Just In: World Happiness Report 2015

[MOON Ki]

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From SDSN:

Summary
 
Background

The world has come a long way since the first World Happiness Report launched in 2012. Increasingly happiness is considered a proper measure of social progress and goal of public policy. A rapidly increasing number of national and local governments are using happiness data and research in their search for policies that could enable people to live better lives. Governments are measuring subjective well-being, and using well-being research as a guide to the design of public spaces and the delivery of public services.

Harnessing Happiness Data and Research to Improve Sustainable Development

The year 2015 is a watershed for humanity, with the pending adoption by UN member states of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September to help guide the world community towards a more inclusive and sustainable pattern of global development. The concepts of happiness and well-being are very likely to help guide progress towards sustainable development.

Sustainable development is a normative concept, calling for all societies to balance economic, social, and environmental objectives. When countries pursue GDP in a lopsided manner, overriding social and environmental objectives, the results often negatively impact human well- being. The SDGs are designed to help countries to achieve economic, social, and environmental objectives in harmony, thereby leading to higher levels of well-being for the present and future generations.

The SDGs will include goals, targets and quantitative indicators. The Sustainable Development Solutions Network, in its recommendations on the selection of SDG indicators, has strongly recommended the inclusion of indicators of Subjective Well-being and Positive Mood Affect to help guide and measure the progress towards the SDGs. We find considerable support of many governments and experts regarding the inclusion of such happiness indicators for the SDGs. The World Happiness Report 2015 once again underscores the fruitfulness of using happiness measurements for guiding policy making and for helping to assess the overall well-being in each society.

http://worldhappiness.report/

The report:

http://81c27a5d9c3263e8ebcc-2da201d1ba4d5004cb235610c26ba057.r67.cf5.rackcdn.com/WHR15.pdf

(See other links on that page.)

