Gender Happiness

Who do you think is happier today?

  • Women

    Votes: 6 18.8%
  • Men

    Votes: 7 21.9%
  • Both genders have equal feelings of happiness or unhappiness.

    Votes: 19 59.4%

  • Total voters
    32
  • Poll closed .

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Trace Malinowski

Training Agency President
Scuba Instructor
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Who do you think is happier and experiences a greater sense of fulfillment today? Women or Men? Or, does each gender experience the same amount of happiness, fulfillment and satisfaction in their lives? Opinions? Anecdotes? How happy are you? What would honestly make you happier, if anything?
 
I don't think happiness is a function of gender. I think it's a function of two things -- one is how willing you are to be happy, and the other is how much responsibility you're willing to take for creating your own happiness. Most of the unhappy people I know are either people who can find the dark cloud under any silver lining, or people who approach life in too passive a fashion, and let life happen to them instead of making it what they want.

I'm pretty happy. Not all of my life is how I would like it at all, but rather than dwell on what isn't right, I like to think about the many things that are. The biggest thing that would make me happier would be if I could get rid of all the aches and pains that have come from 60 years and way too many injuries.
 
In college, I read a book that was loaned to me by the chairperson of the religious studies department. It was called, Wildmen, Warriors and Kings: Masculine Spirituality and the Bible. It was an interesting read discussing why male participation in the church lessened over the centuries. My professor agreed with most of Patrick Arnold's perspectives. She wanted me to read it to answer a question I had asked in her class, the Church Today, about how Christianity sprung from Judaism and the temple being dominated by men concerned with the spiritual journey of those around them to the "church ladies" who became so dominant as an unofficial religious police organization that Saturday Night Live created the church lady skit.

In America, the relationship between men and women and gender roles have certainly changed a lot since WW II and the civil rights movements in the 1960's. In our history as a nation, we've tamed the wilderness, nearly eradicated the tribal societies who once farmed and hunted on lands now overrun with strip malls and McMansions, and we have made many tasks far easier thanks to innovation and technological advancement. As the role of men has changed in society, I'm curious as to whether these changes have made one gender happier than another, or if the perception is that modern advances in roles and work allow for equality of adaptation and equality of happiness.
 
A set of gills would make me ecstatic !!!! ;-)....No tanks, No fills, No reg's, No deco, unlimited down time !!!!!......
 
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Super tough question. I dont know if it can be answered. Our nation has become a society of kept people. Certainly the ones strapped with the keeping job is not happy, Unless it is a day when no one says that they are not doing enough for the rest to be happy. There are kept people who are happy because they are happier than the kept person across the street. Logically across teh street resides an unhappy soul because someone else is happier than they. Mama is happy with the new dress she got for a social event but then becomes unhappy because someone else had the audicity to buy the same dress. Pop is happy just to get home and not having to listen to mom go on about it. He is happy again thinking about that fishing trip that starts tomarrow, Happy untill he is turned away by environmental protesters who are happy to be cutting the purse strings of the poluting lake management folks. Happy again because he has a back up plan and has a good weekend with the fish and the boys with similar dilema's. Great weekend had by all but the fish. The boys are all so happy with the fishing that when they get back they take their family out to their favorite spots for dinner and a movie. Mom is unhappy because its raining and they do not have rouqfort dressing, (like anyone does). The kids are unhappy cause they are stuck with mom and dad, (BORING) and mom is happy because she took the phones away from the ruggers for a " by god for one night this week we are all going to be happy together whether we like it or NOT". Kids happiness level is a given. Sissy painted up like bozo the clown sits there finger twirling her hair because ther is a boy she knows at neighboring table she would be happy to suck down a malt with but but unhappy because she has no phone to text with. Junior keeps asking for video money like his idiot kid hero of his on the family guy. Dad turns to look at the door cause he hears a familiar woice and sure enough it is his fishing buddy Bob and dad is happy to have soemone to share his happiness with. That happiness is short lived when as he turns he knocks over moms soda and you guessed it it spills on the dress that, that no good tramp wore at the social, and is now unhappy cause she cant return it or the rained on shoes. Not to worry the waiter brought her some blue cheese and told her it was rouqfort and she is now happy again. They eat in silence, dad overtips the waitress and all go home where all is happy. I am thinking that the only ones happy are the phone folks, the tipped waitress, and Bob cause he just found tonights happiest girl in the world / future x wife in the end booth. The only ones with the consistant happiness factor is the fish, and darn it dad left the cooler in the trunk. Wont everyone be happy when that smell is finally gone.
 
KWS, please create a thread and write your take on a group of divers on a boat representing rec, tec, DIR, rebreathers, sidemount, etc., enjoying the day! :)
 
As a male, I doubt I could answer that question on any scientific basis. I think happiness is largely a personal achievement. I'm pretty darned happy myself (but it doesn't really take much for me... easy access to diving and a full tank). Could my happiness be improved? Undoubtedly, but the important thing is that I'm pretty content with how my life is right now.

I do feel women may have a slight edge since many of them (at least the ones I encounter) possess an innate sense of security whereas men seem to seek out their valuation externally. Yes, a gross generalization undoubtedly.
 
Somewhat related...

I listened to a brief talk from Dr Andrew Weil on Big Think via FB today. He differentiated between happiness and contentment... contentment being internal versus happiness being dependent upon external 'stuff'... stuff ranging from cars to mates. He then stated something I saw quite clearly in the Philippines... people with less tend to be more content/happy than people in 1st world countries. (People were pretty jaded in Cuba when I was there a few years ago, so while I agree with him to some extent, it's not unanimous, obviously.)

FWIW, I think it's culture that trumps both gender and economics, although both play into culture.
 
I'll answer the 1st Q only---& go with the population %, fiddy-one to furddy-nine.......BTW, that's pretty darn close, if you stop & think about it.:)
 
I voted both the same. It's hard to have a perspective when most people are one or the other.
 
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