According to 20/20, Denmark is the happiest place on Earth. It's social programs, government, sense of community, lack of consumerism, practical transportation (riding bikes when they could have cars or use public transportation), choices in employment, lack of classism etc...made it the happiest place on Earth!
The US ranks 23rd (Iceland - my favorite! ranks 4th!). North Carolina was estimated to be the happiest place in America. The environment, and sense of community make it so.
In spite of harsh laws in Singapore, the high salary of government officials creates a security and trust in the government, the city is clean, safe and secure, they rate very high on the happiness list.
Places like Italy and France rate much, much lower - lower even than the impoverished countries such as India, and war-torn countries such as Iraq. The amount of corruption, lack of trust in government, neighbors, and lack of community plus overt consumerism makes places like Italy, one of the unhappiest places on Earth.
1.11.2008
Are you Happy?
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3 comments:
In my survey...
Denmark is under threat of privatisation fever, so happiness might be fleeting and there is classism. Singapore is a fascist shithole, you're only happy to the extent you don't realise there are other ways to live or are rich enough to buy insulation from the oppressive laws (the financial scumbags are coked to the eyeballs, only low level peeps get arrested). It's a ridiculous facade.
Iceland rocks! Icelanders are funny, strange and nice and almost the entire country is common land!
I've just realised that's a NIN sticker on the animation, now that makes me happy!
Years ago I went to Denmark. I was taken on a tour of social service agencies. Can you imagine a tourist tour of social services?
Rick, I believe that the study was conducted more on a level of tangible happiness, rather than people simply grinning and bearing it. Thats is to say, that regardless of whether they know anything different or not, the people are still actually happy and not just pretending to be. It would be interesting to see how these people would react if they were transplanted into another country.
Ren, yeah - I could see people touring the social service buildings in the US. Ha! I don't think it would make for good entertainment though, unless the tourists just want to see how it shouldn't be done.
It would be a bit like watching Jerry Springer, actually.
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