The General Social Society is a gold standard poll that has been tracking Americans’ attitudes since 1972. In about three years (2018 to 2021), Americans’ happiness cratered. According to one journalist, “The graph looks like the heart rate has plunged and they’re paging everyone on the floor to revive the patient.”

For the first time since the survey began (50 years ago), more people say they’re “not too happy” than say they’re “very happy.”

The actual statistics look like this:

“Very happy”

2018 – 31%

2021 – 19%

“Not too happy”

2018 – 13%

2021 – 24%