Oprah Survey -- Are you Happy With Yourself?
This is an update to the results of Oprah's online survey asking people this -- "Are you happy with yourself?" I've updated the results below. Obviously, this is not a scientific poll and shouldn't be interpreted as such.
Here is the link in case you want to see or take the survey.
http://www2.oprah.com/tows/intheworks/tows_works_happy.jhtml
The Oprah Winfrey Show Wants to Know: Are You Happy With Yourself?
1. Are you happy with yourself?
Yes 24%
No 76%
Number of responses: 18435
If you answered no to question one, answer the following:
2. In what area do you feel you've failed yourself the most?
Career 13.4%
Children 6.1%
Romantic relationships 18.6%
Friends 5.4%
Personal goals/dreams 56.4%
Number of responses: 15122
3. When you look in the mirror every day, how do you feel?
Proud 4.8%
Satisfied 28.3%
Disgusted 27.4%
Ugly 20%
Out of control 19.5%
Number of responses: 16813
4. Is how much you dislike yourself a secret you keep from other people in your life?
Yes 72%
No 28%
Number of responses: 16357
5. How do you escape reality?
Use drugs/alcohol 5.7%
Sleep 12.6%
Gossip about other people 2.9%
Have sex 1.2%
Isolate yourself 30.3%
Overeat 26.2%
Other 21.1%
Number of responses: 16372
6. Do you allow people to verbally cut you down, abuse you, and make you feel even worse about yourself?
Yes 31.5%
No 68.5%
Number of responses: 16650
7. Are there people in your life who, you believe, are embarrassed of who you have become?
Yes 37.9%
No 62.1%
Number of responses: 16637
8. I feel worthy and good enough
Some of the time 41.1%
Most of the time 29%
Almost never 25.1%
Never 4.8%
Number of responses: 16754
Happniess: Pleasurable feeling vs leading a meaningful life
I think these survey results are very interesting - thanks for posting them, John. It reminds me of some of Russ Harris's writings on the topic of happiness (I know others have written about this issues as well but I am blanking on those other names right now). I will not be able to explain it as well as Russ but it seems like in our day and age people expect that they should be "happy" almost all of the time. And by happy, I am referring to an elevated mood or pleasurable feeling. This is probably why according to Oprah's survey, 76% of people responded that they are not happy with themselves. However, as Russ notes in his book "The Happiness Trap", there is another meaning of happiness: "living a rich, full, and meaningful life". Relatedly, on Oprah's survey, approximately 70% of the respondents endorsed "feeling worthy and good enough" some or most of the time. In my opinion, this question is a much better indicator of how people are essentially doing.
No one I know, including those who are greatly successful in their lives, walk around experiencing pleasurable feelings most of the time. But I do know people who go through life feeling content and satisfied, and I believe these are the people who are most successful. However, they don't just simply wait to feel content and satfisfied. Instead, they are hard working, focused, and are constantly doing things that are important to them. I think it is those people who are not feeling satisfied, or those who are not feeling worthy and good enough, that we as clinicians need to aim to help.
Also, we have much more control over living a rich, full, and meaningful life than we do trying to achieve a state of experiencing pleasurable feelings.
5. How do you escape
5. How do you escape reality?
Use drugs/alcohol 5.7%
Sleep 12.6%
Gossip about other people 2.9%
Have sex 1.2%
Isolate yourself 30.3%
Overeat 26.2%
Other 21.1%
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