Who’s Happy, Who’s Not: Norway Tops List, US Falls

Started by SGOS, March 20, 2017, 05:56:10 AM

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SGOS

They run THIS OR A SIMILAR POLL every year, but here's the latest report.

QuoteA new report shows Norway is the happiest country on Earth, Americans are getting sadder, and it takes more than just money to be happy.

Norway vaulted to the top slot in the World Happiness Report despite the plummeting price of oil, a key part of its economy. Income in the United States has gone up over the past decade, but happiness is declining.

The United States was 14th in the latest ranking, down from No. 13 last year, and over the years Americans steadily have been rating themselves less happy.

“It’s the human things that matter. If the riches make it harder to have frequent and trustworthy relationship between people, is it worth it?” asked John Helliwell, the lead author of the report and an economist at the University of British Columbia in Canada (ranked No. 7). “The material can stand in the way of the human.”

Studying happiness may seem frivolous, but serious academics have long been calling for more testing about people’s emotional well-being, especially in the United States. In 2013, the National Academy of Sciences issued a report recommending that federal statistics and surveys, which normally deal with income, spending, health and housing, include a few extra questions on happiness because it would lead to better policy that affects people’s lives.

Norway moved from No. 4 to the top spot in the report’s rankings, which combine economic, health and polling data compiled by economists that are averaged over three years from 2014 to 2016. Norway edged past previous champ Denmark, which fell to second. Iceland, Switzerland and Finland round out the top 5.

While Number 14 for the US sounds depressing, keep in mind there were 155 countries included.

QuoteStudy co-author and economist Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University said in a phone interview from Oslo that the sense of community, so strong in Norway, is deteriorating in the United States.

“We’re becoming more and more mean spirited. And our government is becoming more and more corrupt. And inequality is rising,” Sachs said, citing research and analysis he conducted on America’s declining happiness for the report. “It’s a long-term trend and conditions are getting worse.”

University of Maryland’s Carol Graham, who wasn’t a study author but did review some chapters, said the report mimics what she sees in the American rural areas, where her research shows poor whites have a deeper lack of hope, which she connects to rises in addictions to painkillers and suicide among that group.

“There is deep misery in the heartland,” Graham, author of the book “The Pursuit of Happiness,” wrote in an email.

Happiness â€" and doing what you love â€" is more important than politicians think, said study author Helliwell. He rated his personal happiness a 9 on a 1-to- 10 scale.


Baruch

US is a lot lower than 14th on some issues.  But American Exceptionalism!  Norway has a small uniform population (not like Sweden with its excess immigrants) and has a nice sovereign wealth fund courtesy of N Sea oil.  But the N Sea oil has just about run out, and the scammers are always trying to lift the Norwegian fund into their own pockets.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Shiranu

Hence the reason I want to move to Hawai'i or out of the country... it's a few states that keep the United States at 14 instead of something like 30-40s. That number is just going to keep dropping, i'm afraid.
"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

Baruch

Hawaii is pretty expensive.  The sheep run NZ.  And Australia is China's bitch ... so is Canada.  There is always GB, where you can have blood pudding for Brexit ;-)
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Hydra009

QuoteUniversity of Maryland’s Carol Graham, who wasn’t a study author but did review some chapters, said the report mimics what she sees in the American rural areas, where her research shows poor whites have a deeper lack of hope, which she connects to rises in addictions to painkillers and suicide among that group.

“There is deep misery in the heartland,” Graham, author of the book “The Pursuit of Happiness,” wrote in an email.
That's strange.  I could've sworn there was this conservative image of the flyover states heartland as a place of simple wisdom and a purpose-filled life stemming from shared traditional religious/family values.

The kind of place where a typical God-fearing American family of Jesse, Nikki, Jethro, Jim Bob, Billy Ray, Jeff Davis, and Jimmy Bean can grow up and learn about how God created all humanity, cursed the descendants of Ham with black skin, then sent down Jesus to write the Constitution and drive out the Mexicans.  The kind of place where you can proudly wave the American flag, the actual American flag (the stars and bars), and squeeze off a couple shots from your piece without getting any dirty looks from no hippie pinko piece of crap traitor.  USA USA USA!

How could it possibly be the case that such people aren't well-adjusted?

Baruch

Yep ... Team America.  With projective vomiting marionettes.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Shiranu

Quote from: Baruch on March 20, 2017, 01:28:23 PM
Hawaii is pretty expensive.  The sheep run NZ.  And Australia is China's bitch ... so is Canada.  There is always GB, where you can have blood pudding for Brexit ;-)

Such is life... happiness is not necessarily dependent on having money to spend on whatever you want, but to be able to exist whereever you and around whoever  you want. I rather live in paradise and be broke than in hell and be still pretty broke.
"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

Mr.Obvious

We're number 17.
I don't get it.

I mean: We're all taking antidepressants by the handfulls over here. Practically OD-ing on the stuff. I mean; what gives? Are they not working?! How many more must we take to get up to the top ten? Jeez.
"If we have to go down, we go down together!"
- Your mum, last night, requesting 69.

Atheist Mantis does not pray.

Baruch

Quote from: Mr.Obvious on March 20, 2017, 08:05:47 PM
We're number 17.
I don't get it.

I mean: We're all taking antidepressants by the handfulls over here. Practically OD-ing on the stuff. I mean; what gives? Are they not working?! How many more must we take to get up to the top ten? Jeez.

I know why Belgians are depressed ... Netherlands is #6 ;-)
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

SGOS

Quote from: Mr.Obvious on March 20, 2017, 08:05:47 PM
We're number 17.
I don't get it.

I mean: We're all taking antidepressants by the handfulls over here. Practically OD-ing on the stuff. I mean; what gives? Are they not working?! How many more must we take to get up to the top ten? Jeez.

I think the poll must deduct happiness points when it's drug induced.  Too much like cheating.

Solomon Zorn

Negative shit in the media, focusing on whatever fucked-up aberration best illustrates their dismal outlook.
If God Exists, Why Does He Pretend Not to Exist?
Poetry and Proverbs of the Uneducated Hick

http://www.solomonzorn.com

Baruch

Quote from: Solomon Zorn on March 21, 2017, 05:36:38 PM
Negative shit in the media, focusing on whatever fucked-up aberration best illustrates their dismal outlook.

Bad news sells.  And the only thing they are selling, isn't the public good, just advertising for their masters.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Unbeliever

Quote from: Baruch on March 21, 2017, 06:59:20 PM
Bad news sells.  And the only thing they are selling, isn't the public good, just advertising for their masters.


God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman