Posted on 07/28/2023 6:35:25 AM PDT by Vigilanteman
Happiness is a difficult thing to measure, but one initiative at the United Nations has been trying to figure it out. Every year since 2012, the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network has published its World Happiness Report—a study that examines the connections between happiness and development, all while encouraging policymakers to place more of an emphasis on the former.
Around 1,000 people in each U.N. member state rate their quality of life on a scale from 0 to 10, while researchers cull data from six areas: GDP per capita, life expectancy, social support, trust and corruption, perceived freedom to make life decisions, and generosity. The World Happiness Report 2022 was just released, and while the results follow previous trends (every Nordic country made the cut), the list is a little more interesting because of COVID-19. The report paid special attention to evaluate how different governments have supported citizens’ happiness before, during, and likely after the pandemic.
(Excerpt) Read more at cntraveler.com ...
You say, “Gang raping Muslim Hordes ruin a place.”
Example: Beginning in mid-1975, in one year Muslims destroyed Lebanon.
“Eat the Rich”
I remember a very good discussion between Milton Friedman and some Swedish economic minister. It went something like this:
Swede: “In Sweden, we have very low rates of poverty, compared to America.”
Friedman: “In America, we have very low rates of poverty among Swedes.”
1950: Beirut is the Paris of the Middle East
2023: Paris is the Beirut of Europe
Obviously racist. There’s no African countries on the list.
New Zealand? Israel? Both of the most draconian Nazi style Covid policies of all. Both massively suppressed free-speech on the topic. Netherlands? They are running people off their farms all across the nation. No thanks.
Finns are weird. Not always bad, just not normal. Even their language is a strange one-off thing compared to the rest of Europe. Worst of all, your speeding tickets are based on your income.
There are none as hopelessly enslaved as those who do not know they are enslaved.
Finns also love their Death Metal.
That’s always appreciated. And I can see them liking that. I’m not saying I disapprove of them. Just that I think if I moved there there I would be a steep acclimatization curve. It does make sense they would be highest on the list. They seem to deal with stress very well. I mean, they were so relaxed they could elect a young woman to be their president. That tells you right there they don’t have any serious concerns.
And they made the best Mosin Nagant the world has ever seen. And it’s a special touch of panache that they never built their own original ones, they just re-manufactured the ones they took off red army soldiers who didn’t need them anymore. That’s some serious sand right there.
And who else in World War II could take the Brewster Buffalo, install skis and turn it into a world beating fighter plane.? They are indeed a mysterious people. I can’t say I fully understand them, but I approve of them.
These are socialist happy cointries. The happiness is 1984 style happiness where people are to be “happy” or else !
NO one can tell me that Tahiti is not a happier place than Denmark
Number three is that these countries are at the top of the list in antidepressant consumption.
We’re going to Finland in a couple weeks. We’ve never been there before. We’ll be happy!
It is interesting isn’t it?
I knew an American who lived and married in Norway. The taxes did not bother him at all and he owned a business. He considered it well run and good value for tax provided services. It is socialism though but in a good way?
You’re so near to Russia
So far from Japan
Quite a long way from Cairo
Lots of miles from Vietnam
The Democrats would try to claim it is. But the taxes we pay for (once) first class roads, airports and the like are actually an example of private enterprise delegating a job to government by paying high taxes for roads, gasoline and airports.
And the reality is that by allowing liberals a say in how they are built and operated, ours has gone from best in the world a couple of generations ago to "meh" today.
I first set foot in Japan's Haneda airport in 1977. It was then a series of low cost concrete buildings with shuttle buses and long schleps to get from the international to domestic terminal. LAX looked modern by comparison.
When I flew out of Haneda in December of last year, it was state of the art, a cross between a high class shopping mall and food court with museum quality exhibitions. And LAX was frankly worse than it was in 1977, and worse than Tokyo Haneda back then. LAX had a distinct 3rd world feel to it lacking in the 1977 version.
When I was working and traveling to the Pacific rim jobs the worst part of my trip was LAX. One night I landed in the wee small hours and had an unusually long layover but such that I didn’t have time to dawdle. I made the mistake of going out by taxi in search of a Denny’s or similar for a bite to eat. BIG MISTAKE! I never felt so threatened even in Bogota, Columbia or Vietnam in ‘94 under house arrest.
We have become more like Nigeria, most things look old and tired and worn out in the public sphere in big cities. Our tax dollars don’t go for the benefit of those who pay them.
When I was a kid the sales tax was 3%, that’s it state, local and all. That tax provided good schools to the baby boom generation that swelled the need for seats and teachers. It provided good public services, roads, libraries and parks. Now all of those things struggle for the pot of funding that is more than THREE times as big in INFLATION ADJUSTED REAL DOLLAR terms! That is just how far the welfare state has grown for people who add nothing to the pot.
I will pay somewhat extra for flights just to avoid LAX. My late wife's hometown is near Ontario, California, still a reasonably nice airport. Last time time I was leaving there and letting her stay a couple weeks later to visit with family, the last flight of the day to Atlanta (my connection to PIT) was overbooked.
They made a pretty good offer and a private limo if I would get on an LAX flight connecting through Memphis. They also upgraded me to first class.
The limo driver was a black guy who knew the roads well and took me there via the warehouse and industrial areas. He explained that not only were the roads less congested, but we were less likely to run into any urban ferals by avoiding the straighter route through the 'hood.
NO one can tell me that Tahiti is not a happier place than Denmark
___________________
Never been to Finland, but visited Tahiti in 1975 and again in 2000.
In 1975, it was relatively undeveloped and appeared happy-go-lucky.
By 2000, it was France, complete with spoiled teenagers on mopeds, with electronic devices and perpetual scowls. Also, in 1975, a few adventursome developers were building resorts in places like Moorea that were more hippy than elitist. By 2000, the top hoteliers were all there and every resort except those run/owned by Americans were on strike.
Management was in France and business was conducted via fax.
People wee tending socialist in both island areas even in 2000. From what I can tell today, both are even more collective-minded in 2023.
Were the rich Westerners living happily? Yes. I asked one what it cost to live a Western lifestyle in Papeete in 2000 and he said “$10k USD/month.”
I love the tropical Pacific and the Caribbean. I live at about 43 degrees N latitude. After spending time talking with the residents of the tropics, most are NOT essentially happy. They are ruled from overseas, they pay exorbitant prices for food and energy, their home islands are hubs of illegal trade and corruption and they dream of typically Canadian summer temperatures. They tend to head North on vacation.
My husband would love to live in Iceland.
Denmark is driven by Hygge which denotes more contentment than happiness. Their income is eaten up by taxes(despite a small military budget) leaving them just enough money for blankets, books and candles. They ride bikes and trains everywhere so no car payment.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.