RANKINGS
=======
1. Switzerland (7.587)
2. Iceland (7.561)
3. Denmark (7.527)
4. Norway (7.522)
5. Canada (7.427)
6. Finland (7.406)
7. Netherlands (7.378)
8. Sweden (7.364)
9. New Zealand (7.286)
10. Australia (7.284)
11. Israel (7.278)
12. Costa Rica (7.226)
13. Austria (7.200)
14. Mexico (7.187)
15. United States (7.119)
16. Brazil (6.983)
17. Luxembourg (6.946)
18. Ireland (6.940)
19. Belgium (6.937)
20. United Arab Emirates (6.901)
21. United Kingdom (6.867)
22. Oman (6.853)
23. Venezuela (6.810)
24. Singapore (6.798)
25. Panama (6.786)
26. Germany (6.75)
27. Chile (6.670)
28. Qatar (6.611)
29. France (6.575)
30. Argentina (6.574)
31. Czech Republic (6.505)
32. Uruguay (6.485)
33. Colombia (6.477)
34. Thailand (6.455)
35. Saudi Arabia (6.411)
36. Spain (6.329)
37. Malta (6.302)
38. Taiwan (6.298)
39. Kuwait (6.295)
40. Suriname (6.269)
41. Trinidad and Tobago (6.168)
42. El Salvador (6.130)
43. Guatemala (6.123)
44. Uzbekistan (6.003)
45. Slovakia (5.995)
46. Japan (5.987)
47. South Korea (5.984)
48. Ecuador (5.975)
49. Bahrain (5.960)
50. Italy (5.948)
51. Bolivia (5.890)
52. Moldova (5.889)
53. Paraguay
54. Kazakhstan (5.855)
55. Slovenia (5.848)
56. Lithuania (5.833)
57. Nicaragua (5.828)
58. Peru (5.824)
59. Belarus (5.813)
60. Poland (5.791)
61. Malaysia (5.770)
62. Croatia (5.759)
63. Libya (5.754)
64. Russia (5.716)
65. Jamaica (5.709)
66. North Cyprus (5.695)
67. Cyprus (5.689)
68. Algeria (5.605)
69. Kosovo (5.589)
70. Turkmenistan (5.548)
71. Mauritius (5.477)
72. Hong Kong (5.474)
73. Estonia (5.429)
74. Indonesia (5.399)
75. Vietnam (5.360)
76. Turkey (5.332)
77. Kyrgyzstan (5.286)
78. Nigeria (5.268)
79. Bhutan (5.253)
80. Azerbaijan (5.212)
81. Pakistan (5.194)
82. Jordan (5.192)
83. Montenegro (5.1922)
84. China (5.140)
85. Zambia (5.129)
86. Romania (5.124)
87. Serbia (5.123)
88. Portugal (5.102)
89. Latvia (5.098)
90. Philippines (5.073)
91. Somaliland region (5.057)
92. Morocco (5.013)
93. Macedonia (5.007)
94. Mozambique (4.971)
95. Albania (4.959)
96. Bosnia and Herzegovina (4.949)
97. Lesotho (4.898)
98. Dominican Republic (4.885)
99. Laos (4.876)
100. Mongolia (4.874)
101. Swaziland (4.867)
102. Greece (4.857)
103. Lebanon (4.839)
104. Hungary (4.800)
105. Honduras (4.788)
106. Tajikistan (4.786)
107. Tunisia (4.739)
108. Palestinian Territories (4.715)
109. Bangladesh (4.694)
110. Iran (4.686)
111. Ukraine (4.681)
112. Iraq (4.677)
113. South Africa (4.642)
114. Ghana (4.633)
115. Zimbabwe (4.610)
116. Liberia (4.571)
117. India (4.565)
118. Sudan (4.550)
119. Haiti (4.518)
120. Congo (Kinshasa) (4.517)
121. Nepal (4.514)
122. Ethiopia (4.512)
123. Sierra Leone (4.507)
124. Mauritania (4.436)
125. Kenya (4.419)
126. Djibouti (4.369)
127. Armenia (4.350)
128. Botswana (4.332)
129. Myanmar (4.307)
130. Georgia (4.297)
131. Malawi (4.292)
132. Sri Lanka (4.271)
133. Cameroon (4.252)
134. Bulgaria (4.218)
135. Egypt (4.194)
136. Yemen (4.077)
137. Angola (4.033)
138. Mali (3.995)
139. Congo (Brazzaville) (3.989)
140. Comoros (3.956)
141. Uganda (3.931)
142. Senegal (3.904)
143. Gabon (3.896)
144. Niger (3.845)
145. Cambodia (3.819)
146. Tanzania (3.781)
147. Madagascar (3.681)
148. Central African Republic (3.678)
149. Chad (3.667)
150. Guinea (3.656)
151. Ivory Coast (3.655)
152. Burkina Faso (3.587)
153. Afghanistan (3.575)
154. Rwanda (3.465)
155. Benin (3.340)
156. Syria (3.006)
157. Burundi (2.906)
158. Togo (2.839)

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

Togolese are bitter.  Apparently.

Thanks to Mobutu and ilk the Swiss are laughing all the way to the bank.

It looks like Americans are not as happy as generally advertised.

[Olekoima]

How does this make any sense? Some things are just trivial.

[MOON Ki]

How does this make any sense? Some things are just trivial.

The report includes an extensive discussion.   Reading that might be a good start in getting an answer to your question.   You would also then be in a position to specify exactly what you think is trivial.

Go here:

http://81c27a5d9c3263e8ebcc-2da201d1ba4d5004cb235610c26ba057.r67.cf5.rackcdn.com/WHR15.pdf

[veritas]

Seems to reflect the order of racism based on a white man's survey.

When I studied the philosophy of happiness course, 250 grand income per year made many financially happy- above and beyond- not really. Also commuting less than 20 mins to work- happy. Apparently homogenous countries are happier than multicultural ones.

Surveys like the above can justify genocide. Shame on them.

[veritas]

Australia has the highest suicide rate. I can't recall happy people committing suicide.

[Bella]

Australia has the highest suicide rate. I can't recall happy people committing suicide.

Eggzactly!!! Scandinavians always come out on top but have the highest suicide rates.....Does that make sense? I don't think so. If your depression rates are worse/higher than anyone, I don't see how you get to claim position one on happiest people on earth. First they need to define happiness before claiming that so and so is happiest. We can all agree on "richest" or most developed or having more sex, even "highest living standard" (to a certain degree) but happiest seems like a few people imposing their assumptions.

I think these surveys are trying to define for us what happiness is/should be, rather than actually measuring it. Otherwise, the happiest places should have the fewest rates of people so depressed that they prefer to check-out of that "happy life" provided in that country.

