The notion of "happiness" each person has in their mind says much about the culture they live in. What did a Native American in 1400 experience as happiness? What does a religious Jew Muslim or Christian experience as happiness? The implication of this article, and THIS happiness index, is that happiness is somewhat interchangeable with a bourgeoise prosperity, or the belief that one is living it.
1
Anyone else find the headline offensive? The plight of Burundi is not a joke.
6
Quite a glib headline, don't you think?
5
"The report found that inequality was strongly associated with unhappiness — a stark finding for rich countries like the United States, where rising disparities in income, wealth, health and well-being have fueled political discontent."
Whoa really? Inequality means unhappiness? Golly, I never thought about it that way! Sounds sort of like...like....stuff we already know!!!
Whoa really? Inequality means unhappiness? Golly, I never thought about it that way! Sounds sort of like...like....stuff we already know!!!
1
Socialism makes for lazy people without any dreams. You'll be comfortable but bored. I'll take the USA any day.
5
A lot of people in the Scandinavian countries are on anti-depressants due to the extreme socialism in those countries where the people feel helpless.
2
I think that if the average American family were to live in a small apartment in a no elevator building, with small rooms and kitchen, and given one small car--as the average Danish family has--we would certainly be on the bottom of the happy list, no matter how much annual leave and depression medication we would get. It's all about expectations.
6
"Most are fairly homogeneous nations with strong social safety nets."
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Except Canada, in there at number 5, right behind the Scandinavians.
Nearly one third of Canadians were born in another country, making it the least homogeneous nation on Earth. But as long as we have public school systems in which people learn how other cultures live, how to respect those others - and as long as we can regain a semblance of the equality that existed earlier in the postwar period - some semblance of satisfaction can prevail.
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Except Canada, in there at number 5, right behind the Scandinavians.
Nearly one third of Canadians were born in another country, making it the least homogeneous nation on Earth. But as long as we have public school systems in which people learn how other cultures live, how to respect those others - and as long as we can regain a semblance of the equality that existed earlier in the postwar period - some semblance of satisfaction can prevail.
9
I must have clicked submit too fast...ugh, let's try that again, shall we....
As a 51-year-old Dane who spent half my life in Denmark and has spent half my life in SoCal, I feel I am qualified to comment on both countries (it's not enough to have visited a country for a short time or to have read about a country in books or elsewhere.) There is much I love about Denmark and much I love about the U.S.. (likewise, there is much I don't like about DK and the U.S; there is no perfect nation on this planet.) But love must never be blind - not for a country or a person. I need only refer to Nazi Germany to remind you how blind love can easily turn to blind hatred.
Thus, when once again read that Danes are the happiest folks in the world, I almost break out in rash. I could make a long list of why that is NOT the case, but I will instead refer to a study in English that confirms what Danish studies have also found: Danes are being prescribed anti-depressants - nicknamed "lykkepiller" [happiness pills] in Danish - in alarmingly high numbers. In a country of about five and a half million people, 460.000 Danes (yes, close to half a million) were prescribed "lykkepiller" in 2011; in 2013 Danish study, the numbers were the same. Ouch!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3854846/
As a 51-year-old Dane who spent half my life in Denmark and has spent half my life in SoCal, I feel I am qualified to comment on both countries (it's not enough to have visited a country for a short time or to have read about a country in books or elsewhere.) There is much I love about Denmark and much I love about the U.S.. (likewise, there is much I don't like about DK and the U.S; there is no perfect nation on this planet.) But love must never be blind - not for a country or a person. I need only refer to Nazi Germany to remind you how blind love can easily turn to blind hatred.
Thus, when once again read that Danes are the happiest folks in the world, I almost break out in rash. I could make a long list of why that is NOT the case, but I will instead refer to a study in English that confirms what Danish studies have also found: Danes are being prescribed anti-depressants - nicknamed "lykkepiller" [happiness pills] in Danish - in alarmingly high numbers. In a country of about five and a half million people, 460.000 Danes (yes, close to half a million) were prescribed "lykkepiller" in 2011; in 2013 Danish study, the numbers were the same. Ouch!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3854846/
10
I wouldn't be surprised if the high level of antidepressant use is due at least in part to the long periods of little sunlight.
4
Um, so are Americans. The presence of mood disorders in a percentage of the population doesn't invalidate the results.
5
The higher usage of antidepressant might be skewed by the fact that Denmark has a much more accessible health system. Plus there's certainly a lot less wrong when most of the people are willing to take care of themselves for the sake of others around them. And if that leads to less suicide or suicidal people then the survey seems to reflect the very essence of why a good health system is beneficial.
8
To me, living in Canada, I think the solidity of the social support net, which includes services directly provided by the state to the population, is the most important factor to explain that trend, trumping the influence of diversity (or lack thereof). On a slightly different registry, I don’t think having a single payer, universal health system is a deterrent to business as often invoked by opponents to such system in the U.S. In fact, the Canadian system has in part allowed me to start a new business and to run it on a shoe string budget and personal salary in the initial years without having to fear that an unexpected disease or health condition would precipitate me in financial distress. As a result, I will create jobs and be able to do what I enjoy doing, ultimately contributing, I hope, to the already high ranking achieved by this country.
10
It indeed deserves to be ranked #1 in Happiest country.:) Awesome people, awesome environment adds value to life and to stay more happy. I could imagine the Happy times spent in Copenhagen for 3 months back in 2014 and that too in lovely Dannish Summer time.. It was pleasant time to spend your evenings in beaches and to travel anywhere during weekends.
Wish life provides me another opportunity to travel Denmark and this time I would definitely spend my evenings in beach with my Wife.. :)
Wish life provides me another opportunity to travel Denmark and this time I would definitely spend my evenings in beach with my Wife.. :)
5
5 million people in Denmark.
Smaller government, more resources.
400 million plus people in the US.
America is awesome. Get over these skewed "rankings".
Smaller government, more resources.
400 million plus people in the US.
America is awesome. Get over these skewed "rankings".
2
What's your point? Nobody is saying America isn't awesome, but we could do better. Size is an excuse.
4
As an expat Dane of many years having lived in civilized industrial countries and less civilized countries I can put the happiness of Danes into perspective.
One word: "Comfort zone".
By cuddling its citizens from birth to grave and shielding them from the thought of poverty while providing free education, health care etc. the Danes are born into a cocoon. Denmark is one of the highest donors in the world, but when an external shock like the large influx of immigrants from a completely different society threatens their comfort zone they will go to great extent to defend it.
One word: "Comfort zone".
By cuddling its citizens from birth to grave and shielding them from the thought of poverty while providing free education, health care etc. the Danes are born into a cocoon. Denmark is one of the highest donors in the world, but when an external shock like the large influx of immigrants from a completely different society threatens their comfort zone they will go to great extent to defend it.
9
One thing I find to be a complete mystery in this survey is just how the U.S. and China (at numbers 15 and 21, respectively) managed to get such high numbers to begin with. Just who was interviewed? Mainly those people who could claim economic security in an increasingly insecure U.S., or met with government approval to even participate in such a survey in China? Then again, in this era of '1984.com' on steroids, is there even all that much of a difference?
"The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which." - George Orwell, 'Animal Farm' (final sentence).
"The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which." - George Orwell, 'Animal Farm' (final sentence).
3
Probably because so many Americans are delusional.
3
The claim that inequality is "strongly associated with unhappiness -- a stark finding for rich countries like the United States," is not borne out by the actual report. If that claim were true, the U.S. would not rank 13th in happiness in a global survey of 150 countries. That is a very high ranking.
Another evidence for the same conclusion is the 11th most happy country in the world, strangely unmentioned throughout the article. It is Israel. Although it used to have quite equal income levels -- nearly everyone was equally poor -- nowadays with its reduction in government bureaucratic regulation and open markets producing an astonishingly rapid rise in trade and income levels, becoming in effect an economic and scientific powerhouse for the whole world, income inequality now exists in Israel to the distress of leftists there. And it is a very happy country, even despite the constant attempts by terrorist groups to wipe it out. Jeffrey Sachs really ought to take Israel and the United States evidence more seriously: it refutes his position. So does Australia's presence in the top ten, New Zealand's and Canada's in the same group, and after the U.S., Costa Rico, Puerto Rico, Germany and Brazil's listing down to 17th position, etc., etc. Statist countries all cluster towards the bottom, along with utterly failed states. The more freedom, personal, economic and other, the more happiness.
Another evidence for the same conclusion is the 11th most happy country in the world, strangely unmentioned throughout the article. It is Israel. Although it used to have quite equal income levels -- nearly everyone was equally poor -- nowadays with its reduction in government bureaucratic regulation and open markets producing an astonishingly rapid rise in trade and income levels, becoming in effect an economic and scientific powerhouse for the whole world, income inequality now exists in Israel to the distress of leftists there. And it is a very happy country, even despite the constant attempts by terrorist groups to wipe it out. Jeffrey Sachs really ought to take Israel and the United States evidence more seriously: it refutes his position. So does Australia's presence in the top ten, New Zealand's and Canada's in the same group, and after the U.S., Costa Rico, Puerto Rico, Germany and Brazil's listing down to 17th position, etc., etc. Statist countries all cluster towards the bottom, along with utterly failed states. The more freedom, personal, economic and other, the more happiness.
2
A little disappointed in my fellow commenters.
Maybe my own naiveté, or idealism.
But to blame the standings of the US. (not that 13 is awful...) on our lack of a homogeneousness. So because we are a mongrel nation, the melting pot etc. Somehow this affects our happiness?! Man, we're all Americans. (eventually) We've taken in immigrants and aliens our whole history. Heck, our founding fathers were all aliens and immigrants to an occupied land. Granted those here before our European ancestors may not have had a high happiness quotient either once we set foot in their land. Nor some we brought over.
But we work it out. We come together.
Or not as T-rump is proving. Too bad....!
Just seems sad that we blame our unhappiness on the "other".
For that matter, just how much of a spread are we talking. .007%? Or are we in double digits?
Anyhow, seems a bummer, many of my fellow NYT readers are feeling that our lack of racial purity to be an issue.
Your mileage may vary.
Maybe my own naiveté, or idealism.
But to blame the standings of the US. (not that 13 is awful...) on our lack of a homogeneousness. So because we are a mongrel nation, the melting pot etc. Somehow this affects our happiness?! Man, we're all Americans. (eventually) We've taken in immigrants and aliens our whole history. Heck, our founding fathers were all aliens and immigrants to an occupied land. Granted those here before our European ancestors may not have had a high happiness quotient either once we set foot in their land. Nor some we brought over.
But we work it out. We come together.
Or not as T-rump is proving. Too bad....!
Just seems sad that we blame our unhappiness on the "other".
For that matter, just how much of a spread are we talking. .007%? Or are we in double digits?
Anyhow, seems a bummer, many of my fellow NYT readers are feeling that our lack of racial purity to be an issue.
Your mileage may vary.
3
This study must be flawed: it contradicts my uninformed opinion.
