Channel Four yesterday ran with the perennial story about how doughty Brits are defying their personal debt crises, record unemployment figures, low pay, persistent inflation, and generally low living standards (relative to the size of the economy) to declare that they’re “happy with their lot”.

‎’Happiness delusions’ are perfectly functional for people living in highly economically and socially stratified societies. Throw in a bit of ruling class ideology – feckless Tory Kirsty Allsopp pretending to do some sewing to keep the ‘blitz spirit’ alive, for example - and you’ve got the populace just where you want it.

I wonder why, however, if we’re all so happy, antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed drugs in the UK; why we incarcerate more people (as a percentage of the population) than anywhere else in Western Europe; or why we have the highest rates of almost every negative social phenomena of any other European nation?

Still, we’ve got all that credit (and the highest personal debt levels in Europe – higher than all other European nations combined, in fact) to keep us well stocked in the crap we don’t need…

Frankly, if you want to understand the mania that leads to such contradictory perceptions and realities of the kind of society in which we live, the best thing you could do is buy your loved ones copies of The Spirit Level for Christmas.