Posted on 11/26/2012 6:02:05 PM PST by Kaslin
Rankings can be very useful tools, assuming the methodology is reasonable and the authors use robust data. I’ve cited many of them.
But I’ve also run into some really strange rankings since starting this blog, some of which are preposterous and others of which are rather subjective.
That last one was good for my ego. My only comment is that I wish that I had real influence.
Speaking of preposterous rankings, I have something new for the list.
There’s a group that puts out something called the “Happy Planet Index,” which supposedly is a “global measure of sustainable well-being.”
But it’s really an anti-energy consumption ranking, modified by life expectancy data along with some subjective polling data about lifestyles. And it leads to some utterly absurd conclusions.
Here’s their map of the world. All you really need to know is that it’s supposedly bad to be a red country.
I’m perfectly willing to agree that people in Afghanistan and Angola are not part of a “happy planet,” but do they really expect people to believe that the United States is in the bottom category?
I’m not being jingoistic. Yes, I am a patriot in the right sense of the word, so I would like the United States to be at the top of most rankings.
But my job is to criticize bad public policy, so my life would be rather dull if the crowd in Washington adopted a much-needed policy of benign neglect for the economy.
My real gripe is that some of the world’s main cesspools get high rankings. The United States is 105th according to the clowns who put together the rankings, while Cuba somehow came in 12th place.
Venezuela also ranks near the top, and other jurisdictions that score at least 50 places above America include Albania, Pakistan, Palestine, Iraq, Moldova, and Tajikistan.
It’s not just that those nations all rank about the United States. They also are ahead of Sweden, Canada, Australia, Iceland, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
And I’d rather live in any of those nations than live in any of the ones I listed that got good scores according to the poorly named Happy Planet Index.
Heck, I’d also prefer to live in some of the nations that score even lower than the United States, such as Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, or Luxembourg.
The Luxembourg ranking is particularly absurd. It is down near the bottom, with a ranking of 138 and trailing such garden spots as Burkina Faso and the Congo.
But it also happens to be one of the world’s richest nations according to World Bank data, in part because it is a very good tax haven.
But the nuts who put together the Crazy Planet Index give Luxembourg the second-to-worst ranking for its “ecological footprint,” and I guess you’re supposed to be unhappy if you have enough wealth to use a lot of energy.
Gee, too bad Luxembourg couldn’t be more like the nations that get the highest rankings for their “ecological footprint.” The people of Afghanistan and Haiti must be very, very happy about that high honor.
1. do you enjoy communism?
2. do you enjoy exporting drugs to other countries?
3. are abortions fun?
4. is god bad?
sorry, didn’t see the real list, just a guess
No worries. I predict that by the middle of obama’s third term we will have become such a third world shithole we will easily be back in the top ten. MAYBE EVEN FIRST!!!!!
Yes, this is all true. People are rushing to get into Venezuela, Albania, Pakistan, Palestine, Iraq, Moldova, and Tajikistan. No one wants to come to America anymore. Everyday, Latinos are leaving.
Very interesting article.
I had never heard of the “moocher index” but was pleased that my state of Indiana is in the lowest six states.
liberals are insane
The doctor is in the house! LOL
I always get a kick out of these “America Sucks” type of articles.
The funniest ones are the ones that claim Communist China is more business friendly than the USA....nothing makes a Liberal Free Trader Globalist more idiotic than such a comment. As Communist China is beginning to slow down economically...you do not see such comments as much anymore
As for Venezuela, Albania, and Cuba being “freer” in anything....sure. Right. We have problems in the USA, and we have a Kenyan Muslim Socialist as President...but we ain’t that bad yet. Most Americans would not want to do #2 where most Albanians do #2...believe me
It’s not known for nothing that liberalism is a mental disease
Aren’t these 3 on the UN Human Rights Commission as well? Probably pure coincidence.
yeah, right... 
What about North Korea? That should be about the “happiest” place on earth, shouldn’t it? /s
ROTFL! America’s position on the survey tells me a lot about the Happy Planet Index, and it’s usefulness.
Short form: GIGO
S’ok. These are the first people stood up against the wall and shot when their dreams finally do come true.
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