It is contrary to natural law that any human being could be happier than an American who is unhappy about this article.
It is contrary to natural law that any human being could be happier than an American who is unhappy about this article.
5
50% of Copenhagen's people commute to work every day by bicycle. Of course they top the happiness scale, you can't be anything but happy on a bike!
6
As usual, the Scandinavian countries
rank high, but happiness there is presumably already on a decline
as a result of the recent influx of refugees.
Meanwhile Israel (No. 11) ranks higher than the U.S. (No. 13), possibly because Mr. Netanyahu is more popular there than President Obama is here. I wonder what his secret is.
Let us all hope that the Scandinavian countries remain stable, prosperous and happy for a long time to come so that weary and heavy-laden supporters of Bernie Sanders will have a nice place to flee to when the election is over. I have heard rumors that some of them are already booking passage on luxury ocean liners.
rank high, but happiness there is presumably already on a decline
as a result of the recent influx of refugees.
Meanwhile Israel (No. 11) ranks higher than the U.S. (No. 13), possibly because Mr. Netanyahu is more popular there than President Obama is here. I wonder what his secret is.
Let us all hope that the Scandinavian countries remain stable, prosperous and happy for a long time to come so that weary and heavy-laden supporters of Bernie Sanders will have a nice place to flee to when the election is over. I have heard rumors that some of them are already booking passage on luxury ocean liners.
4
Homogenous, well educated white people who don't cheat on their taxes, what could be wrong. We, on the other hand, have a messy mix and a broken immigration system, as well as a major party that does not want taxes. You get what you pay for.
3
Denmark is also one of the top countries for prescriptions for antidepressants.
2
Note also that the Danes - in what now seems prudent foresight - limited unchecked immigration from chaos-ridden countries.
3
I think I recall a Republican hurling what they thought was the ultimate insult: "The Democrats want to make us into a European Socialist Country."
Well. . . yes!
Well. . . yes!
22
But the Democratic front-runner said we're not Denmark! Our youth should just stew in its misery for another 50-60 years, until they kick the bucket.
4
Was that "happiness" or responsibility that was being measured?
2
Bernie Sanders has begun the long process of reversing America's primitiveness.
4
And than God for that!!
If you removed all Republican politicians from the polling, the U.S. would've claimed the #1 spot in a runaway.
4
How does the high ranking of the US, based on self report, reconcile with all of the much flagged anger and unhappiness that is reportedly driving much of the current Presidential race?
15
Ah, Denmark. A Times editorial just last month scolded Denmark for its terrible cruelty towards refugees in that it confiscates certain assets if they exceed a given value.
Denmark provides refugees (and Danes) with free health care, free education from preschool through university, as well as food, housing, and language lessons. But asking refugees to contribute to the commonwealth by handing over gold jewelry (wedding, engagement rings, and the like are exempted) in return for Danish largesse was a moral outrage, according to The Times editorial.
Oh yes, and Switzerland, that other happiest of nations, has a similar policy on refugee assets.
Just maybe commonsense policies contribute to a nation's happiness.
Denmark provides refugees (and Danes) with free health care, free education from preschool through university, as well as food, housing, and language lessons. But asking refugees to contribute to the commonwealth by handing over gold jewelry (wedding, engagement rings, and the like are exempted) in return for Danish largesse was a moral outrage, according to The Times editorial.
Oh yes, and Switzerland, that other happiest of nations, has a similar policy on refugee assets.
Just maybe commonsense policies contribute to a nation's happiness.
10
And might I say that the historically high Swiss suicide rates point to a different reality.
2
I was worried, but then I noticed 76 - Somalia and 97 - Somaliland compared to 99 - Greece.
Unless something drastically bad has happened to Greece in the last few days I doubt the citizens of a failed state/territory are "happier" than the Greeks.
Unless something drastically bad has happened to Greece in the last few days I doubt the citizens of a failed state/territory are "happier" than the Greeks.
2
A failed state is not a failed society, but a failed society always leads to a failed state.
Today in the NYT:
"A Journey Across Greece,
a Bankrupt Land at Risk of
Becoming a Refugee Prison"
By JIM YARDLEYMARCH 17, 2016
"A Journey Across Greece,
a Bankrupt Land at Risk of
Becoming a Refugee Prison"
By JIM YARDLEYMARCH 17, 2016
2
Scandinavia, like the rest of Europe, is catching up to the US when it comes to nationalism and racism. This is largely the result of pressure on the economies of European countries who have accepted more immigrants than they are able or willing to assimilate into their cultures. Like America, Europe also struggle with xenophobia, isolationism and racism. The difference is that in Europe these political trends are still considered extreme.
3
The United States right now is rife with inequality, and is so divided as to be balkanized. I'm surprised we made it to number 13. And in an election year, at that.
8
Happiness depends on various human factors also, which are often not considered in such studies. For example, freedom in society, family bonds, concept of friendship, religion, weather conditions etc. I live in Japan, and I can say that people in my home country--India--are way more happier than people over here, despite the former being a materialistically prosper country. I have similar feeling even when I go to China--people are overall way happier. It is time for newspapers to stop publicizing these substandard reports.
1
One connection between the countries ranked highest for happiness is that all but one (being Iceland) are constitutional monarchies, three (NZ, Australia and Canada) sharing the same head of state. Four have female heads of state (the Commonwealth countries and Denmark) and one other has a female Prime Minister (Norway). All are liberal democracies but, despite some of the comments here, not all are democratic socialist countries (definitely not Australia or NZ for example). Indeed about half of the countries are currently governed by what might be called centre right parties. By contrast, they have very different histories, economies, weather and population profiles. All of which suggests a degree of success contingent on their stable political systems. Of course, it is a chicken and egg argument - perhaps they're stable because those folks are just plain happy!
3
The 11th country on the happiness list is the most amazing high scorer of all. It is very odd that its very name is not mentioned in this article. Instead we get stuff about Japan, Ireland, and whatnot. The 11th most happy country in the world is Israel, a country constantly attacked by terrorists and maligned by Muslims, leftists, and antisemites world-wide for its alleged dysfunctionality. Obviously, the slurs are far off the mark. In reference to the criteria offered by JeezLouise, it is not a constitutional monarchy, but it is also a liberal democracy, now being governed by a center-right coalition. Certainly it shows the triumph that liberal democracy can achieve even in very difficult environments. Unlike the other countries at the top listings, for example, It has a very high proportion of Muslims, fully one-fifth the population, 20%. Yet despite what you would expect from reading the media output, Israeli Arabs are very happy to be in Israel, and would far prefer it to being in the Palestinian Authority territories. This U.N. survey of both Jews and non-Jews finds them amongst the happiest people on earth. Social cohesion is very high, the sense of having meaning in life, which is essential to be really happy, is very strong in Israel, and there are excellent health, entertainment, educational, cultural and other very positive features that seldom make it into the news, at least at the NYT.
Correction: Finland is a republic.
1
Your logic would put the US on top--except it's not due to our insane Military Industrial Syndicate stealing most of our wealth-----------------------which makes us mad as a damn hatter!
2
Much is made in the comments about this article that the 'happier' northern European countries are less 'diverse' and more 'homogeneous' than the US, but in fact all of Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark have far larger Muslim populations (3 to 5% or more) than the less than 1% in the US (as a percentage of total population). I know that the European experience assimilating these diverse groups can be difficult, but it hasn't seemed to affect their overall 'happiness' rankings.
12
Turns out, after a time happiness tops out for those who have more compared to those who have yet to get there. An Inuit is as happy as the happiest billionaire, even if the billionaire feels his way of life is less threatened.
Rather than assuming consuming leads to dissatisfaction, the hunger becomes one for another way to pursue goals more valuable than more money. A well nation doesn't need a safety net because safety is in the goodie bag from the gitmo.
These are valuations that count human satisfaction with life and personal happiness for something, since once your basic needs are met, what really does it mean to get more without getting something more from it? A society that has the best shot at the future is going to lasso more than the moon, George Bailey.
Rather than assuming consuming leads to dissatisfaction, the hunger becomes one for another way to pursue goals more valuable than more money. A well nation doesn't need a safety net because safety is in the goodie bag from the gitmo.
These are valuations that count human satisfaction with life and personal happiness for something, since once your basic needs are met, what really does it mean to get more without getting something more from it? A society that has the best shot at the future is going to lasso more than the moon, George Bailey.
1
Don't know whether the vote has happened yet or how it turned out, but Switzerland was reportedly considering giving each adult citizen a monthly stipend of nearly $3,000, as well as giving each child roughly $100 per week.
In addition to less economic inequality, people in some of these countries might be happier than we are because they impose commonsense limits on antisocial behaviors, stressors like noise pollution, and the imposition of workplace demands upon family life.
In addition to less economic inequality, people in some of these countries might be happier than we are because they impose commonsense limits on antisocial behaviors, stressors like noise pollution, and the imposition of workplace demands upon family life.
20
The money they'll be giving away likely will come from all the accounts of corrupt leaders and tax evading millionaires that Switzerland shelters in their banks. Now that's a recipe for fostering national happiness!
3
This is not rocket science. Usually, the more affluent and democratic the country is, the happier its people are. They should have taken the money used to do this research and donated it to the poorest, least happiest countries.
3
Well then, perhaps social democracy isn't so bad after all? As for taking the money for this study and giving it to the least happiest, perhaps it would be more effective to stop dropping bombs on the unhappiest and give the resulting cash savings to them.
2
All of the happiest countries are democratic socialists ones. Gee, can't have that here!
60
I think it is well at hand, but don't tell the grumpy people. I want them to be surprised at how well they feel once they build skills and get over their helpless selves.
Actually, in Switzerland government expenditure are a smaller share of GDP than here in the Unites States. So no, democratic socialism doesn't seem to be the key factor. All of the top scorers seem to be small homogenous countries, if you are looking a unifying factor.
2
Well said. And they seem to have the most efficient judicial system whereby court cases take an average of 17 days to be decided!
1
I guess Danes rare even happier now -- if they ever were feeling a tiny bit missing in their lives :-)
2
Probably one of the most pleasant evenings I have spent in my life was in Denmark, on a visit with a cousin and her husband and children. That house was aglow with warmth and happiness. I have never seen such a well adjusted and content family. It was genuine. The kids were bubbling over with enthusiasm about their school work and activities and were encouraged to share their experiences by two obvious loving parents. Laughter and easy conversation were abundant that night. As the evening progressed, I sat and had a long conversation with my cousin's husband, a manager at a large bank, who had at one time been offered a big promotion to move to the U.S., which he declined. He said he could have had far more money and more material things in the USA, but he preferred socialist Denmark where for higher taxes the old and sick were cared for and education for the young was stressed. I left that evening believing that the U.S. obsession with competition and wealth was a sickness.
60
The older I get the more I agree that some aspects of America are truly destructive. Like extreme greed and pretend friends to get what you want. Could a show like Survivor ever survive in a country like Denmark?
