Declining, but broken... Moderately improving indicators, severely increasing political polarization in the Hungarian value system, changes between 2009 and 2013

If we have a good thermometer, it can be very helpful in telling us how cold it is outside. However, it is less useful to use a thermometer to find out why it is cold. In 2009, it became clear that we have a good thermometer and that, based on it, it is indeed quite cold outside. We tried to understand why it might be cold through scientific2 and public3 debates that unfolded in connection with our research. In 2013, we had the opportunity to measure the outside temperature again using the same thermometer. We found that the outside temperature had not changed much, but if it had, the weather had become slightly more pleasant. This time, however, we were not satisfied with the average temperature. We were also curious to see how it had changed. Surprisingly, we found that where the weather was more pleasant in 2009, it had become less so in 2013. In the cooler areas, we measured slightly warmer temperatures. Since we placed our thermometer in the same place on both occasions, we had the impression for a moment that perhaps a different sun was shining four years ago than it is now. Whatever the case, it is certain that such temperature fluctuations can have harmful effects on health, especially when we add that, despite the improving indicators, it is basically cold.