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Economist David Blanchflower from Dartmouth College analyzed happiness data across 132 countries, drawing from UK population surveys of adults under 70 (2016-2018). Participants rated life satisfaction on a 0-10 scale, where 0 meant 'not at all satisfied' and 10 'completely satisfied'.
Results revealed the deepest dip in the forties, with scores between 7.7 and 7.9. Globally, people report peak unhappiness at precisely 47.2 years old—before happiness trends upward again.
Blanchflower attributes this to major life shifts: marriages often falter, peers face illnesses or pass away, and many confront unfulfilled youthful dreams, eroding satisfaction.
Post-dip, happiness rebounds universally, suggesting a biological process—possibly even genetic, though further study is needed. Blanchflower's rigorous analysis underscores this as a real, shared human experience.
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