2
In my experience by and large Europeans consider paying taxes a privilege for which they reap many social rewards, and the higher their taxes the more valuable the role of paying them. In contrast to your experience I once attended a party in the US where my European husband was meeting family and friends. Except for two notable exceptions, no one asked him a single question and everyone complained relentlessly about their taxes, individually and in groups.
1
A country where medical care is free, the population is literate and the food is good who have probably no familiarity with Evangelicals or
Donald Trump, why shouldn't they be happy?
Donald Trump, why shouldn't they be happy?
60
I'm an American and I used to live there years ago. I was quite happy and now quite sorry that I don't live there anymore. The Danes' happiness grows out of 1200 years of culture, and this is difficult to define in American terms. An open-minded foreigner has to live there for a long time before beginning to understand what makes a Dane a Dane. They have ingrained sense of humor that they spin on to even the most dire situations. The Danes do drink a lot of beer however, and this may have a bit to do with it.
25
Define homogeneous. Canada has the highest percentage of foreign-born population in the G8 with more than 20% of Canada's population born abroad. That's almost twice the number of the United States.
Similarly, Sweden also has a higher percentage of foreign-born residents than the United States.
Similarly, Sweden also has a higher percentage of foreign-born residents than the United States.
25
Canada only admits highly-educated immigrants. They might be ethnically diverse, but they're very different from the immigrants in the US.
Furthermore, recent studies have shown that the US has about 60 million legal immigrants and about 12 million illegal immigrants....that's about 20%, isn't it? This also accounts for most of the population growth since 1965.
Furthermore, recent studies have shown that the US has about 60 million legal immigrants and about 12 million illegal immigrants....that's about 20%, isn't it? This also accounts for most of the population growth since 1965.
13
We need new blood. It turns out the happier one is the less they recall differences and focus on the general goodness. Pessimists more often recall minute details. I see a purpose for both, but I understand why optimists win elections 80% of the time.
Anyone recall who Cyrus was? The bible praised his wisdom even if he wasn't Christian. He was the man who corralled three ancient religions under one nation, Persia. He got a handle on their diverse situations and advised the Babylonians to let those people go, like he needed another religion to keep him jumping like a master mixer.
Anyone recall who Cyrus was? The bible praised his wisdom even if he wasn't Christian. He was the man who corralled three ancient religions under one nation, Persia. He got a handle on their diverse situations and advised the Babylonians to let those people go, like he needed another religion to keep him jumping like a master mixer.
1
Born abroad, but white or born abroad and of color? Sorry to say that there is a difference.
The commonality that Denmark, other Scandinavian countries all have in common that makes it easier to become the happiest country, is simple.
Visit any of these countries and one thing stands out. Everyone looks pretty much the same, from being anti war to ethnic make up, as well as political, educational values. Values that show up in why crime, homelessness is nonexistent.
This makes it more palatable politically, to support higher taxes that serve the good of society, since you are in essence supporting people just like you. Unlike countries that are not so homogeneous.
Visit any of these countries and one thing stands out. Everyone looks pretty much the same, from being anti war to ethnic make up, as well as political, educational values. Values that show up in why crime, homelessness is nonexistent.
This makes it more palatable politically, to support higher taxes that serve the good of society, since you are in essence supporting people just like you. Unlike countries that are not so homogeneous.
14
Exactly. The NYT recently ran a story about why Trump does worse in states that are actually more white - because the more white the population, the less threatened white people feel by other races. You head to the south for example, and see that the racial divide is strongly tied to the political affiliation, so GOP = white and Dems= black. They have also found that the whiter the population, the greater social interest in strengthening the social safety nets
I don't understand the homogeneity mentioned in the article. Sweden is not at all homogeneous and from a recent visit to Canada, neither does that country seem to suffer from the characteristic. Can the author cite some evidence? Sweden has taken in more Syrians (earlier as well) than any other country proportionally.
4
And I thought that America was the great melting pot where everyone became Americans no matter where they where from. Another piece of American mythology bite the dust.
All the world's countries should merge into one.... All moneys now spent on ''defense'' [murdering each other] should be spent were ever it is needed on all our natural enemies like poverty, ignorance, disease, accidents, and when mother nature wakes up on the wrong side of the bed.
4
One does not become a tyrant simply to come in from the cold.
USA #13? Hogwash!As John Lennon said, "Happiness is a warm gun," and in this great country, we have warm guns aplenty!
6
CAMeyer,
Well considering Lennon was talking about a syringe. Yes, we have plenty of said guns. But agreed, we are awash with the fetish security toys too.
Well considering Lennon was talking about a syringe. Yes, we have plenty of said guns. But agreed, we are awash with the fetish security toys too.
2
oooooh! Love it! The survey needs to add the question "how many guns do you own?" and the U.S. would, as CAMeyer notes, be the happiest nation ever to exist.
2
One may be rich, but that does not mean that he/she would be happy. The same applies to a country too. Equality among citizens, easy availability of best health care, education, job opportunities and most importantly, peace, are factors that determine the true value of a nation. A country that fulfills these criteria would naturally have happy citizens. It is no wonder Denmark is able to achieve those targets.
Racism, hatred or war has not provided any positive result but only love and peace have. Let each country help one another in a positive manner and strive to make their country a happy state to live.
Racism, hatred or war has not provided any positive result but only love and peace have. Let each country help one another in a positive manner and strive to make their country a happy state to live.
16
Please note that over the past 5 decades Denmark's suicide rate has averaged twice as high as that in the U.S. Recently it has declined to slightly below that in the U.S., but that coincides with it now having the highest rate of anti-depressants use. Does not sound like a very happy place to me. More like a facade.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/oct/23/viral-ima...
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/oct/23/viral-ima...
7
When everything is taken care of where you don't have to do anything, you have can the saddest, overweight people, laziest, unhealthiest, etc. Often, it is affluence that gives you the extra money to drink more, eat more, smoke more, do more drugs, use a riding lawn mower, etc. Happiness is relative as it is an individual thing, as depression and suicide are largely hidden from view until it happens. Many people mask their unhappiness through drugs including alcohol.
3
Well, the happiness report has Pakistan rated higher than Portugal, which has me questioning methodology.
7
They only questioned the people who had telephones in Pakistan.
3
“World Happiness Report” ranks nations by happiness based in part on responses to a question known as the Cantril Ladder.
Happiest – Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia and Sweden.
Unhappiest – Burundi, Syria, Togo, Afghanistan, Benin, Rwanda, Guinea, Liberia, Tanzania and Madagascar.
Sure hope they didn’t spend a lot of money on the survey.
Happiest – Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia and Sweden.
Unhappiest – Burundi, Syria, Togo, Afghanistan, Benin, Rwanda, Guinea, Liberia, Tanzania and Madagascar.
Sure hope they didn’t spend a lot of money on the survey.
4
Since Reagan the gap has widened, when he restructured the tax system and the banking laws in favor of an oligarchy of the 1%. Nothing has changed, except maybe now there is more of a realization of the fact that the mass of the American people have been cheated out of their share of the productivity gains (profits) for over two generations. This is the stuff revolutions are made of. The only way to fix this situation is to rapidly transfer the wealth back to the middle class; it's called a "claw back" and it can be done if Hillary is not in the back pocket of Goldman Sacs. Note: don't hold your breath.
14
Sure are a lot of defensive comments on here! Funny how Americans yammer loudest about exceptionalism, freedom, happiness and so forth, yet generally score below many European countries in these metrics. And when you look at our debt, you realize that America has been running on fumes. We are running on an outdated operating system, and the bugginess is killing us.
13
Interestingly, Israel comes in 11th, two notches above the U.S. Go figure!
11
Obviously. They look around and see everyone else is so miserable.
Because the US taxpayer pays for everything in the country...
So nice to hear that the concept still exists, even though there's very little actual evidence of it anymore in the real world. All relative, I suppose.
2
Odd logic among many of the naysayers here. So, because Denmark and other countries where people are happiest aren't as diverse as the US, that there's no lessons for us to learn from Denmark and those other countries? Or, are you saying that in diverse countries like ours, it's just not possible to be very happy? Either way, absurd.
11
Here's is an enlightening and entertaining book that puts this stupid survey, and many other rosy reports of Scandinavian 'happiness' in meaningful context.
The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia, Michael Booth, Picador, 2016
Having lived in Sweden for a few years as an American ex-patriot, I can tell you that most of the reporting on Scandinavia feels like it is written by outsiders that spent, like a whole week here. So it was nice to read a well researched book by someone who has lived in Copenhagen long enough to have a worthwhile perspective. (And, no, I have no relation to the publisher or author, it's just a well written book. Check it out!)
The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia, Michael Booth, Picador, 2016
Having lived in Sweden for a few years as an American ex-patriot, I can tell you that most of the reporting on Scandinavia feels like it is written by outsiders that spent, like a whole week here. So it was nice to read a well researched book by someone who has lived in Copenhagen long enough to have a worthwhile perspective. (And, no, I have no relation to the publisher or author, it's just a well written book. Check it out!)
5
In the immortal words of Alfred E. Newman, "What, Me Worry"
4
All the happiest few nations listed are overwhelmingly white. Most of the least happy are overwhelmingly black. How much effect does poverty / inequality have, and how much effect average racial genetic differences in some yet-to-be-understood gene or genes that underly happiness ?
6
This is obvious a racist remark. It is not politically correct. But does it represent the truth? Most African countries are corrupt dictatorships that exploit the populations and natural resources. One wonders whether these countries would have been better off under the previous colonial rulers. Here in Amsterdam I meet many black immigrants from Africa; dealing with them on a day to day basis I tend to forget their race (which was not true during dealing with blacks during my stay in the US, by the way). The few times that I met a black person (here in Amsterdam) that had some limited power in an organization, I was however taken aback by the way he let it be felt that he had that power. Maybe it is time to discuss these subjects openly without being called a racist or politically correct?
(In the US conditions are very different from Holland. Open racism is absent, but hidden racism is still extensive; on the other hand, I never expected that Obama would be elected given that he is black. So maybe my judgement is wrong.)
So how to start an open discussion on this?
(In the US conditions are very different from Holland. Open racism is absent, but hidden racism is still extensive; on the other hand, I never expected that Obama would be elected given that he is black. So maybe my judgement is wrong.)
So how to start an open discussion on this?
2
I nominate Canada as the happiest multi-cultural country, happily taking in one percent of its population as immigrants each year and yet maintaining a viable social safety net. We also have five to six times the population of any of the Scandinavian countries - a lot more folks to keep happy.
19
And a lot more room to distribute them. Tell me how you feel when you visit Ottawa and see a man followed by four (women?) in burkas, on a regular basis, because I saw a whole lot of that, just before a guy shot up parliament. Or ask the homeless Canadians who live in boxes, how they feel about the Chinese immigrants who have driven up the cost of an apartment in Vancouver to New York heights. Not so happy. I'm so glad you can still afford to live in Toronto, for now.
1
One reason Danes are happy is there are no Trump casinos or golf courses marring the danish countryside.
Perhaps Bernie should tweak his message of Democratic Socialist, which the GOP mislabels as Communism, by adding "Happiness for all" to his platform.
