Today I was watching Dr. Oz and the topic of the show was happiness. He interviewed these two women--one from Sunnyvalle, CA (south of San Fran), the happiest place in the nation and one from Hazard, KY, the unhappiest. He then had them switch places to see if where you live really does determine how happy you are.The woman from Sunnyvalle, CA was a married mother of 2 who worked in the food industry. She worked at a restaurant that served local organic food. The other woman from Hazard, KY was the same married mother of 2 and worked in a local diner. It was like wife-swap on Prozac.
So "Hazard" goes to California and basically get's pampered in her new job as waitress at a high-end organic restaurant. We see shots of her smelling lilies, taking long walks, smiling, and pondering her happiness. She even goes to a swanky belly dancing shop that, "you wouldn't find in Hazard".
Meanwhile, "Sunnyvale" is hawking chicken fried steak to coal miners in the only diner in Hazard. We see her complaining about the cigarette smoke and having to step outside because she was feeling "sick to my stomach". She then takes a drive around the desolate streets where there are abandoned buildings and deserted businesses galore.
Anyway . . . when their little "swap" was over, Dr. Oz asked them if they thought they would be happy if they switched towns.
"Hazard" (whom I found to be much more realistic) said that although she liked Sunnyvalle, she wouldn't trade places because she was happiest in Hazard, the unhappiest place in the nation. Then when she was asked, "Sunnyvale" decided to disagree and say that she could be happy anywhere--even in Hazard--because it is really your beliefs and values that determine your happiness.
Bullshit "Sunnyvale".
This is the same woman who was so visible unhappy that she had to get up and leave her job because of the cigarette smoke! I think it just proves how happiness is totally relative (and that "Sunnyvale" is a liar).
It doesn't matter where you live and yet it does matter. I grew up in a coal mining town in Wyoming. The people who live there work hard. The weather is brutal. The wind never stops blowing. When it snows, it comes in horizontal. The scenery consists of antelope, sagebrush and huge gashes in the soil a.k.a pit mining. I hated it. I left the first chance I could. It wasn't for me. I wasn't happy there. But that doesn't mean that other people who live there aren't happy e.g. my brother, his wife and their kids or my parents. It's all relative.
So, now that I think about it, the whole topic of the show was bullshit. How do you even measure what town is "happiest" in our nation when happiness is so elusive and yet so incredibly individualized based on past experiences and current desires?
So what do you think? Do you think where you live determines or adds to your happiness? Or do you think you could be happy anywhere?
Discuss shall we,
Nik
8 comments:
I would be happy to add to your discussion on the topic as a former resident of Hazard, KY. I obviously left but not because I was unhappy. I left because what I was looking for in life was not there and when I left I knew that I was leaving behind a HUGE supportive group of family and friends who are all completely happy in Hazard and can't imagine ever leaving. Believe it or not Hazard is not so small town that everyone knows everyone else and it actually has more than one diner. I know, they were both great for a late night snack or a really greasy burger. Everything in life is what you make of it so if you look for the positives you can be happy anywhere and if all you do is look for the negatives then you will be unhappy. Like you I would love to know how you can measure the happiness or unhappiness of any place.
Thank you so much for your post. I am from Hazard and I am probably one of the happiest people anywhere. Our area has always come under fire from so-called priviledged places.Hazard is no different than any other city.Because we are located in the Appalachian Mts. I guess that makes us poverty stricken!! Some of us are.....some aren't !! The same as any other ciy.If doing this article on "happiness in Hazard" or "lack of happiness" helps him pay his bills for the next week , then I'm okay with that. He could come to Hazard and get a job in the Coal Mines and see what it is like to make an honest and YES, a happy living.Home is where the heart is.Wonder where his home is?
I am also from Hazard, Ky and the show was ridiculous. We have much more than one diner! Plus, the camera person chose to take shots of our abandoned buildings but just so happened to decide to skip over our business sections. I moved away for college but returned home to work. The people here are wonderful. I have been priveledged enough to travel the country and visit places such as Los Angeles, Boise, NYC, Cleveland, Miama, Atlanta, etc., and I would much rather raise a family in good ol' Eastern Kentucky! If I was so "unhappy" I wouldn't live here.
