There's some mention out there about how happy people are, or aren't these days.
This seems especially true for the young folks. Well, guess what? The youngsters are unhappy because they aren't being taught the kinds of things that promote happiness. Indeed, they are being taught the reverse.
What makes me so sure of that? Let's take an example to illustrate. There's this drumbeat about the planet being destroyed by mankind's inventions. In particular, the AGW situation. If there's one thing that NOBODY need to worry about and that is AGW. There's no merit to that argument at all. Therefore, if you don't worry about it, then by default, you should be happier than you were before.
But there's so much to worry about! Let me tell you something. People out there are making a living out of making you worry. Your happiness is your own responsibility. Tune out the noise!
As with many things, that's easier said than done. The one thing that has always been true, even in the "good old days", is that watching the news may require you to get a drink. The news has always been bad. Stop watching so much news then. It's like the old Hee Haw gag with the doctor. It went like this--- a patient complains to the doctor, "it hurts when I do this". The doctor replies, "then don't do that!". yuk, yuk. It's funny but true.
If you want to be happy, then stop doing those things that don't promote your happiness. It's as simple as that.
In short, it's like Abe Lincoln once said. People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. And so it goes.