World's happiest countries

By Hum
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Grand Master

Hum

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I, for one, think that happiness and success measured in material terms are two different concepts. So, if I had a chance to come up with a world happiness rating, I'd definitively put India and China in the top ten, because these people know that happiness cannot be bought for money :)

^ I can't think of many happy things that don't somehow involve money. ;)

Grand Master

sanctified Veteran

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Happiness is relative and subjective, and, it's just the title. What they've actually measured is nation's prosperity and factored in wealthfare-state social programs.

I, for one, think that happiness and success measured in material terms are two different concepts. So, if I had a chance to come up with a world happiness rating, I'd definitely put India and China in the top ten, because these people know that happiness cannot be bought for money :)

Can we agree that happiness is not the wishy-washy joy portrayed by the media but a relative stability and concern-free state? That's my take on happiness. I think it's reasonable.

If we agree on that then this list is spot on, sociologically speaking.

I am happy in America as you see sadness only lasts 4-8 years :)

I believe you are happy but I cant agree that the US as a country is a happy one. Your culture is quite neurotic, and believe me, that's not an insult, I truly believe that because of that neurosis the US have produced some of the best thinkers of our era.

Grand Master

Draconian Guppy

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Can we agree that happiness is not the wishy-washy joy portrayed by the media but a relative stability and concern-free state? That's my take on happiness. I think it's reasonable.

If we agree on that then this list is spot on, sociologically speaking.

I believe you are happy but I cant agree that the US as a country is a happy one. Your culture is quite neurotic, and believe me, that's not an insult, I truly believe that because of that neurosis the US have produced some of the best thinkers of our era.

Wouldn't concern free be related to stability or viceversa? I agree.

Honduras, Central America, Third world hell, is very unhappy... You can't walk around in the biggest cities without having a knot in your throat because of the risk of getting SHOT to steal your cellphone or just mug you.

Grand Master

redfish

Posted
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Happiness is relative and subjective, and, it's just the title. What they've actually measured is nation's prosperity and factored in wealthfare-state social programs.

Sweden has a school voucher system, low corporate tax rate, and they have a public health care, system but its decentralized so most of the management is at the city level (like city hospitals in the US -- which do get support from state govt's, btw). Swedes also have to buy all their liquor through a government monopoly, Systembolaget.

Ireland, on the list, has a ban on abortion, except in cases where a mother's life is at risk.

Yet the accompanying article wants to claim all these countries are pretty liberal. Most of what Americans know about European gov't are stereotypes and cliches.

By the way the most common thing about the countries on the list is most of them are either monarchies or are part of a monarchial commonwealth.

Grand Master

Growled Member

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Sweden has a school voucher system, low corporate tax rate, and they have a public health care, system but its decentralized so most of the management is at the city level (like city hospitals in the US -- which do get support from state govt's, btw). Swedes also have to buy all their liquor through a government monopoly, Systembolaget.

Ireland, on the list, has a ban on abortion, except in cases where a mother's life is at risk.

Yet the accompanying article wants to claim all these countries are pretty liberal. Most of what Americans know about European gov't are stereotypes and cliches.

I did not know that. Opened my eyes for sure.

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