Do you think that the people who lived a 100 years ago were more happier than us ?....or vice versa ?

I'm guessing the overall happiness level hasn't changed much. Because despite all the improvements in quality of life, clinical depression has risen MAJORLY in the last few decades. I'd say, if anything, they were a little happier than us, but I still wouldn't trade places with one of them.

Thanks for an insightful question!!

I do believe they would have been happier, although there is no way to prove really.

My belief is based on a strange logic as follows

They were happy and that is why we made so much progress over these 100 years. However, in order to make all this progress, we had to sacrifice some degree of our emotions and values ..... happiness being a function of these emotions and values must therefore have been a loser while we kept increasing the pace of progress.

Since we are continuing with the same trend, I further believe based on the same logic that our future generations would be even less happy than we are!!

Its a matter of perspective. We all have our own perspective, we all have our own concept of happy. If happy is being free, no wars, very little if any taxes, legal drugs that really do less damage, when used with some common sense, Representatives that actually Represent the Voters, no National Debt, average lifespan of 65 years, yeah, was much happier time 100 years ago.

No, they were not happier, because;

1-Happiness level remains same. Human greed always find new happiness sources but actually only source of happiness can be ourselves!

For example,a guy living in a village enjoys playing with stones but after a year he is not satisfied and plays with horses.

Then,it is not enough and he wants to find something new outside.He rides the horse.

He finds new things new people but it is not enough! He needs to carry his items too so he makes a cart with the horse.

It is slow and not enough too he invents the basic car.

He discovers all the world! but it is not enough he wants to taste new foods,he wants to play new games, he wants to make love in different ways.

There is no end but happiness actually not increasing but probably decreasing.

2-Happiness is not matter! There is no amount of it.If you REALLY happy,that means you find the real thing which will make you happy until infinity.

According to 1 and 2,REAL happiness or happiness we called can be had only if our goals are infinite.

Happiness is not to reach goal,but trying to reach goal.

Live a happy life !! :D

Not really. The "good ol' days" never existed. Life was just as complicated then as it is now. Just with different things. One of the most obvious was that everything was pretty much done by hand and that meant hard work and long hours.

People from then would find ours a wonderous, indolent life that was beyond their wildest dreams. Yet, they would be very confused and frieghtened by our world. If the they ever learned the full scope of our capabilty, they would be terrified.

Hmmmm,very interesting question.We have the advantage because we can compare our life to theirs (1906)Where they

Could not compare their life to their future.

In 1906 cars were rolling off the assembly line,the airplane had just been invented,The railroads were forging America full force into the industrial revolution,but disease was rampant.A huge earthquake and fire destroyed San Fransisco.Victorian dress

and house design was the standard.There was cocaine in coca cola and heroine in aspirin.The flu killed millions around that time.

Lifes pace was alot slower.Its hard to say if they were happier.

i think the people who lived long ago were much happier than we are. they had every reason to be happy, there was no AIDS, hardly any war, no global warming, no worry about bills, no worry about their kids on the internet, no destruction being spread on the tv and bes of all they had a much closer and meaningful relationship with GOD. they had no technology and no machines [ they did but not as advanced] and they were much more healthier and stronger than we were.they lived longer than we do or are going to.

Yes, I think they were, because in congruently, the more you know the less happy you are! it may sound absurd but think just in people who live in very small communities where they don't have cars or phones or more sophisticated objects, they don't worry if they can have an accident or if there is not gas ,or if prices increase etc. they just live, in our present time, every day enjoying what they have.

yeah...i kinda think it all depends on ur definition of what makes u happy. if technology is fullfilling, then i guess our ancestors were pretty distraught. but if simple living, safe streets, clean and green atmosphere's and times when children actually enjoyed listening to tales told by their grandparents are considered happiness, then it was bliss. i know i'd be much happier 100 years ago...

Happier,.. they didn't know what was better to the points we do.

They didn't have as much stress. They constantly knew it was do or die,.. it wasn't suddenly you have to struggle to out due a Computer or to get a Promotion that dozens of others are fighting for.

So,.. Less Stressful anyways.