Study: World Gets Happier

Despite the anxieties of these times, happiness has been on the rise around the world in recent years, a new survey finds.



The upbeat outlook is attributed to economic growth in previously poor countries, democratization of others, and rising social tolerance for women and minority groups.

"It's a surprising finding," said University of Michigan political scientist Ronald Inglehart, who headed up the survey. "It's widely believed that it's almost impossible to raise an entire country's happiness level."

Denmark is the happiest nation and Zimbabwe the the most glum, he found. (Zimbabwe's longtime ruler Robert Mugabe was sworn in as president for a sixth term Sunday after a widely discredited runoff in which he was the only candidate. Observers said the runoff was marred by violence and intimidation.)

The United States ranks 16th.

The results of the survey, going back an average of 17 years in 52 countries and involving 350,000 people, will be published in the July 2008 issue of the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science. Researchers have asked the same two questions over the years: "Taking all things together, would you say you are very happy, rather happy, not very happy, not at all happy?" And, "All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole these days?"

A Happiness Index created from the answers rose in 40 countries between 1981 and 2007, and it fell in the other 12.

Scientists had thought happiness is stable over time when looking at entire societies. "Most previous research suggests that people and nations are stuck on a 'hedonic treadmill,'" Inglehart said. "The belief has been that no matter what happens or what we do, basic happiness levels are stable and don't really change."

So Inglehart's team was surprised that happiness "rose substantially." They speculate reasons for the sunny outlooks include societal shifts in recent decades: Low-income countries such as India and China have experienced unprecedented rates of economic growth; dozens of medium-income countries have democratized; and there has been a sharp rise of gender equality and tolerance of ethnic minorities and gays and lesbians in developed societies.

Previous research has found that happiness is partly inherited and that money doesn't buy much of it.

Yet the new survey finds people of rich countries tend to be happier than those of poor countries. And controlling for economic factors, certain types of societies are much happier than others.

"The results clearly show that the happiest societies are those that allow people the freedom to choose how to live their lives," Inglehart said.

A survey released last week found one reason America doesn't top the list: Baby Boomers are generally miserable compared to other generations. Further, a public opinion poll released by the Pew Research Center in April found that 81 percent of Americans say they believe the country is on the "wrong track." The response is the most negative in the 25 years pollsters have asked the question.

The World Values Surveys, led by Inglehart, was funded by the National Science Foundation, the Swedish and Netherlands Foreign Ministries, and other institutions.

nice thread title, la rue. i supposed you'd even drink gasoline if it was in a bottle!

350,000 people suveyed. Out of the world? I have big issue with that number. Honestly that represents what a fraction of a percent of the world population who might have a phone to take said survey. Add a few zeros on that number and were talking Happy.

Anxiety said:

Crap

superspaceboy said:

That number sounds about right as far as statistical collection is concerned. You don't have to poll a huge number of people to have a small margin of error, as long as you're following correct procedures to make sure you're getting a representative sample.

I'm moving to Denmark

I saw a study recently that linked happiness to lowered expectations. That's why I moved away from LA. It's depressing to live there & not be an heiress!
[Edited 7/1/08 18:30pm]

From the same survey:

TOP 10 HAPPIEST COUNTRIES
Denmark , Puerto Rico, Colombia, Iceland, N. Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Switzerland, Netherlands, Canada, Austria

10 MOST MISERABLE COUNTRIES
Zimbabwe, Armenia, Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine, Albania, Iraq, Bulgaria, Georgia, Russia

We're so happy in Ireland, we're in the top 10 twice!

PopeLeo said:

Iraq ranks amongst the most miserable?
This cant be right. Must be a misprint.
[Edited 7/2/08 6:12am]

okay so if gas is going up to $5.00 per gallon how much will happiness cost comapred to that??

XxAxX said:

In the Netherlands gasoline costs at least $8.00 per gallon, we're still in the top 10 happiest countries....

Oh wow, I am living in one of the 10 happiest countries .

Serious said:

I should have moved over to your country.

shanti0608 said:

Oh yeah you should have .

Serious said:

You probably have better food.

shanti0608 said:

Oh yes we do .

10 MOST MISERABLE COUNTRIES
Zimbabwe, Armenia, Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine, Albania, Iraq, Bulgaria, Georgia, Russia

correct me if I'm wrong but that's a lot of former Soviet countries.

