Peter Gabriel
English musician
When surrounded by my family.
When were you happiest?
Question
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Identity & self
Question
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Identity & self
Question
Which trait do you most dislike in yourself?
Identity & self
Question
What do you value most in your friends?
Relationships
Question
What keeps you awake at night?
Daily life
Question
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Values & belief
Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
Asked in 52 of the 131 consecutive instalments of The Guardian's The Q&A harvested on 2026-08-29.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
This year's a pretty good year.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 24 August 2013 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 577 →
Vanessa Redgrave
British actress and activist
Is all happiness in the past? Well, the births of three children. And playing with children and grandchildren.
Martin Clunes
English actor
On childhood family holidays in Mallorca, with my mum, dad and sister, Amanda.
Sam Shepard
American playwright and actor
Before I was born.
More from Allison Janney
View profile →I wish I always had the right word in the right moment at the right time and not two hours later in my car going home.
Cooking out with my closest friends and laughing until we are crying.
Oh, I have a long list. You should ask me what I like about myself—that list is much shorter.
Those who are both loyal and can cook.
Thank you notes I haven't written.
People who punch down.
More on time & hindsight
- What is the most important lesson life has taught you? 137 answers
- What advice would you give your twenty-year-old self, and what should they ignore? 77 answers
- What scares you about getting older? 61 answers
- What is the best advice you have ever received? 28 answers
- If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere, what would it say and why? 23 answers
- What is something you were told by a parent, teacher, or mentor that you still repeat to yourself? 22 answers
Also answered this
Carl Barât, Philip Glass, Alexander Armstrong, Matt Goss, Helena Bonham Carter, Chris O'Dowd
Search the directory for somebody in particular.
Explore further
- All time & hindsight questions
- The The Q&A questionnaire — 25 questions from the same format
- Explore the archive — by field, age, era, and subject