Just in time for Christmas and the New Year's Eve celebration comes news that New York State is the unhappiest place in the union. Say what? The tri-state area, as a whole, is a pretty darn grim place, according to a report published in Science. Connecticut ranked 49th in the poll while New Jersey checked in at No. 46. Louisiana, Hawaii, Florida, Tennessee and Arizona rank as the Top Five in “Happyland USA.”
New York City indeed has lost some swagger. The Wall Street area has morphed into a residential neighborhood as financial firms crumble or retrench. It was only a short time ago that the narrow streets of downtown were impossible to navigate due to the crush of workers. Walking those same streets is a breeze today. Thousands of jobs are gone forever from midtown's legal, publishing, advertising and PR sectors. As natives are pared from payrolls, tourists are much more evident on the streets. Restaurants are empty. Storefronts carry “for rent” signs. Cabs abound.
Things will get better. The Big Apple will rebound as it did in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attack. Sure, it will take time to adjust to the “new normal.”
PR firms may not get staffed as they once were, but those employees represent the “best and the brightest” that the business offers. New York City is the heart and soul of America. It promises freedom and opportunity to all. NYC attracts young people from across the U.S. willing to double or triple up in apartments, a fraction of the size of their family homes, for a shot at achieving their dream. Some return home, knowing they gave their best shot. Others arrive to take their place. The cycle of renewal continues.
A London PR executive told me earlier this month that he brings his entire family to New York every year to soak up the atmosphere and excitement of the Christmas season. They spend a lot of time walking the streets and exploring new neighborhoods. He reports that New York this year seems as vital as ever.
Good riddance to the economic slump of 2009. New Yorkers can’t wait for 2010 to move up Science’s list, a survey that was belittled in a New York Times editorial today.
Peace, happiness, health and prosperity for all in 2010.
(Image via)
