Happy or sad? Hongkongers optimistic despite being dissatisfied, survey shows
Pollsters attribute contradictory results to people making ‘mental adjustments’ to long-term problems
Most Hongkongers are happy and optimistic despite many being highly dissatisfied over issues like housing and the political climate in the city, a recent survey shows.
About 65 per cent of the 1,302 respondents said they were happy with their current life, a steep increase from the 25 per cent recorded last year, according to the third annual survey conducted by non-profit group HK.WeCARE.
But the findings also revealed that Hongkongers were not content over issues such as the political climate, housing and the environment, with a dissatisfaction rate of 74 per cent, 71 per cent and 71 per cent respectively.
The pollsters attributed the contradictory findings to Hongkongers’ ability to make “mental adjustments”. As people became more aware of the time required to resolve deeply rooted social issues, they adopted a more positive attitude when facing those problems.
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“If people face the same situation over time, not seeing any changes, they’ll actually get used to the situation,” said Eugene Fong Yik-hin, an adviser to the group.