Perhaps Bernie should tweak his message of Democratic Socialist, which the GOP mislabels as Communism, by adding "Happiness for all" to his platform.
12
Here's a novel idea, everybody makes the same salary, and nobody gets to stay in any job for more than ten years.
1
A lot of the commenters mistakenly assume Nordic happiness is based on the social welfare system. However - if you have ever spent any amount of time in Scandinavia you'd never accuse the people of being particularly happy or jovial. What they are is insular, provincial and family oriented and indoctrinated from birth with the saying "norsk er best" - Norwegian is best - nobody questions or cares if it's true - they just keep reciting it....
8
Sounds a lot like America, doesn't it? America is the best... Even if we aren't.
it always strikes me that when stories like this, or similar, are done in American media outlets that one of the excuses is that all the other countries lack racial diversity. only the usa has a mixture. I read that Canada is about 23% visible minority. I was just in Melbourne. there's a huge diversity there.....much of it Asian.......
10
Well, they were stoic and taciturn but genuinely good folks when we lived in a Danish-American neighbourhood in Wisconsin. Happy? More like folks Garrison Keillor describes in Lake Wobegon. Sitting at the cafe with a coffee till the blues lifted.
1
They were living in the U.S. where the social safety net has been in tatters for decades and income inequality has been rising steadily since Reagan took office. That might have some effect.
3
On one level, this puts paid to Shakespeare's "melancholy Danes" but on another level, as many of my fellow comment-makers point out, these rankings are all based on criteria which are in some way specious, irrelevant or both.
1
Shakespeare was writing several centuries ago, long before Denmark became a democratic socialist nation.
So, the argument would be that the Danes were melancholy because they were living in a monarchy where the king and nobility enjoyed privileges the average citizen was denied. Sort of like here, now.
So, the argument would be that the Danes were melancholy because they were living in a monarchy where the king and nobility enjoyed privileges the average citizen was denied. Sort of like here, now.
7
There is much truth in what you say, leading me toward melancholia...
1
Patrick, Which criteria is, in your expert opinion, "specious, irrelevant or both"?
Was it social support? Sorry that one has been researched repeatedly and shown to be a predictor of recovery from illness, a buffer against adversity, and a measure of better mental health.
Perhaps income security in a country where GDP results in shared prosperity? I doubt even you would think that living in poverty is a joy ride.
Healthy years of life expectancy? Do you think a shorter, sicker life would make for greater happiness? No, health is correlated with well being.
Freedom of choice? Ask any woman denied access to women's health service whether she is happy about that one, or ask anyone who wants to go to college and can't afford it. Ask any struggling parent who can't afford to buy their child a birthday present.
Ah, we have come to the two you probably really dislike: Trust and generosity. When trust in government and businesses is eroded by corruption, it is hard to argue that people will not become cynical. As a nation, I would say we are pretty cynical and lack of trust in institutions certainly takes its share of blame.
Generosity. Now, there's the thing. Research shows that people who give to others, who contribute to their society - and it isn't dependent on the amount - really are happier. Hoarding resources makes both you and your society feel meaner and less connected, hence less satisfied with life. Try giving and see how that works.
Good luck!
Was it social support? Sorry that one has been researched repeatedly and shown to be a predictor of recovery from illness, a buffer against adversity, and a measure of better mental health.
Perhaps income security in a country where GDP results in shared prosperity? I doubt even you would think that living in poverty is a joy ride.
Healthy years of life expectancy? Do you think a shorter, sicker life would make for greater happiness? No, health is correlated with well being.
Freedom of choice? Ask any woman denied access to women's health service whether she is happy about that one, or ask anyone who wants to go to college and can't afford it. Ask any struggling parent who can't afford to buy their child a birthday present.
Ah, we have come to the two you probably really dislike: Trust and generosity. When trust in government and businesses is eroded by corruption, it is hard to argue that people will not become cynical. As a nation, I would say we are pretty cynical and lack of trust in institutions certainly takes its share of blame.
Generosity. Now, there's the thing. Research shows that people who give to others, who contribute to their society - and it isn't dependent on the amount - really are happier. Hoarding resources makes both you and your society feel meaner and less connected, hence less satisfied with life. Try giving and see how that works.
Good luck!
1
I'm perfectly content and happy living in the People's Republic of California.
4
Really there isn't anything 'rotten in Denmark'? If there is, nobody is letting on.
Truthfully these annual 'Happy lists' make me feel a little depressed.
What's up with Bhutan? They now have an official Ministry of Happiness.
Where are they on the list?
Truthfully these annual 'Happy lists' make me feel a little depressed.
What's up with Bhutan? They now have an official Ministry of Happiness.
Where are they on the list?
3
As an American living in Denmark, I can say that the country has a lot going for it; in particular, I like being able to bicycle around in Copenhagen's network of dedicated bike lanes.
Nevertheless, inequality is growing quickly and sharply in Denmark, with rural regions at a distinct disadvantage to Copenhagen, and non-ethnic Danes over-represented in the unemployment and crime statistics.
The percentage of Danish children in private schools grows every year; within the city of Copenhagen, most well-off parents avoid the public school system. Even the leftist Social Democratic party leader Mette Frederiksen (who once called private school parents 'selfish') now sends her two children to a private school, as did the last Social Democrat prime minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt.
Tax-financed 'free' universities are facing sharp budget cuts, and even the much-applauded Danish 'free' health care system is struggling to keep pace with an aging society.
Denmark is still an attractive, innovative and pleasant country. But if inequality or lack of it was the only measure of a country's happiness (as the New York Times implies in this piece), Denmark would not have regained the top spot.
My blog and podcast: www.howtoliveindenmark.com.
Nevertheless, inequality is growing quickly and sharply in Denmark, with rural regions at a distinct disadvantage to Copenhagen, and non-ethnic Danes over-represented in the unemployment and crime statistics.
The percentage of Danish children in private schools grows every year; within the city of Copenhagen, most well-off parents avoid the public school system. Even the leftist Social Democratic party leader Mette Frederiksen (who once called private school parents 'selfish') now sends her two children to a private school, as did the last Social Democrat prime minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt.
Tax-financed 'free' universities are facing sharp budget cuts, and even the much-applauded Danish 'free' health care system is struggling to keep pace with an aging society.
Denmark is still an attractive, innovative and pleasant country. But if inequality or lack of it was the only measure of a country's happiness (as the New York Times implies in this piece), Denmark would not have regained the top spot.
My blog and podcast: www.howtoliveindenmark.com.
14
White Europeans and European-Americans, the tribe I proudly belong to, are routinely pilloried and disparaged in this once-great newspaper yet do a very good job of producing happy and prosperous societies without needing the apparently indispensable virtue of being 'diverse'.
7
It isn't that people are unhappy because of food, as Americans have the most food available to them as 60% are overweight and obese. They have access to healthcare in the 8 federal government programs of Medicaid, Medicare, Affordable Care Act (Obama Care), Veterans, Military, Government, Native American, and Federal Prisons. It should be one system on a sliding fee schedule like Switzerland but no bureaucrat in America, most of whom vote for the Democratic Party and live and work in Washington D.C want to lose their job if healthcare would be brought to the state and local level as all doctors agree that healthcare should be delivered closest to where people live. Most people have their own car or truck, IPhones and other digital devices, Many are texting and driving, drinking, we don't have strict laws, so Americans are unhappy as they are killed by other drivers up to 30,000 times a year, they are killed by guns up to 15,000 times a year, and victims of crime up to one million times a year (arson, assault, burglary, identity theft, rape, murder, vandalism, etc.) Americans like to prey on each other, as too many of them have no conscience. America spends the most money per student on education in K-12 of any place on earth, yet when children are poorly parented than they were 50 years ago, you will have unhappy children with academic failure who grow up to be unhappy adults. It is parenting not poverty causing most of the problems in America, which is the whole truth!
4
The happiest nations seem largely white, Protestant, healthy and well off. This is confusing because they are not multicultural and 'exceptional' like we are and don't have huge military's.
18
And TINY. The largest nation mentioned here is Canada -- which is overwhelmingly white and asian, with almost no black people and virtually no hispanics (and zero illegal aliens). Canada has 35 million citizens, roughly the population of Canada -- but the 2nd largest LAND MASS on earth -- meaning that Canada is a huge, vast empty place with unbelievable natural resources like lumber, gas, oil, diamonds.
4
I love capitalism. And I love socialism. Every country in the world is a mixture of the two.
Free education, healthcare, reasonable minimum wages, and environmental protection can co-exist with growth, economic freedom and competition. In reality, they are synergistic. We should offer these things and constantly improve these social services with fluid, agile, (r)evolutionary government.
Let's keep the capitalist, competitive spirit fiercer than ever while we make sure our fellow citizens are empowered to live worthy lives, via reasonable social programs and an emphasis on education. Denmark will likely never rival the economic greatness of a country like the US, but fortunately for us, the happiness and social cohesion to be found in Denmark is something we can achieve if we seek it.
There lies a simple path to societal happiness: to be able to work toward making a continually better world full of love -- for all the world's citizens -- while not worrying about what might happen if you fall sick, lose your job, or come on hard times.
Free education, healthcare, reasonable minimum wages, and environmental protection can co-exist with growth, economic freedom and competition. In reality, they are synergistic. We should offer these things and constantly improve these social services with fluid, agile, (r)evolutionary government.
Let's keep the capitalist, competitive spirit fiercer than ever while we make sure our fellow citizens are empowered to live worthy lives, via reasonable social programs and an emphasis on education. Denmark will likely never rival the economic greatness of a country like the US, but fortunately for us, the happiness and social cohesion to be found in Denmark is something we can achieve if we seek it.
There lies a simple path to societal happiness: to be able to work toward making a continually better world full of love -- for all the world's citizens -- while not worrying about what might happen if you fall sick, lose your job, or come on hard times.
15
Denmark has a population of about 5.5M people, 90% white, remarkably like Minnesota, which has about 5.5M people, and is slightly more diverse.
Trying to draw many larger conclusions from the fact that Danes are happy in Denmark, is likely trying to draw a larger conclusion about the US from the fact that Minnesotans ranks second in the US in happiness. We are no more likely to all emulate Denmark, than Alabama is to transform into Minnesota.
Cool factoid. But hard to apply to the nearly 320 million of us who live in places as diverse as Minnesota, Alabama, Wyoming, Hawaii, Florida and Maine.
Trying to draw many larger conclusions from the fact that Danes are happy in Denmark, is likely trying to draw a larger conclusion about the US from the fact that Minnesotans ranks second in the US in happiness. We are no more likely to all emulate Denmark, than Alabama is to transform into Minnesota.
Cool factoid. But hard to apply to the nearly 320 million of us who live in places as diverse as Minnesota, Alabama, Wyoming, Hawaii, Florida and Maine.
