Why are Americans so unhappy?

Make Me Smart

Marketplace

News, Business

4.6 • 5.5K Ratings

🗓️ 21 March 2024

⏱️ 21 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Our happiness is slipping. According to Gallup, the U.S. has dropped out of the cohort of 20 happiest countries. What gives? Guest host Matt Levin joins Kimberly Adams to discuss some of the possible economic explanations. Plus, the Joe Biden administration’s efforts to expand women’s health research, and menopause might need more looking into. And, our growing obsession with houseplants.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

- “What’s the Happiest Country on Earth?” from Gallup

- “The U.S. is falling in global happiness and this time it’s young people’s fault” from Quartz

- “Biden just signed the largest executive order focused on women’s health” from The 19th

- “Bayer to seek approval for menopausal relief drug after third trial win” from Reuters

- “Is menopause getting worse? Scientists say it is.” from The Washington Post

- “Parkinson’s Disease Can Now Be Detected Through the Skin” from The Wall Street Journal

- “Gardening bloomed during the pandemic. Garden centers hope would-be green thumbs stay interested” from The Associated Press

We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm done with my trash talking.
0:02.0	Hello everyone, I'm Kimberly Adams.
0:10.0	Welcome back to Make Me Smart where we make today
0:14.3	today makes sense. Kai is out today. So Matt Levin is here with me. Hey Matt.
0:20.9	Hey Kimberly, good to be here.
0:23.5	Thanks y'all for joining us this Wednesday, March 20th.
0:28.2	Yes, today we are going to do some news and some smiles.
0:32.2	Get you in and out of here with the best conversation you'll have heard on
0:36.0	a Wednesday. So what you got, Matt?
0:39.1	That is a high promise to our listeners, Kimberly.
0:41.7	I believe in you, Matt. I believe in you, Matt.
0:43.4	I believe in you.
0:44.5	It's a lot of pressure.
0:46.6	Okay, you know I like to start off my news fixes
0:49.8	with a annoyingly personal question.
0:51.9	You're ready for this, Kimberly?
0:54.0	Go for it.
0:55.0	All right, scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you, Kimberly?
1:01.0	Today or let's let's put today aside because you got roped into some unexpected work
1:10.3	today so in general in. I am an extraordinarily fortunate person. I have my
1:17.2	health. I have great friends and family. A good job. I'm going to give myself a solid eight. I'm a very fortunate individual.
1:25.3	How about you? Oh man that's far too personal a question. I think I'm
	...

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