Saturday, April 21, 2018

THE HAPPINESS REPORT

The U N, in it's annual "Happiness Report," said Finns are the happiest people in the world.  Norway is second, followed by Denmark. One-hundred and fifty-six countries are ranked, based on income, life expectancy, freedom, social support, trust, and generosity.
FINNS

The U.S., 16th last year, is now 18th. Why is it sinking? Anthropologists  and social psychologists tell us humans are social creatures -- much of our happiness flows from our connections to other people, our sense of community, and joint purpose. Right now, our trust government, the media, and various institutions  has plunged. These researchers say that our night and day hunt for money, security, and consumer goods dominates our lives, along with addictions to painkillers, unhealthy food and technology.

Finland, Norway, and Denmark have problems too, but according to researchers, what sets happier nations apart is the premium their culture places on time spent in nature and in harmonious intimate contact with friends.

It sounds plausible, but...well, sort of  Facebookish. I re-read recent articles in Time  and The Week Magazine on how to be happier  -- both boiled down to taking on more challenges, and making more money.

...Words, words ... like birds perch in my mind, till the wind blows, or a loud noise scares 'em away. Sure, you'll lose weight if you eat less -- no doubt about it, you can be happier if you do things that you haven't been doing, for good reasons...

What about you, and where you  live?

If you don't see your country here, click -- Wikipedia has the WORLD HAPPINESS REPORT.

Secretly privately, since what's happened in my country since the election, lays on on my world like large black cloud foretelling bad weather, I grab onto any bit of news that's fun or positive and borrowing the word  that one of the  happier countries uses  for cozy, high quality social social interactions.

H Y G G E

Maybe when summer finally arrives my husband and I will head for  Denmark and enjoy what's in the air there -- just pronouncing this word perks me up.


1 comment:

Linda Vee Sado of Slippery When Wet said...

I do love Arizona. This is a happy state :) But we cut off the UN's money so they are probably mad at us now xx