17
Denmark and the Nordics appear to be Utopia - until you actually live there. They rank the happiest because the smug people who live there are convinced that everything about their country is the best in the world - it's actually a really remarkable mentality not at all based in reality. But yes - minimum needs are well met - and as long as you are an ethnic Nordic and who quietly goes along with the majority, singing the national line of greatness - it's a great place to be.
18
I lived there, am not of Nordic descent, and loved it. I have many non-white friends there as well. What are you talking about?
4
Smug? I spend a lot of time in DK and smug is not a word that describes the Danes.
4
The reality for most non-ethnic Norwegians there - that's what.
1
The happiness index may not be that accurate in appraising the core happiness of the population in a given nation, because of its complexity and difficulty in quantifying it. Still it gives a rough estimation of the contentment of most citizens of a given nation.
It can be safely assumed that the strength of safety net programs would be a strong predictor of the total happiness. Then the amount of freedom the citizens enjoy.
Inequality is another strong indicator. Beijing has more $billionaires than NYC, for instance. India has some 100 $billionaires with happiness index of 118. Too many people in India live in abject poverty, higher than Bangladesh & Pakistan.
Denmark collects over 48% of GDP in taxes with excellent safely net programs, in a strong liberal democracy. Other European countries, such as the Nordic ones, France & Italy also collect over 40% of their GDP in tax while US collects about 26%. India collects about 17.5% of its GDP in taxes. Many other Third World countries’ tax collection also is dismal. To have an adequate safety net programs close to 30% of GDP needs to be collected in taxes, without high spending on military.
One reason why the happiness index of US is so high maybe because people generally are led to believe America is the greatest country on earth. So people tend to overestimate their happiness, and genuinely poor people in high crime areas may not have been polled in adequate numbers.
It can be safely assumed that the strength of safety net programs would be a strong predictor of the total happiness. Then the amount of freedom the citizens enjoy.
Inequality is another strong indicator. Beijing has more $billionaires than NYC, for instance. India has some 100 $billionaires with happiness index of 118. Too many people in India live in abject poverty, higher than Bangladesh & Pakistan.
Denmark collects over 48% of GDP in taxes with excellent safely net programs, in a strong liberal democracy. Other European countries, such as the Nordic ones, France & Italy also collect over 40% of their GDP in tax while US collects about 26%. India collects about 17.5% of its GDP in taxes. Many other Third World countries’ tax collection also is dismal. To have an adequate safety net programs close to 30% of GDP needs to be collected in taxes, without high spending on military.
One reason why the happiness index of US is so high maybe because people generally are led to believe America is the greatest country on earth. So people tend to overestimate their happiness, and genuinely poor people in high crime areas may not have been polled in adequate numbers.
20
They pay 3 billion in US dallars for defence ayear and are assured the United States will come to it's aide if war ever comes to them. Part of happiness has to come from the fact they will never have to shed their own blood for their freedom nor have to pay for their own defence.
What about their responsibility to the emerging world. They are good at serving their own wealth isolated from the rest of the world's needs.
What about their responsibility to the emerging world. They are good at serving their own wealth isolated from the rest of the world's needs.
13
And they say you can't buy happiness,go figure
I worked for a Danish NGO for 7 years and found Danes to be very concerned about development, poverty, and human rights. It's included in school curricula from elementary level.
5
You're aware Danish soldiers died fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, yes?
6
After living in Finland for almost 30 years (also lived years in Asia and Canada) I have to say that Finland is the most miserable country I have experienced.
Negative, cynical, passive people who view all entrepreneurship as a shady, criminal activity. To me, it's one of the most unhappiest countries on earth.
Also, the current political and economical climate has made the country almost unlivable. There's nothing going on, and looks like that nothing ever will.
Negative, cynical, passive people who view all entrepreneurship as a shady, criminal activity. To me, it's one of the most unhappiest countries on earth.
Also, the current political and economical climate has made the country almost unlivable. There's nothing going on, and looks like that nothing ever will.
13
You see much unhappiness? Seek within.
2
In World War II, after the Nazis occupied Denmark, Jews were required to sew yellow Star of David's on their clothes, as had happened elsewhere after the Germans came in. So in Copenhagen and elsewhere in the tiny country, everyone -- Jews, Christians, atheists, et al -- everyone sewed Stars of David's on their clothes. Courage, empathy, civility.
I could be happy in such a country.
I could be happy in such a country.
57
Most of Jews in Denmark also survived the Nazi occupation because when the Nazi's tried to round them up to send them to the death camps their fellow citizens helped smuggle them to Sweden.
4
Well, with the coming election results you might have to sew something on you clothes. We will all be marked as Other in some way and it won't be pretty.
1
Sadly and frustratingly, three myths about Denmark during the Nazi occupation 1940-1945 are told again and again, especially in the U.S. ( I am a Danish national and half-Jewish by the way, I was born in Israel, raised in Denmark, and have lived in Southern California for half of my 51 years)
1) The Danish King Christian X did not wear a yellow star on his coat on his daily tour of Copenhagen on horseback.
2) Owing to the Danish government´s insistence and to the subsequent Nazi compliance, Danish Jews were never forced to wear the yellow star of David. (Who knows what might have happened post-1943 - we can only guess.)
3) Likewise, no Danes ever wore the yellow star in solidarity with the Danish Jews.
Please do not perpetuate these myths.
Focus instead on the truth: hundreds of non-Jewish Danes risked their lives and managed to help almost all of Denmark's 7000 Jews to escape to neutral Sweden in October of 1943.
1) The Danish King Christian X did not wear a yellow star on his coat on his daily tour of Copenhagen on horseback.
2) Owing to the Danish government´s insistence and to the subsequent Nazi compliance, Danish Jews were never forced to wear the yellow star of David. (Who knows what might have happened post-1943 - we can only guess.)
3) Likewise, no Danes ever wore the yellow star in solidarity with the Danish Jews.
Please do not perpetuate these myths.
Focus instead on the truth: hundreds of non-Jewish Danes risked their lives and managed to help almost all of Denmark's 7000 Jews to escape to neutral Sweden in October of 1943.
2
Japan has social capital, high trust, a strong social safety net and an entirely homogeneous population -- yet only ranks 53rd? Makes you think a lot of this is cultural. Japanese would probably think it was bragging to say they were extremely happy.
27
In Japan, half the population is over 50, and the economy has been in the doldrums for 25 years. Teenage boys just want to play video games, and aren't interested in girls. Does this sound like fun to you?
7
I have no quibble with the top contestants but many placements seem downright strange:
Algeria (#38) is ranked higher than Italy (#50) and Kuwait (#41),
Czech Republic (#27) higher than Japan (#53)
Venezuela (#44) higher than South Korea (#58)
These just don't make any sense.
Algeria (#38) is ranked higher than Italy (#50) and Kuwait (#41),
Czech Republic (#27) higher than Japan (#53)
Venezuela (#44) higher than South Korea (#58)
These just don't make any sense.
13
Human beings rarely make sense.
Having grown up in Venezuela (18 years and visiting 3 times a year), lived in the US for 20 years (large multi-cultural cities), and having visited S.Korea several times as well as having many S.Korean good friends... all I can say, is that it does not surprise me that Venezuela is above S.Korea. I know, it does not make sense from what we can grasp from the media, but... mediated accounts are not really enough to make such a conclusion.
You mean . . . could Bernie Sanders really be on to something?
20
Looking at the list, it is a good one in identifying the extremes (like top 30 are far better off than the bottom 30 for sure), but the rankings in the middle are just not believable. Somalia is happier than Portugal and Greece??
6
Perhaps Bernie and his supporters could consider moving there? They sure sound like they could do with being a bit happier.
1
Note that in the results so far reported in the Democrats Abroad primary, Sanders beat Clinton by more than 2 to 1. I'm a New York voter who has lived in Switzerland (which is #2 in this year's survey) for decades - it is a capitalist country where "redistribution" is not a bad word: redistribution is actually an avowed government policy - everyone has health insurance, higher education is publicly supported, infrastructure is great, social safety net is good, public finances are sound. Come and see that it can work!
And that is why here we voted for Bernie -
And that is why here we voted for Bernie -
11
Let's look at the Top 10:
1) Denmark
2) Switzerland
3) Iceland
1) Denmark
2) Switzerland
3) Iceland
Senator Sanders would be the leader to get us closest to those countries in the top 5 of this list. Too bad people seem to be sticking by the American Oligarchs and their political mouthpieces so stubbornly.
9
Because the economy in Vermont is just booming!
1
France is pretty far down the list. I'd still take it any time over Scandinavia.
10
Don't underestimate the challenge of regaining the top spot. Losing the top spot had the secondary effect of making them unhappy about the very loss of their crown.
We're proud of you Denmark. Nothing is rotten in the state of Denmark anymore.
We're proud of you Denmark. Nothing is rotten in the state of Denmark anymore.
4
Denmark also has the highest cancer rates? Google it.
Oh, great....so, if I want to be truly "happy" all I have to do is move to a tidy, whitey place where everyone looks like each other and there is very little racial diversity? I think I will forgo a bit of that bliss for a tiny taste of the satisfaction that comes with living in this heterogeneous culture and all its discord. What real purpose do studies/polls like this accomplish?
5
These Scandinavian countries are the happiest because of low ethnic diversity and their opposition to spending money fighting pointless wars and building roads and bridges in countries like Afghanistan or having military bases all over the world to countries like South Korea, Japan or feel obligated for contributing 50% of NATOs budget. Instead, what they do is, invest this money in social services that benefit their own people. Call them free-riders (which many of them are i.e., Switzerland, Germany, Norway, Holland included too) and smarties, but whoever they are, they know how to do things that we don’t.
11
I was at an international AIDS conference when I learned that Norway contributes about 17% of its GDP to fighting AIDS in the rest of the world. We contribute about 1% of ours.
1
I would not say we freeride in Nato, Norway is your bufferzone towards Russia up in the North, our intelligence helps your CIA to know what they do up in the north.
We recently bought your plane ... despite that there probably are cheaper and better planes to aquire, but we bought the most expensive ones.
Also Norway contribute plenty to NATO, we have been in Afghanistan almost from day 1 (we sent our specialforces to help your special forces in the first battles there), we bombed libya and was among the countries that bombed most there... we have troops in Iraq training Iraq and Kurds to fight Daesh, we have troops and equipment in Baltic states to show presence, we help Iceland defending their terretorry (planes to intercept Russian bombers) and we intercept russian bombers almost on a daily happening outside our coast.
Financially Norway contribute very high in NATO if you look at the size of the country. We even store large amount of equipment for you ... that you can use in other parts of the world !!! we spend 50 million NKR on just to have the equipment here for you !!!
Not that we norwegians are grateful to USA, we are ... you where among the first countries in the world to recognize us as a sovereign country when we become free from Sweden, and you have been our guarantee that we still have peace during the cold war, but remember... you never liberated our country from Nazi Germany, that was the Soviet !!!! we repayed them by forming NATO.
We recently bought your plane ... despite that there probably are cheaper and better planes to aquire, but we bought the most expensive ones.
