> >unaided question about what makes them happy. But many young people
> >report financial woes as a source of unhappiness. In looking to the
> >future, 70 percent say they want to be rich ...
>
> Soothsayer Remick foresees a heap of sorrow in store for this fatuous
> complacent generation.
Carl,
I was about to accuse you of being a curmudgeon, and say that merely indicating a desire to be rich doesn't mean much -- I, for one, think it would be very nice to be wealthy. So what. The more telling question is how important wealth is to people.
Well, page 40 of the report (http://www.mtv.com/thinkmtv/about/pdfs/APMTV_happinesspoll.pdf) has the depressing answer:
How important are each of the following to you? Being wealthy: Somewhat important: 44% Very important: 18%
(page 41) How likely is it that you will be rich someday? Is it... Very likely: 11% Somewhat likely: 37%
...and on the personal liberty side of things, there's this:
(page 60) For each of the following, tell us if you think that it is something that is okay or not okay for other people to do -- even if you do not do it yourself. How about...
...smoke marijuana Okay: 27 Not Okay: 73
...drink a lot of alcohol Okay: 17 Not Okay: 83
That's pretty disappointing. I have long suspected that those who were born after 1980 had a way different perspective on life than those of us who were born between 1965 to 1980, but maybe that's just wishful thinking.
-WD __________________________ thevanitywebsite.blogspot.com