing with a diverse slice of society.
The other big one is projection. If you're a contemplative/philosophical person, especially a smart one, there's a good chance that you can tap right into people's ennui and disillusionment. People of a more manic bent can engage just about anyone in a fast-paced, neurotic conversation. The happier people I know are often under the impression that most people are more or less satisfied with their existence. Again, be careful.
Finally, most people also have a strong propensity to see themselves at a fundamental advantage to most people ("I'm doing good, everybody else is struggling."). I wish I remembered the name for the term.
It's an interesting conversation, but these kind of conversations need to proceed with a high-level of self-awareness that's somewhat absent here.