Also Norway contribute plenty to NATO, we have been in Afghanistan almost from day 1 (we sent our specialforces to help your special forces in the first battles there), we bombed libya and was among the countries that bombed most there... we have troops in Iraq training Iraq and Kurds to fight Daesh, we have troops and equipment in Baltic states to show presence, we help Iceland defending their terretorry (planes to intercept Russian bombers) and we intercept russian bombers almost on a daily happening outside our coast.
Financially Norway contribute very high in NATO if you look at the size of the country. We even store large amount of equipment for you ... that you can use in other parts of the world !!! we spend 50 million NKR on just to have the equipment here for you !!!
Not that we norwegians are grateful to USA, we are ... you where among the first countries in the world to recognize us as a sovereign country when we become free from Sweden, and you have been our guarantee that we still have peace during the cold war, but remember... you never liberated our country from Nazi Germany, that was the Soviet !!!! we repayed them by forming NATO.
1
Denmark may be #1 in happiness, but we're #1 in opiate abuse and military spending! And we're #4 in income inequality.
USA! USA! USA!
USA! USA! USA!
76
Matthew,
We are also #1 in the percent of population incarcerated! You forgot that one. We also lead the developed world in percent of children living in poverty!
So many ways to be exceptional!
We are also #1 in the percent of population incarcerated! You forgot that one. We also lead the developed world in percent of children living in poverty!
So many ways to be exceptional!
1
Statisticians like to adjust data for confounding influences. America is a rich country. Money, supposedly, is a good thing. Therefore, when comparing the levels of happiness across various countries, adjust the data in such a way as to correct for differences in wealth and see what happiness looks like. What do 'we' find? I do not know: If you are getting paid, maybe you should know.
What I do know is this: America is the richest country in the world, thus, adjusting for wealth, the level of happiness is probably a lot lower than it should be.
What I do know is this: America is the richest country in the world, thus, adjusting for wealth, the level of happiness is probably a lot lower than it should be.
6
So there, you anti-socialists!
13
America's focus on war and money has not brought peace, prosperity and happiness. Anyone surprised?
74
I'm not sure Europe and any country formerly under or threatened by Soviet or now by Russian or Chinese domination knows it, but we brought and bring peace, prosperity and happiness to them. Are you surprised? I'm no Trump supporter, but he's right we should not be paying for all of it.
3
Actually we are at peace, very prosperous, and 13th in world happiness. As John Adams famously said, "facts are stubborn things".
2
Nah -- but we saved the world from the Nazis, so that those countries could go Socialist.
What if we'd stayed home, and let them all be taken over?
Nobody wants to be the world's policeman -- until they need you, then suddenly you are indispensable.
What if we'd stayed home, and let them all be taken over?
Nobody wants to be the world's policeman -- until they need you, then suddenly you are indispensable.
4
If Diversity is our Strength, why does it seem to be our Misery at the same time?
22
Two words; economic disparity.
3
@frankly0
Because of economic inequality which is mostly from lack of opportunity.
Because of economic inequality which is mostly from lack of opportunity.
3
Because that statement is expressing a desperate hope, not a fact, a result political choices from which there is no turning back. It can't be undone, so you have to say hopeful things about it working out.
Don't expect the social safety net that is the basis for happiness in these other countries to exist much longer in the US. 10 years, tops.
Don't expect the social safety net that is the basis for happiness in these other countries to exist much longer in the US. 10 years, tops.
4
To all those who suggest that the reason to Happiness is a big social safety net/big socialistic system/Bernie Sander's Paradise and all that is apparently missing in US, then how come countries such Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UAE, Oatar etc. are ranked below US ? These countries has as extensive a social safety net in not bigger and better than Scandinavian countries.
Having lived in Scandinavia and few other European countries, the Grass is not necessarily greener.
Having lived in Scandinavia and few other European countries, the Grass is not necessarily greener.
15
Right on Mark! Spent some of the worst years of my life in Scandinavia - it's not about the social welfare system. It's about the insular, provincial, family oriented culture - that make the place unbearable for outsiders!
7
I don't pretend to be a world traveler. I've never been to Scandinavia and was only in Europe briefly in my youth.
But the internet has brought me friends the world over. And I now have a friend in Finland and another in Norway.
BOY, do they tell me a different picture of life there, than what I read in the lefty media! They love their countries, but they sure don't think it is paradise. That free health care? It is often substandard and has long waits for service. My Finnish friend has an arthritic knee, and can't get arthroscopic surgery on it -- 2 year wait so far -- she was shocked when I told her I got my knee seen and operated on 2 weeks (and that my local orthopedic clinic has SAME DAY appointments if you call by 8:30AM!).
My Norwegian friend tried to see a psychologist for depression...he fell asleep while she had her appointment. She can't get a different doctor; they assign you ONE doctor and too bad if you don't like them. After all, you are not paying, are you?
Free college? My Finnish friend dreamed of going to college to study theatre. They would not take her because of her bum knee! and her grades were not good enough -- free college is only for top students, not the ordinary ones. There are no other colleges -- no community college or private universities -- so she's stuck. When I told her if she came to the US, she'd have her CHOICE of a dozen colleges -- and could study ANYTHING SHE WANTED -- just in my Rustbelt Midwestern town, she was shocked.
But the internet has brought me friends the world over. And I now have a friend in Finland and another in Norway.
BOY, do they tell me a different picture of life there, than what I read in the lefty media! They love their countries, but they sure don't think it is paradise. That free health care? It is often substandard and has long waits for service. My Finnish friend has an arthritic knee, and can't get arthroscopic surgery on it -- 2 year wait so far -- she was shocked when I told her I got my knee seen and operated on 2 weeks (and that my local orthopedic clinic has SAME DAY appointments if you call by 8:30AM!).
My Norwegian friend tried to see a psychologist for depression...he fell asleep while she had her appointment. She can't get a different doctor; they assign you ONE doctor and too bad if you don't like them. After all, you are not paying, are you?
Free college? My Finnish friend dreamed of going to college to study theatre. They would not take her because of her bum knee! and her grades were not good enough -- free college is only for top students, not the ordinary ones. There are no other colleges -- no community college or private universities -- so she's stuck. When I told her if she came to the US, she'd have her CHOICE of a dozen colleges -- and could study ANYTHING SHE WANTED -- just in my Rustbelt Midwestern town, she was shocked.
6
Scandinavia is not a country and there is no such thing as a uniform Scandinavian culture. There are five Nordic countries, three of them Scandinavian, all of them with different languages and diverse cultures.
7
No. 13, not bad - let's try and get in the top 5 then, like our neighbors to the North, Canada. The U.S. is a very large country, a behemoth compared to Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the like - and so much more diverse and younger perhaps. We have a lot of growing up to do.
10
Our neighbor to the North received a huge injection of flinty conservative types forced out of the new U.S. after the American Revolution, because they had opposed it. Canadians never experienced the trauma of being a one-third slave society, killing each other over the issue, and spending 100 years getting (partially) over it.
6
If you were French Canadian you'd have a much different take on that.
And Canada's great wave of Asians when Hong Kong was turned over to China was a positive. They inherited thousands of millionaire immigrants.
And Canada's great wave of Asians when Hong Kong was turned over to China was a positive. They inherited thousands of millionaire immigrants.
2
I had to laugh when I read the second paragraph of this story - here's the Times pushing its economic-inequality-is-everything agenda again.
Denmark is a monoculture; people who aren't Danish are welcome only on a limited basis, and Denmark has some of the tightest immigration laws in the world. That sameness contributes to the 'societal trust' that according to this survey builds happiness.
Gee, wonder why that didn't make the second paragraph of the story.
Denmark is a monoculture; people who aren't Danish are welcome only on a limited basis, and Denmark has some of the tightest immigration laws in the world. That sameness contributes to the 'societal trust' that according to this survey builds happiness.
Gee, wonder why that didn't make the second paragraph of the story.
39
Actually, it made the *third* paragraph:
"Most are fairly *homogeneous* nations with strong social safety nets." [emphasis added]
it seems to me that both the safety nets and advanced (typically European) culture contribute to happiness. Really, that's basic common sense -- third world ills like poverty and corruption aren't fun, and neither are crime and corruption or losing your house because you don't have medial insurance.
"Most are fairly *homogeneous* nations with strong social safety nets." [emphasis added]
it seems to me that both the safety nets and advanced (typically European) culture contribute to happiness. Really, that's basic common sense -- third world ills like poverty and corruption aren't fun, and neither are crime and corruption or losing your house because you don't have medial insurance.
28
Probably because it isn't true. Denmark's immigrants represent about 10% of its total population, not all that much lower than the 13% figure for the USA and considerably higher than, say, Japan at 1.9% or Brazil at 0.9%. Next time, it might be a good idea to do a little fact checking before making unsupported assertions of biased reporting.
17
These are well-off, well-educated, exclusively white countries. Find any Sweden-like, mostly middle and upper class, pasty-white area in the USA, and you'll probably get similar numbers. They don't represent the struggles that minorities and low-educated immigrants all over the world face on a daily basis - or the struggles that large diverse countries like the US face in carrying the financial burden of helping large minority and low-educated immigrant populations.
Here is Canada, the most "diverse" of the bunch:
76.7% White
14.2% Asian (even more economically successful than White)
2.9% Black
1.2% Latin American
Here is Canada, the most "diverse" of the bunch:
76.7% White
14.2% Asian (even more economically successful than White)
2.9% Black
1.2% Latin American
85
Agreed. I'm guessing people are a lot happier in Minnesota or Oregon than they are in Mississippi or Louisiana.
2
A major reason that these countries are more middle class is because their system is designed to support a middle class, rather than to optimize the ability of a few to control the wealth of the society. And a major reason their people are more highly educated is that they provide college education for everyone who can use it. And the current rate of immigration to the U.S. is not so high that poor immigrants (at least, legal ones) are the major driver of income inequality - unfortunately, economic difficulty cuts across races. Finally, its not clear that the cultural diversity of a country has to have anything to do with its level of income inequality.
12
What is that supposed to mean?
It's easy.
They don't work 80 hour workweeks at reduced pay with limited benefits. Spend hours each month sorting through medical and insurance bills to ensure proper payment. Fight banks, telecoms, and cable companies that nickle and dime you. Are certain of wonderful retirement. And the list goes on.
They don't work 80 hour workweeks at reduced pay with limited benefits. Spend hours each month sorting through medical and insurance bills to ensure proper payment. Fight banks, telecoms, and cable companies that nickle and dime you. Are certain of wonderful retirement. And the list goes on.
218
According to a couple of articles in the New York Times, some of them haven't worked at all for years, and are still living a nice middle-class life. For this reason, they have had to cut unemployment benefits considerably.
3
And every year we have way more holidays! :-)
Most people in the Netherlands have around 26+ free days a year (teachers 60 and construction workers 42!).
In Germany and Denmark people enjoy 40+ free days a year..
You might want to change your mind and vote Bernie.
Bernie wants what the happiest countries have - for the USA!
Most people in the Netherlands have around 26+ free days a year (teachers 60 and construction workers 42!).
