NJ ranks high in happiness; they must be kidding (Opinion)

You may have seen a recent survey of the happiest states in the country, in which New Jersey ranked as the third-highest. It's something to be proud of, I guess. It's good to see our state scoring high on a list of such a positive measure. Our high ranking is due to our high mean salary of $114,691. A lot of that goes to the political locusts in our extremely high taxes and high cost of living.  The real measure is what people here see at eye level every day.

I've done a little traveling out of state in the last year, from New England to Florida and the Carolinas to Texas. I don't know, but people seem a lot happier or at least friendlier in other places. Maybe it's because I was just visiting, but the feeling you get here on a daily basis ain't Disney World. It's far from the happiest place on earth when you're driving to work, waiting to get seated at a restaurant, or shopping in stores.

People in New Jersey seem to be pretty unhappy. Maybe it's the stress of the pandemic or the fear that the government and the media keep pushing on the public. New Jersey doesn't seem to deserve the 3rd spot on a list of happy places.

Don't get me wrong, I wish we really were the happy place this survey suggests. If it's based solely on income, then it doesn't take a genius to know that money doesn't buy happiness. I've run into some palpably unhappy people in public lately. I always allow for the fact that people could be dealing with serious issues of health, loss of a loved one, or severe financial troubles.

Whatever the reasons, the people many of us run into on a daily basis don't seem real happy. What do you think? Not if it's a good place to live or if you're happy, but do you see a lot of happiness here? I think it's a great place to live and I am generally very happy.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy. Any opinions expressed are Dennis Malloy's own.