howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#1
does anyone think this is a good way for the government to spend their time and our money on?
When a nationwide study was launched to determine how happy UK residents are and what is most important to us, the results were largely unsurprising.
While parents said their priorities were their children, good health and a nice house, teenagers highlighted the most important things as mobile phones, The Only Way Is Essex, high heels and hugs.
As a result the findings of David Cameron's much-vaunted 'Well-being Index' were widely derided for being blindingly obvious.
But now the green light has been given for the ONS to draw up its first life satisfaction index by asking 200,000 people to rate, on a scale of zero to 10, their satisfaction, happiness, anxiety and belief that what they do in life is worthwhile.
Smiles all round: Despite it being the subject of mockery, David Cameron is pressing ahead with his wellbeing index to measure the nation's happiness
The ONS today vowed to press ahead and analyse the findings in an effort to tell politicians exactly how happy the nation is, with the first national well-being indicators set to be released in the autumn, followed by annual life satisfaction ratings in July 2012.
More than 34,000 people responded to the £2m scheme ordered by the Prime Minister in November.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#2
Yes I remember something about this before, but I suppose the real motivation for a politician in all this ..is not that we are all rolling about piddling ourselves in idle frivolous hysterics, but is more probably to do with the re-election factor. If the hording masses are happy as two larry's under a specific government, then they are probably more than likely to vote the same buggers back in !
So its a sales game. If you sell the great unwashed the idea that we are a happy nation then lo and behold you could do a run for as long as ermmm.. Mrs Thatcher?
However the wellbeing factor is likely to take a hammering with continuous rising food and untilty prices
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#3
cheaper food prices
cheaper utility bills
for a start
makes me happy
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Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#4
and cheaper beer and fags would do me ok.along with cheaper every thing else.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#5
not likely for many yeaRS to come
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Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#6
Cheaper beer and fags are certainly within the remit of HMG to do something about as the great bulk of their cost is tax. We have an almighty tax burden here in the UK...I had a hotel bill in France the other day and I think the added VAT was 5% ( might have been 6%). I havent got it to hand for the moment but jeez...5% or 6%...its shangri-la in comparison to the 20% burden we have here, stifling the life and laughs out of everything, including any prospect for growth.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#7
and its to get worse paulb
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Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#8
the trouble is that there is no incentives here in the uk any more,no encouragement either.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#9
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Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#10
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#11
sorry vic branch gone
have to go to canters or folkestone now lol
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Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#12
Wrong yet again Keith your plot to get rid of us did not work .
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#13
looking at the replies, the main concerns seem to be food, utility bills, alcohol, tobacco and not mentioned but must rank high, fuel prices.
the first two the government cannot do anything about and the rest they won't because of the tax take.
seems to me another example of governments poking their noses into our lives for no apparent purpose.
Alec Sheldon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 18 Aug 2008
- Posts: 1,037
#14
Cameron was at a meeting today telling all the rich countries to get there finger out and contribute to the Horn of Africa disaster fund and follow our example. He included us in the rich countries. How come if we are on the bones of our a..se can we be rich.?
Don't get me wrong, I have every sympathy for these poor people.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#15
your right we are in the poop
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#16
however hard up we are it cannot compare with the millions of people slowly starving to death in the horn of africa.
we must get food aid to them without delay.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#17
you are correct howard
but it would be wrong to indicate we were rich
or the old great britain that some still think we are
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Guest 683- Registered: 11 Feb 2009
- Posts: 1,052
#18
Keith
in relative terms we are rich beyond the dreams of these people in Africa.
I saw that the Danes were the happiest people a couple of years ago and someone said it was because they expect so little they are rarely disappointed! Perhaps we expect too much, or have been led to expect too much, after years of empty promises from politicians.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#19
the great in great britain is now a joke thats not funney any more.
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
#20
Mark- yes, I agree with you, we expect too much.
A hundred years ago British people were content to accept things, to work hard, and try to put something back into Britain.
Now it's a case of always blaming other people when they can.
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