Are you happy? DataFolha Institute asked this question from Brazilians and 76% responded in the affirmative. Another 22% declared themselves "so so" in happiness matters. Only 2% admitted they were unhappy.
When the question, however, was changed to "Do you think Brazilians are happy?" only 28% said yes. Ten years ago asked the same question by DataFolha, if they considered themselves happy, 65% had said yes. In 1996, only 23% of the interviewed thought other Brazilians were happy.
The number of those who consider Brazilians unhappy fell from 18% in 1996 to 13% now. DataFolha interviewed 7,724 people in 349 municipalities all across the country on September 4 and 5.
The DataFolha findings show that men (78%) and women (75%) are almost equally happy. Ten years ago the difference was 7% in favor of men.
The religion of someone can change how he or she feels happiness. Those without a religion are also the ones with the smallest rate of happiness: 67% of them say they are happy. Among catholics and spiritualists, 76% consider themselves to be happy. The happiest of them all are however the evangelicals with 83% of them saying they are happy.
Three other items that seem to be connected with happiness according to the poll are money, schooling and age. The older, more schooled and richer a person, the more he considers himself a happy individual.
The DataFolha inquiry is connected to the October 1st presidential elections and bears good news to president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. No reason to change when you feel that you are happy.
The survey contained two other questions: Which candidate is the best prepared for the post? and Who are you going to vote for House Representative and Assemblyman?
44% said president Lula is better prepared than his opponent physician and former governor of São Paulo, Geraldo Alckmin, who is considered the best by 31%.
Senator Heloísa Helena comes in third with 5%, while economist and former Education Minister Cristovam Buarque gets a mere 1%. 63% revealed that they still don’t know who to choose for representative and 60% haven’t chosen an assemblyman yet.