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Comment by pbhjpbhj | Hacker News Reader

So USAmericans feeling greater pressure to claim they're satisfied? Acquiescence bias effects increasing in more fascist society?

Would you all who live in USA say people are more satisfied? Why, in your opinion?

[Edit: I'm interested in what is wrong with these questions, so if you feel they're bad questions and need downvoting I'd be happy to hear from you, email if you like.]

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Despite what you see on the news and Twitter, we're no more "fascist" today than we were 10 or even 50 years ago. Federal politics and culture wars make the biggest splash in the headlines but who the President is, what party is in charge, or whatever happens in DC really doesn't affect 90% of people's lives on a day-to-day basis. What does is even deeper and more systemic than the retail politics we see.

Most of us just want to enjoy life. For the vast majority of Americans this does not involve becoming rich, enjoyment comes from family and the time we spend together, it's not about fancy degrees and nice material things. There will always be an ebb and flow of opportunity, sometimes there is enough opportunity that a larger than average number of American families earn large disposable incomes, those are great times. Just remember that we are still very religious and are brought up from a young age to be happy with what you have, not upset about what you don't have.

>we are still very religious and are brought up from a young age to be happy with what you have, not upset about what you don't have

In my personal experience, this teaching is just as prominent in non-religious upbringings, perhaps even more so.

That is great, but don't forget that organized dogmatic religions is where many of those lessons started. I'm happy that some of the core positive tenants of religions (that have historically fueled some of humanities worst atrocities) have migrated to being simply accepted as part of humanity and not always tied back to religion.

Precisely. Everyone here mentions money first. They take the security and happiness of their loved ones for granted.

I resent you implying that I take my loved ones for granted. Providing for them is the only reason I'm so concerned about the money I earn.

Think they were implying that the security and happiness are not guaranteed by money, sometimes it's the opposite. I don't think you made a charitable interpretation of their statements.

I think it's a stretch to get from what they wrote to what you're suggesting, but maybe I just didn't pick up on the context.

There's a continuing destruction of social safety nets in America, and it appears ensuring you have enough money is the only way to even hope to provide your family with security. I'm not upset about the amount of wealth I have. I'm upset with the amount of wealth I need to make sure my parents are taken care of.

Because they're incredibly loaded, and frankly, idiotic questions. It's an anonymous poll put on by Gallup. No one would feel pressured to answer a pollster question one way or another. And "more fascist society?" Do you honestly think the US is alone in this?

You've never heard of acquiescence bias then, it's an interesting effect the name of which I only learnt recently; worth looking up.

My country seems more fascist, and the impression I get from news is USA is too -- in dictatorial societies people tend to acquiess because they feel giving the 'wrong' answer might cause trouble for them.

But mine's an outside view, so I asked a few questions to get a sample of answers from the inside track.

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