In Germany and Denmark people enjoy 40+ free days a year..
You might want to change your mind and vote Bernie.
Bernie wants what the happiest countries have - for the USA!
2
"Most [of the happiest countries] are _fairly homogeneous_ nations..."
So, degree of homogeneity within a nation matters, with respect to degree of happiness?
No, not at all, since most of the unhappiest countries are also "fairly homogeneous."
So, degree of homogeneity within a nation matters, with respect to degree of happiness?
No, not at all, since most of the unhappiest countries are also "fairly homogeneous."
43
A valid point. What they should have said was that they're mostly European and Southeast Asian.
6
I love being of Danish heritage... Too bad I'm stuck with American medical insurance. Feel the Bern!
104
Uh, Hill was on top of that health insurance thing long before Bernie showed up at the national table.
2
He lacked the national recognition but its not fair to say he wasn't right there with Hillary. You can argue her plan is more practical but don't deny that Bernie has been there his entire political career.
http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/03/12/say-who-was-that-...
http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/03/12/say-who-was-that-...
"Denmark has reclaimed its place as the world’s happiest country..."
And when Sanders had mentioned during the first Democratic debate that we should look like Denmark, Hillary responded, ""But we are not Denmark. I love Denmark. We are the United States of America."
Right, Madame Secretary, we are not Denmark, but we certainly should aspire to become one.
And when Sanders had mentioned during the first Democratic debate that we should look like Denmark, Hillary responded, ""But we are not Denmark. I love Denmark. We are the United States of America."
Right, Madame Secretary, we are not Denmark, but we certainly should aspire to become one.
191
Hillary was pandering to those Americans who do not pay attention to the rest of the world and feel that it has anything to offer them. This is a holdover from the post-WWII attitude that the USA was the pre-eminent nation on Earth. With its enemies in smoldering ruins, one would be hard-pressed to argue with this.
But it is no longer 1955, and America is running on fumes. And debt.
Maybe, just maybe, other nations' successes could be duplicated in the USA.
But it is no longer 1955, and America is running on fumes. And debt.
Maybe, just maybe, other nations' successes could be duplicated in the USA.
58
Maybe, just maybe, other nations should pull their weight, instead of hiding behind the US military, while pointing fingers at us.
FYI: In 2011, Canada jumped from 15th to 12th largest exporter of military hardware in the world, including selling to Third World countries and the Middle East, yet their endless moralizing never mentions this fact.
FYI: In 2011, Canada jumped from 15th to 12th largest exporter of military hardware in the world, including selling to Third World countries and the Middle East, yet their endless moralizing never mentions this fact.
5
You can't have a country with over 330 million people like America, and expect it be like any country of under 20 million people, especially one such as ours, whose children are poorly parented and expect outcomes like they have in Denmark and Switzerland. I know, as I have spent a year of my life in Switzerland in the last almost 13 years, and I am Swiss on my mother's side. My dad's father was born in Sweden so I know all about that Scandinavian country, also.
10
Let's now take a look at the world map for highest rate of clinical depression:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/11/07/a-stunning-...
Takeaway: Those grim north Europeans may be some of the most clinically depressed in the world, but do not underestimate the power of nanny state-subsidized meds to keep them in a "happy" state of mind.
Perhaps Bernie as Prez may make mood-elevating meds free for all! But that would have a counter effect since Liberals and Progressives are "happiest" when the examine their environment for perceived bad news.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/11/07/a-stunning-...
Takeaway: Those grim north Europeans may be some of the most clinically depressed in the world, but do not underestimate the power of nanny state-subsidized meds to keep them in a "happy" state of mind.
Perhaps Bernie as Prez may make mood-elevating meds free for all! But that would have a counter effect since Liberals and Progressives are "happiest" when the examine their environment for perceived bad news.
8
Did you look at the numbers under the chart? The incident of clinical depression in some Scandinavian countries is trivially higher than that in similar countries and is likely due to the short winter days causing seasonal affective disorder in susceptible individuals.
20
Ajit, fish oil/omega3 helps tremendously. "The key to the healthy Nordic diet is menus brimming with oily fish. Salmon, mackerel and herring are full of Omega-3 fatty acids which protect against heart disease and help brain development.
These fish are also packed with vitamins and minerals."
These fish are also packed with vitamins and minerals."
3
Ajit ...you make an interesting point, one I was about to address and did, partially, in an earlier post. There is racial homogeneity as well as income homogeneity for both the happiest and least happy, so average genome differences are relevant here.
How can nations in the far north, with little sunshine and long, harsh winters, have both high incidences of depression AND high overall happiness levels ?
Discuss -- amongst your friends
How can nations in the far north, with little sunshine and long, harsh winters, have both high incidences of depression AND high overall happiness levels ?
Discuss -- amongst your friends
2
Come on, everybody, let's not forget we have an obligation to have hundreds of military bases all over the world, and still active and open interventions in two countries, at an expense that dwarfs that of the next 8 countries combined, so that we can protect our precious freedoms. This stuff costs money, so stop complaining when you can't afford to send your children to college or pay for your prescription meds. Remember, freedom isn't free, and as long as the elites from the two parties are in charge, college and medical care won't be either.
73
Actually, we're protecting the precious freedoms of places like Denmark, which doesn't have much of an army. If it wasn't for us, they'd have to spend some of their money on that.
2
Maybe there's some common ground after all. Bernie wants us to be like the folks in the photo. The ethnic mix shown here should be acceptable to people as far to the right as David Duke and that's covering some ground.
4
Bernie is from Vermont. He fled NYC when he was very young, to go live in the whitest state in the union (literally). There are no black people in Burlington, VT (pop.40,000), so big surprise, they embraced Bernie the white socialist from Brooklyn.
OF COURSE he wants to emulate Denmark and Sweden; they are as similar as can be to Vermont! Cold -- white -- relatively prosperous -- homogenous.
Are there ghettos in Vermont? Black inner city slums? Housing projects? How about the illegal alien problem -- do they cross the border into Vermont from Tijuana? Does Vermont have to educate classes that are 70% illegal alien kids who don't speak English and need bilingual teachers?
OF COURSE he wants to emulate Denmark and Sweden; they are as similar as can be to Vermont! Cold -- white -- relatively prosperous -- homogenous.
Are there ghettos in Vermont? Black inner city slums? Housing projects? How about the illegal alien problem -- do they cross the border into Vermont from Tijuana? Does Vermont have to educate classes that are 70% illegal alien kids who don't speak English and need bilingual teachers?
7
Bernie's solutions are for every human being in the country, regardless of color, race, age, gender, religion, political orientation. He does not want to whitewash the country. You are mistaking Trump's orientation. You are confused, sadly.
5
Denmark, despite the photo (taken in front of the Queen's castle of people celebrating the queen's birthday) actually has a fairly high immigrant population, the vast majority of which arrived in the last 40 years. It has been a big change over a relatively short period of time.
I did want to point out though, that the lady with the short dark hair and sunglasses on the right is Inuit, from Greenland, wearing a traditional festive national costume made from glass beads.
I did want to point out though, that the lady with the short dark hair and sunglasses on the right is Inuit, from Greenland, wearing a traditional festive national costume made from glass beads.
2
Great discussion, however the final paragraph dissing Libertarians for putting "economic freedom" above all others rings hollow, not that other factors aren't important, but we shouldn't dismiss that economic security is a key factor for the happiest countries. It's a lack of economic security that appears to be driving an unusual political primary season in the US, no matter our supposed highish happiness rating. I know I would be a heck of lot happier and have lot a less stress if I didn't have to worry about having a "safety net." A lot of people are ending up homeless because we don't really have an effective "net" in the USA.
9
"Economic freedom" is hardly the same thing as "economic security". They are often antithetical.
19
These countries show up in so many indices so the questions can't all be skewed to-wards preconceived notions:The best countries for personal freedom according to US News and Business Report are:
1. Canada
2. New Zealand
3. Norway
4. Luxembourg
5. Iceland
6. Ireland
7. Sweden
8. Denmark
9. Australia
10. Uruguay
The US was listed as 15th
Further to that point:The annual Reputation Institute survey ranks the reputations of developed nations across the world on the basis of a variety of environmental, political, and economic factors. According to the survey for 2015, Canada regained top spot in the rankings, having slipped to second place in 2014. Before that, Canada had held the top spot for three years in a row, from 2011 to 2013.The latest survey places Canada’s southern neighbour the United States at a distant 22nd place. Norway is second on the list, with Sweden, Switzerland, and Australia rounding out the top 5 positions.
1. Canada
2. New Zealand
3. Norway
4. Luxembourg
5. Iceland
6. Ireland
7. Sweden
8. Denmark
9. Australia
10. Uruguay
The US was listed as 15th
Further to that point:The annual Reputation Institute survey ranks the reputations of developed nations across the world on the basis of a variety of environmental, political, and economic factors. According to the survey for 2015, Canada regained top spot in the rankings, having slipped to second place in 2014. Before that, Canada had held the top spot for three years in a row, from 2011 to 2013.The latest survey places Canada’s southern neighbour the United States at a distant 22nd place. Norway is second on the list, with Sweden, Switzerland, and Australia rounding out the top 5 positions.
22
A surprising number of people in the US are much happier than advertised.
Guys live out in the country with their wives and kids, grow tomatoes in the back yard, go canoeing or skiing on weekends. What do they care how many billionaires there are in San Francisco, or how many Ferraris they have? A good truck and a cooler of beer are enough for many people.
Guys live out in the country with their wives and kids, grow tomatoes in the back yard, go canoeing or skiing on weekends. What do they care how many billionaires there are in San Francisco, or how many Ferraris they have? A good truck and a cooler of beer are enough for many people.
19
"A surprising number of people in the US are much happier than advertised."
The fact of the matter is that a surprising number of people in the US are less happy than advertised.
The fact of the matter is that a surprising number of people in the US are less happy than advertised.
19
Whether someone is "happy" or not is very subjective.
I know a man who is a multi-millionaire -- inherited wealth -- has a huge house, luxury cars, takes incredible vacations -- but he's divorced, estranged from his kids and has health problems. He's one of the bitterest, most miserable people I know.
I also know some fairly poor people -- on welfare, in fact, and food stamps -- and they are happy and optimistic. Nobody can take away their "government benefits". They don't have to work, and can sleep late every day. Medicaid gives them excellent medical care for free. They get free food; if it runs out, the food pantry will give them what they need. They have simple desires anyways, and don't yearn for luxury cars or vacations.
When I think about the happiest people I have ever known -- they had average incomes, and some savings, but were miles from being "rich". But they had what they needed. Most of them were happy from things like wonderful families and loving relationships -- good kids -- as Jonathan says above, if what you want is a nice truck, and time to go fishing, and a case of cold beer, you don't need to have a million dollars to be happy.
I know a man who is a multi-millionaire -- inherited wealth -- has a huge house, luxury cars, takes incredible vacations -- but he's divorced, estranged from his kids and has health problems. He's one of the bitterest, most miserable people I know.
