Greetings!,

Do you know what the "Misery Index" is? Invented by Arthur Okun, according to Google.com, it measures the level of economic discomfort for the average citizen by simply adding the current unemployment rate to the current inflation rate. A higher misery index indicates greater economic hardship. With high unemployment causing joblessness and high inflation reducing purchasing power, both of these contribute to a declining economic standard of living. 

In other words, it's how miserable you might feel under financial stress caused by outside factors.

However, the misery index does not just have to apply towards economics. You could take many data or item sets that give you joy or make you feel sad, and try to measure how you feel compared to others.

As football season kicks off this week, and baseball season is in the last innings of the regular year, think of this in regard to your favorite sports teams. For example, if you were a Kansas City Chiefs fan, your misery index would be relatively low compared to a Cleveland Browns fan. Or think of being a Chicago Cubs or Boston Red Sox fan for much of the 20th century.

So, if you are a sports fan, it might be interesting to find out where you fall on the “Sports Misery Index".

Sports Misery Index Calculator

In case you are curious, my misery rating is 74 (Flailing). The site, produced by ESPN, also provided the misery rating by state. To me, it was no surprise that MA has the lowest rating. I guess it helps to have the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, and the Boston Bruins in your backyard.

My advice is to remember, professional sports are entertainment. While wins and losses may impact your mood, what you do with your life is what really matters.

As always, thanks for reading.



Bernie & Chad