That Obscure Object of Discipline (was lingua franca on "stars" in academia)

[William S. Lear]

On Mon, January 25, 1999 at 17:39:20 (-0500) Doug Henwood writes:
>...
>I was just reading the Pew Center for People & the Press's latest
>examination of the American mind. Some rResults from a poll taken Jan 14-17:
>
>"Please tell me whether you are satisfied or dissatisfied, on the whole,
>with the following aspects of your life:"
>
>"your standard of living"
>  very satisfied                       45%
>  somewhat satisfied                   38
>  somewhat dissatisfied                12
>  very dissatisfied                     4
>
>"your job - the kind of work you do"
>  very satisfied                       45%
>  somewhat satisfied                   25
>  somewhat dissatisfied                 5
>  very dissatisfied                     4
>  doesn't apply                        20
>
>A happy people in a happy world?

Hmm, or a frightened people putting on a happy face?  Times are "good"
and the memory of bad times looms large.  I'd say this is like saying
you are "satisfied" on a a tightrope 400 feet above the cement ---
satisfied you aren't plummeting earthward.

Bill