The Life Project

[aeolium]

I thought this looked like a very interesting and valuable ongoing survey of a section of British life over the last 70 years:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/feb/27/the-life-project-what-makes-some-people-happy-healthy-successful-and-others-not

Some of its findings have already informed social policy in earlier decades and certainly ought to be used to influence policy now, perhaps more so than the abstract theory that is sometimes used. Here is a significant weight of evidence about the way particular factors have affected individual lives over a long period. I hope that a TV or radio documentary publicises this work more widely and I'd be interested to read the complete (latest) report.

[VodkaDilc]

There's been interesting coverage in today's Observer and yesterday's Guardian. I remember teaching someone in the early part of my career who was part of what I think is the second cohort - those born in 1958. His parents were very enthusiastic about it all. The boy became a professor of something incomprehensible to me at London University - so he gave them something to get their teeth into. I imagine he still has contact with the project. I hope he also plays his 'cello sometimes.

[french frank]

It's really fascinating, and indicates the often gigantic problems that politicians have to be informed about and take action on. The establishment of the NHS being one result.

[Frances_iom]

It's really fascinating, and indicates the often gigantic problems that politicians have to be informed about and take action on. The establishment of the NHS being one result.

?? you had to have lived in a gilded bubble during the 1930s not to understand the need for the NHS (now some of the Tories did so but the minor problem of the war somewhat upset their comfortable life) - luckily we did have truly honest labour politicians in those days rather than those of the 80s who sold the NHS out.

[french frank]

?? you had to have lived in a gilded bubble during the 1930s

Or, in my case, not be born yet

I don't suppose personal experiences replaced the need for detailed research.

[teamsaint]

So, er, standing on one leg with your eyes closed is trickier than you might think .

Isn't it ?

( they didnt mention how much of the higher mortality was down to bashed in heads of people falling over while standing etc etc.....)

[aeolium]

There was a discussion partly about this work on R4's Start the Week this morning - from about 20 minutes in, after the fractious debate about the extent of genetic influence. Helen Pearson, the author of the report, was one of the participants.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b071skp5

[Flay]

My son (now 25) was included in the 1990 cohort but I think they had forgotton about him for their most recent survey

http://www.cls.ioe.ac.uk/nextsteps/page.aspx?sitesectionid=71&sitesectiontitle=Coming+up%3a+Age+25+survey

I think he was 8 or 9 at the time. I recall it being very detailed on diet, activities, even the number of visits to the loo! And someone came round to take a blood test (it took a few attempts - Mrs Flay and I were both about to seize the syringe to do it ourselves but luckily the blood eventually appeared!)

[Serial_Apologist]

There was a discussion partly about this work on R4's Start the Week this morning - from about 20 minutes in, after the fractious debate about the extent of genetic influence. Helen Pearson, the author of the report, was one of the participants.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b071skp5

Thanks for providing the link, aeolium - 'twas an excellent start to the week this morning, and I would urge anyone wishing to have their spirits lifted to have a listen.

[teamsaint]

interesting discussion indeed.

A lot of the language used around these subjects worries me.

two things in particular
1. Use of the term " stupid people".
2. Maybe more importantly, the use of language around social mobility.
I don't think anybody outside of the upper classes and the defensive parts of the upper -middle class would deny the importance of the ability to move upwards socially. But I'm not really sure that what seems to be classed as success, ( EG getting a better job than one's parents) ought really to be an endgame.
A better set of outcomes ( and closely linked to some of the mental health issues discussed), might be where people felt fulfilled, adequately rewarded, and having a worthwhile role in society, doing the jobs that so many of us will inevitably have to do, however high our national educational achievements, and which society appears to undervalue.

[Serial_Apologist]

interesting discussion indeed.

A lot of the language used around these subjects worries me.

two things in particular
1. Use of the term " stupid people".
2. Maybe more importantly, the use of language around social mobility.
I don't think anybody outside of the upper classes and the defensive parts of the upper -middle class would deny the importance of the ability to move upwards socially. But I'm not really sure that what seems to be classed as success, ( EG getting a better job than one's parents) ought really to be an endgame.
A better set of outcomes ( and closely linked to some of the mental health issues discussed), might be where people felt fulfilled, adequately rewarded, and having a worthwhile role in society, doing the jobs that so many of us will inevitably have to do, however high our national educational achievements, and which society appears to undervalue.

Also worth remembering that it's those who actually make stuff who create wealth, not those who provide jobs. The latter help themselves to the larger part of the value created thereby, and at the same time perpetuate the myth that they themselves are the "wealth creators". Without those we're told should fulfil their individualised ambitions by seeking to be upwardly mobile they, the employing class, would be nowhere. I believe this to be where the phrase "the dignity of labour" lies, rather than knuckling down and doing as one is told, without asking too many questions.

[Beef Oven!]

Also worth remembering that it's those who actually make stuff who create wealth, not those who provide jobs. The latter help themselves to the larger part of the value created thereby, and at the same time perpetuate the myth that they themselves are the "wealth creators". Without those we're told should fulfil their individualised ambitions by seeking to be upwardly mobile they, the employing class, would be nowhere. I believe this to be where the phrase "the dignity of labour" lies, rather than knuckling down and doing as one is told, without asking too many questions.

I walked into the room and there was SA, standing on his head

[Serial_Apologist]

I walked into the room and there was SA, standing on his head

It's accepted - I'm retired, see?

[aeolium]

'twas an excellent start to the week this morning, and I would urge anyone wishing to have their spirits lifted to have a listen.

If you enjoyed that, S_A, you might also enjoy Jim al-Khalili's R4 programme The Life Scientific this morning, an interview with George Davey Smith covering some of the same terrain:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b071t8qd

[Serial_Apologist]

If you enjoyed that, S_A, you might also enjoy Jim al-Khalili's R4 programme The Life Scientific this morning, an interview with George Davey Smith covering some of the same terrain:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b071t8qd

Thanks aeolium - missed that!