Community Chat

[GingerPeach]

Has anyone read The Geography of Bliss, One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World, by Eric Weiner or Blue Zones of Happiness, Lessons from the World's Happiest People, by Dan Buettner?   Very different approaches, with the first very individually researched and the second even providing a bit of self-help. or so the summaries say.  I read the first a few years ago.  (It's not a definitive work, but very personal to the writer.)

[Noel7]

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@Shawniewrote:

I wonder about the factors that were used to establish he happiness ranking because Finland has the worlds highest suicide rate.  Norway is just below Finland I believe.  They may have a beautiful country with a terrific social welfare system but happiness????  I don't think so.

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@Shawnie

No need to wonder about the factors, I gave them to you on the first page, opening post.  If you need to know more, the Huffington Post has the report.

[iceRedfire]

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@Shawniewrote:

I wonder about the factors that were used to establish he happiness ranking because Finland has the worlds highest suicide rate.  Norway is just below Finland I believe.  They may have a beautiful country with a terrific social welfare system but happiness????  I don't think so.

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@Shawnie

That's not correct though. This is what I found. They're not even in the top 25.

(My picture cut off the number but it's Suicides per 100,000)

Suicide Rates By Country - WorldAtlas.com

1/18/2018

www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-with-the-most-suicides-in-the-world.html

[Noel7]

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@Shawniewrote:

I wonder about the factors that were used to establish he happiness ranking because Finland has the worlds highest suicide rate.  Norway is just below Finland I believe.  They may have a beautiful country with a terrific social welfare system but happiness????  I don't think so.

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@Shawnie

Easy to research, you are incorrect about Finland having the highest suicide rate.  Way off.

The true information is available online, there is even a list in Wiki.  That same list is covered by other sources, also.

[Noel7]

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@Oznellwrote:

The world is such a varied and wondrous place.  The "northern" countries have that timeless fairytale appeal-- yet, there's the paradox that Scandinavia and the Baltic countries have struggled with high levels of depression and alcoholism.  And of late have had increasing social unrest.  But they are still very special, as are so many places on this diverse planet Earth.

I saw that story a while back, but I do take such lists with a wee bit of a grain of salt.  I feel tremendously lucky myself to be living in the United States, which has such enduring appeal, and so much to offer the world.   Count me happy indeed with my lot here.

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@Oznell

You are also incorrect. Finland is nowhere near topping the list on alcoholism.  It’s roughly in the same league as France and Germany.

As for social unrest, that is also incorrect.  In fact, one thing putting them at the top of the happy list is that their immigrants are also happy.

[Noel7]

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@Oznellwrote:

The world is such a varied and wondrous place.  The "northern" countries have that timeless fairytale appeal-- yet, there's the paradox that Scandinavia and the Baltic countries have struggled with high levels of depression and alcoholism.  And of late have had increasing social unrest.  But they are still very special, as are so many places on this diverse planet Earth.

I saw that story a while back, but I do take such lists with a wee bit of a grain of salt.  I feel tremendously lucky myself to be living in the United States, which has such enduring appeal, and so much to offer the world.   Count me happy indeed with my lot here.

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@Oznell

I just read the US World And News report on depression.  Sorry, but Finland isn’t on it, but the US is.  In fact, the US comes in third.  Now that’s sad.

[Noel7]

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@StylishLadywrote:

I don't put much faith in such listings. Demographics has a lot to do with it, and they are changing with the migration of others into these countries that have little diversity.

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Finland is diverse, in fact, that is one of the factors adding to their happiness.  @StylishLady

[Noel7]

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@physicsnutwrote:

Happy right here in the great USA!!

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@physicsnut

Oh, good, because the US is third highest on the depression list.

[catwhisperer]

@Noel7...thank you for at least trying to start a positive, uplifting thread. It never fails, some always have to put a damper on it. Sheesh.

[Noel7]

It’s sad that some people can’t stand hearing that others are happy.