I also know some fairly poor people -- on welfare, in fact, and food stamps -- and they are happy and optimistic. Nobody can take away their "government benefits". They don't have to work, and can sleep late every day. Medicaid gives them excellent medical care for free. They get free food; if it runs out, the food pantry will give them what they need. They have simple desires anyways, and don't yearn for luxury cars or vacations.
When I think about the happiest people I have ever known -- they had average incomes, and some savings, but were miles from being "rich". But they had what they needed. Most of them were happy from things like wonderful families and loving relationships -- good kids -- as Jonathan says above, if what you want is a nice truck, and time to go fishing, and a case of cold beer, you don't need to have a million dollars to be happy.
2
You've defined "the good life" for the vast majority of us. Be happy with what you have, not with what you think you want. We are living the dream.
Who said there's inequality in America? In 2002, a CNN poll -- as cited by David Brooks, no less -- reported that 19% of Americans think they're in the top 1% and another 20% expect to be there any day now.
Just try topping 39% of the population in the top 1%! Denmark's a loser!
Just try topping 39% of the population in the top 1%! Denmark's a loser!
6
Well, one household out 14 has $1 million in financial assets. That's not really rich any more, but on the other hand that's a lot of people, probably 20-25 million.
2
Exactly, jrd! The only aspect of life that matters, with respect to happiness, to 39% of the population of the United States is wealth.
"There's only one thing that money can't buy: poverty."
"There's only one thing that money can't buy: poverty."
3
jrd,
America, land of the Dunning -Kruger effect.
America, land of the Dunning -Kruger effect.
3
Happiness surveys are of two types, the "surrogate" method largely used here (with some weight to the ladder, which could be construed as a money ladder) and the direct question approach, asking whether one is happy or sad, right now. Interstingly Denmark rates high in both types but fall to about 10th in the direct question survey type. Who is happy? Poor Catholics in South and Central America dominate the top countries in happiness while they rate quite low in the "surrogate" method. Surrogates like stated are "equality" socialism, democracy, and especially riches. By the way the authors assertion that "“The libertarian argument that economic freedom should be championed above all other values decisively fails the happiness test" I consider myself a libertarian and place personal contentment WAY above economic freedom and recognize that I can be content because I can think whatever I want, so "thought freedom" is what I pursue and some of that entails economics.
2
Try measuring your happiness in your freedom of thought while living in a dumpster and see how that goes. I suspect your economic situation contributes considerably to your outlook.
4
Most of those who are miserable are so mentally ill or are alcoholics, and that they are often unaware of exactly what they are feeling as are, I am sure, heroin addicts.
Very cogent point, Scott. Apparently the framers of the poll questions, the economists commenting on the results of the poll, and especially Jeffrey Sachs, who edited the report, are all left-wingers, and Sachs is well-known for his tendentious writings on global issues. So naturally the items that are included in this "happiness" survey reflect those agendas. Even so, they refute Sachs' interpretations about income inequality, irrelevance of liberal democracy and personal freedoms, etc. E.g., if the U.S. is 13th in the world in happiness despite income equality and considerable personal and economic freedoms, where does this leave Sachs? Similarly for Australia, N.Z., Israel (number 11 in the global survey), Puerto Rico, Brazil (number 17), and so on. The "surrogate" method is a political agenda method.
Why not just ask people how happy they are? Clearly, that would produce results too dismaying to be politically useful, at least to the report editors and the U.N. sponsors who chose them.
Why not just ask people how happy they are? Clearly, that would produce results too dismaying to be politically useful, at least to the report editors and the U.N. sponsors who chose them.
I've discovered my Finnish, Scandinavian lineage. Move over my socialist, democratic cousins. It's the end of your national, homogenized safety net. I want my free stuff.
4
It's not free. The people pay for it through taxation, which they submit to because they want stability and quality of life. Americans have a weird misconception about how their system works and what the underlying motivation is for instituting such a social safety net. No one thinks of it as "free."
65
I've discovered my own Finnish, Scandinavian lineage. However, that didn't cause me to "want my free stuff."
5
Tax rate in Denmark: 61% -- plus a 25% VAT.
Tax rate in Sweden: 65% -- plus a 28% VAT.
Oh yeah, I forgot -- want a CAR in Denmark? that will be 180% excise tax on top of the price!
Folks: that is how it is done, happy or not. If you want socialized health care, and free college, and 3 years of maternity leave at full pay -- this is what it costs in taxes. About triple or more than what we pay here, PLUS a VAT. And no military -- can't afford both.
When we agree as a society to triple our taxes, we can have every single thing they have in Scandinavia.
Tax rate in Sweden: 65% -- plus a 28% VAT.
Oh yeah, I forgot -- want a CAR in Denmark? that will be 180% excise tax on top of the price!
Folks: that is how it is done, happy or not. If you want socialized health care, and free college, and 3 years of maternity leave at full pay -- this is what it costs in taxes. About triple or more than what we pay here, PLUS a VAT. And no military -- can't afford both.
When we agree as a society to triple our taxes, we can have every single thing they have in Scandinavia.
1
With the world's highest per capita consumption of mood-altering prescription meds, why shouldn't Denmark be absolutely punch-drunk happy? A foreseeable result.
6
That's just 'cause of the weather. If you had to put up with that much darkness, you'd be into the Zoloft, too.
13
Yeah, here in the good old USA, depressed people just drink alcohol and overdose on heroin instead since they can't afford to take any anti-depressants.
20
Have you considered the possibility that mental distress is under-treated in this country and that the data from Denmark demonstrates more and better management of the pain that so many suffer?
12
So why are people attacking Bernie for suggesting we as a nation can bring some happiness?
199
Because, until this year, Sanders was known by many as a self-described Socialist scold, telling others how to live and attacking his critics in a verbose Brooklyn/Vermont accent.
Right. A guy who did not have a steady income until age 40 (mayor's paycheck) is going to lecture others about working. Utterly laughable, absurd, and ridiculous -- like comparing 93%-white Denmark to the USA.
Right. A guy who did not have a steady income until age 40 (mayor's paycheck) is going to lecture others about working. Utterly laughable, absurd, and ridiculous -- like comparing 93%-white Denmark to the USA.
10
Nora01: They over sampled American billionaires and undersampled Africian Americans.
1
Americans are exceptional. We are exceptionally unequal and insecure both socially and economically. I just wonder how we got to be #13! I guess denial must play a role.
3
Good to keep in mind, might be a nice place for Americans to flee too should the worst come to pass and the fascist Trump seizes the presidency. On the other hand, it's awfully chilly there, and they might be overrun by millions of refugees from the Middle East, which will bring the happiness quotient down considerably.
8
I don't think the Danes would like us much more than the Muslims, they are quite crowded as it is.
13
Dear Scott Sinnock,
Oh I don't know, I'm pretty sure the Danes would be fine with me. I'm not religious, I don't support Trump or any other fascist, and I'm well educated. But for sure they couldn't support taking in millions of Americans, which means that those who'd like to emigrate there should move quickly if Trump gets elected.
Oh I don't know, I'm pretty sure the Danes would be fine with me. I'm not religious, I don't support Trump or any other fascist, and I'm well educated. But for sure they couldn't support taking in millions of Americans, which means that those who'd like to emigrate there should move quickly if Trump gets elected.
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"might be a nice place for Americans to flee too " - I'm not sure if those Americans have any idea about the immigration requirements for most Scandinavian countries. There is no such thing as a green card lottery, skilled immigration is limited by the employer sponsored visas that can be issued only after the local professional unions agree that there are no locals that can be hired, family immigration exists but the process is longer than in the US, and language skills are required. Highly skilled individuals with advanced degrees and work experience are of course welcome, but somehow I don't think that all Americans who feel like "fleeing" would fit in, and none would qualify as refugees. Also, you'd still have to file US taxes on the worldwide income, as, together with The Philippines, US bases taxation on citizenship and not residence like the rest of the world.
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I already knew where I would head if Trump gets elected. This changes nothing.
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2013?
Let's ask them in another decade, as they will no longer be quite so 'homogenous' then.
Let's ask them in another decade, as they will no longer be quite so 'homogenous' then.
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Well, in that case, FSMLives!, you may wish to ask the other homogeneous nations, too: Syria, Togo, Afghanistan, Benin, Rwanda, Guinea, Liberia, Tanzania, Madagascar, and Burundi.
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F, more to the point --
Amount Denmark paid the USA for the USA nuclear umbrella that protected them for 75 years -- $0.00
Amount Denmark paid the USA for funding the majority of global medical research -- $0.00.
Absurd? What is absurd is trying to compare midgets to giants, that's goofy.
Amount Denmark paid the USA for the USA nuclear umbrella that protected them for 75 years -- $0.00
Amount Denmark paid the USA for funding the majority of global medical research -- $0.00.
Absurd? What is absurd is trying to compare midgets to giants, that's goofy.
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"Denmark topped the list in the first report, in 2012, and again in 2013, but it was displaced by Switzerland last year. In this year’s ranking, Denmark was back at No. 1, followed by Iceland, Norway, Finland, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia and Sweden. "
Guess what they have in common.... Democratic Socialist governments... Healthcare, college tuition, family leave and a strong safety net are among some of the benefits that their citizens enjoy.
Guess what they have in common.... Democratic Socialist governments... Healthcare, college tuition, family leave and a strong safety net are among some of the benefits that their citizens enjoy.
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And every one of them is not strongly religious, nor do almost all of them have large minority groups (except New Zealand). They're also small population nations, technologically advanced, and not usually involved in military conflict.
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The minority population in Canada is not quite as that of New Zealand, but it is still significant at nearly 20% and they are highly visible in large cities.
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The great experiment that is the EU is beginning to expose the fatal flaws in it's foundation. Nationalism in Denmark, the happiest place in the world?
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/01/denmark-refugee...
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/01/denmark-refugee...
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Perhaps the inequality driving American unhappiness explais shy we are choosing between a grumpy Democrat and an angry Republican.
At the outset we had a few happy choices, but apparently America doesn't do "happy".
At the outset we had a few happy choices, but apparently America doesn't do "happy".
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We are ranked 13 out of more than 150 countries. I would say we do "happy" pretty well.
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Nah, I think it's more the obvious corruption and intractability of the status quo.
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You also need to consider SIZE of the top nations ranked here, most are teeny tiny -- Iceland at #2 is only 700,000 people. Finland and Norway about 4-5 million -- Denmark 4.5 million -- Sweden 9 million. Those are like rounding errors compared to the US at 320 million.
Any study that doesn't consider size and diversity of population in figuring "happiness" is a deeply flawed study. What it likely is showing is not "happiness" (nor that happiness is due to living in a high tax socialist nation) but that people really don't like diversity, and white people prefer to live with only other white people.
Any study that doesn't consider size and diversity of population in figuring "happiness" is a deeply flawed study. What it likely is showing is not "happiness" (nor that happiness is due to living in a high tax socialist nation) but that people really don't like diversity, and white people prefer to live with only other white people.
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