I think the people make the place. I think you can live in the drabbest, most boring place on earth, but if you surround yourself with the right people - you can make your own fun!
WOW,
Liberal America gauging happiness now! Happiness is relative; it's an emotion for Pete's sake! Just for a moment though imagine real people not driven by nothing more than traditional values that are not caught up in a shell of vanity and personal success but will eagerly tell you about successes of a family member, friend or acquaintance, now that Hazard...real. The people work hard and pride themselves on raising a better next generation. Good old fashion people doing the best they can and by my measurements doing well! I hope the person who took the time to dissect Hazard burns their tongue on his $20 coffee when reading this post. Learn to respect the hard working common folk as we take pride in God, country and family!
What strikes me as ironic is how there is intolerance for the so called "eastern KY hillbilly" but you watch these journalist tell us on the news and papers we must respect every other type of foolishness in the world for example the very folks that murder, in cold blood, our service members. Give me a damn break! Is there a non bias journalist anymore!
I left Hazard and traveled many places around the world. I missed Hazard, the people of Hazard and the friendly atmosphere it possesses. Oh, by the way, last time I was in Sunnyvale, it didn't look so happy to me as a large majority of the homes were being foreclosed!
Nik, next time you want to measure something loose the Wizard of Oz antic dotes. If your article is going to suck at least make it original!
Brent and Sandy: Thank you so much for posting a comment! I like your perspective on looking at only the negative and getting negative. The show was not very objective and I feel bad that they depicted Hazard that way. Plus, I love late night diners!!!
Anonymous #1: I am not sure who the "him" you're referring to is . . . but if it's me, I'm sorry if I offended you with this article. I really did try to stay objective and I was only relaying what I saw on the television show. I think it is awesome that you describe yourself as "one of the happiest people anywhere"! It just proves how individualized happiness truly is! Thanks for your comment!
Anonymous #2: I totally agree that the show sucked! Thanks for commenting and setting the record straight that Hazard is NOT the "unhappiest" place in the US. :-)
Dionne: The people do make the place and it is very important to surround yourself with positive people. Thanks for your comment. You rock!!!
Bill: I'm sorry this blog made you so angry, but I would have to disagree with you, happiness IS RELATIVE and, yes you're right, it is an emotion. It depends on the individual person. And guess what? You are a shining example of that. How can you possibly be happy if you are so bitter and angry no matter where you live? Also, there really were a lot of tangents in this comment. "Murder, in cold blood, our service members"--this is coming from left field and really doesn't have ANYTHING to do with this entry . . . but whatever dude.
I actually almost deleted this comment, but then I thought, wait this is actually the best comment so far because it truly illustrates how happiness IS RELATIVE and perfectly illustrates how someone can be unhappy no matter where one lives (Bill).
PS--I don't think this article sucks and I don't remember using any Wizard of Oz anecdotes . . . I did talk a little about my hometown but that was the only time I used any anecdotes. I used a REFERENCE to the Wizard of Oz in my tile, but that's about it . . . AND if I had to categorize a blog entry as sucking (or a comment, for that matter) I would say that if the person writing didn't know what a word like, say "anecdote" meant (or how to spell said word) . . . maybe they should refrain from using it. OH SNAP!
daaang you have like the longest commenters in the history of comments. good job, you for sparking this in everyone. i def think it's all in the person. i might love the snow and peace and the pretty sparkliness of snow everywhere and get cagey at the beach where it's sunny aaall the time.
it has to do with the weather, the job and how important the people who live there are to you. i grew up in san fran and i LOVED it but i would be happier somewhere a little less populated. and for a lot of people it's all about the job. you have to have money and you have to eat.
Oh me, oh my. Great blog, friend! I need to be better about reading your posts...I always love reading them and appreciate the perspectives. Having lived in that coal mining town- I'm gonna go with, I think folks can be happy in places that aren't so swell, but I do think that maybe places to live are like the compatibility of dating. There are some characteristics, zip codes, personality traits, etc. that jive well with others and some just take some damn hard work. I'm glad we both got to leave G-town. Nice enough spot, but I'm happy to live elsewhere.
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