PopeLeo said:

I totally understand why people in the Netherlands are 1 of the happiest countries.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Little hard to be cranky, isn't it?

meow85 said:

Mushrooms are going to be outlawed.....next up: pot....I hope!

The Netherlands needs to get rid of this fuckin' drug-image!

abierman said:

it won't stop people from doing it

NDRU said:

Exactly. Might as well decriminalize the use of it "EVERYWHERE IN THE STATES"!

abierman said:

I hope it's not, actually. Criminalization never made sense to me. It's about as useful and productive as Prohibition was. Though I'm not a heavy smoker myself, tending to limit my use to only occasionally as a social thing, I'm very much pro-legalization.

The illegal marijuana trade is one of the biggest fuelers of organized crime in Canada. Legalize the weed, monitor the production and sales of it the way other substances are, perhaps put an age limit on it, (18 or 19 years old would be reasonable IMO) and tax it, and not only would the base market for Big Crime be wiped out, but BC would finally have a way to pay for these stupid fucking Olympics that we apparently needed so direly that funding had to be diverted from education and health care to pay for it.
[Edited 7/2/08 16:26pm]

meow85 said:

Being Dutch myself, I'm just sick & tired of being confronted with the fact that we're so liberal about it. Wherever I come and tell that I'm Dutch, 9 out of 10 times there'll be a spliff-mention.....it's fucking annoying! As if we're all stoned all the time, walking around like zombies.
Sure, you're right about the criminal aspect, it is the same here since we have a double standard about it: it is NOT legal here, only tolerated.....which makes it even more stupid!
The age-thing.....well. is the drinking age in the US preventing kids from drinking?? Don't think so.

Your post responding to Miguel's statement is the perfect example of what I have written above....I don't know whether you've been here, it makes me feel sad about my country as apperently this is the one thing that comes up in people when the Netherlands is mentioned.....if you have been here, it makes me even more sad.....it would mean that you were spaced out and were walking around like a zombie, not being able to see what more there is to offer here.....
[Edited 7/2/08 16:33pm]

oh, and believe me, I'm no saint.....I've had my share of pot as a teenager! I just think people are stupid to use that shit when older!

abierman said:

I have been a few times. I'm sorry if my comment struck you the wrong way though.

I didn't indulge any of the times when I was there though. Why bother? I'm from British Columbia -the Netherlands of Canada, in terms of drugs, at least. It is illegal here, but unless a person's got a sizable grow-op, the police more or less tolerate it, leaving their attention to more pressing matters. BC Bud is reputed to be some of the highest quality in the world, and most of the people here have at least tried pot, even if they aren't regular smokers. Believe me, I understand about the reputation. We've got our share of drug tourists too.


As far as the legal age for drinking goes, I don't think it should be as high as it is. Countries with lower drinking ages tend to have lower national levels of alcoholism than those with higher ones, mostly because there isn't an "adult" mystique attached to the product. Generally speaking, when booze isn't seen as a way to look grownup or to rebel, young people are less likely to abuse it and less likely to be setting themselves up for a lifetime of addiction. I suggested 18 or 19 as the hypothetical legal age for marijuana only for the sake of consistency.
[Edited 7/2/08 16:43pm]

Rob Van Dam is stoned all the time. He's in his mid-thirties. I kind of admire his outlook on life. He's just sooooo.....what's the word I'm looking for.....ZEN! But, I can see where abierman is coming from within that aspect. There can be a bit of an overindulgence, I guess. But it never hurts.

meow85 said:

no worries, your comment didn't strike me wrong! And I agree with most of what you say. But fact is, unfortunately the majority of people who see the Netherlands as an 'indulgement-heaven' don't have a clear view on things like you seem to have. A lot of people just come here to get stupid, and that's all they take.....that sucks! I'm sure you know that there is a lot more to offer here.
There is a legal-age set here on pot, I believe it's 16...... I don't know how well it's being enforced.
Just 2 days ago, a general smoking-ban has been enforced in bars, clubs & restaurants.....come to think of it, I don't really know how the coffeeshops (where you can buy pot) are dealing with it!

meow85 said:

I wasn't talking about the drugs.....but you do have a point.