If a survey showed that peoples with more open, honest, intimate connections and social support are happier; or that people with calmer minds and peace of heart are happier etc, I could buy that, but this survey just shows that these countries have fewer poor, that's it. They don't worry about school fees, hospitals etc, but that doesn't mean they don't worry. In fact, some of them seem to have this magical ability to invent ridiculous problems to be depressed over, sometimes.

[Bella]

Personally, just speaking from my experience of 1, and all I have learned, true happiness comes from a deep, genuine, authentic spirituality--full stop. It doesn't even come from money or even a fantastic romantic relationship. No one really has the ability to make another person happy, however great they are and relationships in general tend to improve hen you start placing less expectations on the other person, be it hubby, mom, child, sis etc It's in the heart where it's just you that happiness is. I think humans have been designed spiritual and have a deep need for transcendence. Not a fantastic profession, money, looks or what-have-you.

To me happiness is that peace in my depth that knows I'm loved unconditionally, no matter what is happening in my life right now or what problems I have with people, that my worth is far more than these passing things. It makes it possible not only to "let go" but to be present to the gift of this moment and enjoy the existence I have been given, leading to ecstatic joy, from moment to moment, or at least this deep calmness in the heart/peace, sometimes even the body partakes of that warmth. In December, I was literally enraptured in this weird, exquisite happiness, I felt like I was meeting myself for the first time. It was almost continuous, found I was so grateful for everything, the world looking so breathtaking as if there was a new shade of color on everything. Once, was looking at this magnificent mountain and being genuinely astonished inside that it was there, though of course I had seen it hundreds of times before, and I swear I felt like trees were "alive", tempted a few times to say hello! Lol! Each tree and flower was SOO unique, not just one among many! Just weird. I kept having this thought that I was seated on the palms of an absolute benevolence that loves not just me but the whole world and even loves it through me. Have no idea what I did to lose this state of mind since end of Jan, but I am making changes and slowly but surely, my life is much calmer, happier, kinder.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

Personally, just speaking from my experience of 1, and all I have learned, true happiness comes from a deep, genuine, authentic spirituality--full stop. It doesn't even come from money or even a fantastic romantic relationship. No one really has the ability to make another person happy, however great they are and relationships in general tend to improve hen you start placing less expectations on the other person, be it hubby, mom, child, sis etc It's in the heart where it's just you that happiness is. I think humans have been designed spiritual and have a deep need for transcendence. Not a fantastic profession, money, looks or what-have-you.

To me happiness is that peace in my depth that knows I'm loved unconditionally, no matter what is happening in my life right now or what problems I have with people, that my worth is far more than these passing things. It makes it possible not only to "let go" but to be present to the gift of this moment and enjoy the existence I have been given, leading to ecstatic joy, from moment to moment, or at least this deep calmness in the heart/peace, sometimes even the body partakes of that warmth. In December, I was literally enraptured in this weird, exquisite happiness, I felt like I was meeting myself for the first time. It was almost continuous, found I was so grateful for everything, the world looking so breathtaking as if there was a new shade of color on everything. Once, was looking at this magnificent mountain and being genuinely astonished inside that it was there, though of course I had seen it hundreds of times before, and I swear I felt like trees were "alive", tempted a few times to say hello! Lol! Each tree and flower was SOO unique, not just one among many! Just weird. I kept having this thought that I was seated on the palms of an absolute benevolence that loves not just me but the whole world and even loves it through me. Have no idea what I did to lose this state of mind since end of Jan, but I am making changes and slowly but surely, my life is much calmer, happier, kinder.

I agree.  The universe is too beautiful.  The greatest show on earth.  For free.

[MOON Ki]

Australia has the highest suicide rate. I can't recall happy people committing suicide.

Eggzactly!!! Scandinavians always come out on top but have the highest suicide rates.....

This is a popular myth.    Looking around for compilations on such things, here is the most comprehensive (based on its sources) one that I can find:

http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/suicide/by-country/

Here is another list:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rate


A couple of other points:

* On the whole, it is reasonable to say that people who commit suicide are probably unhappier than those who don't.   But I would hesitate to compare such data across countries.

In some countries, cultural attitudes etc. are such that even people who feel very unhappy will not take the first step.    On the other hand, there are places where it is accepted and even expected in certain circumstances: for example, if Toyota went bankrupt today, the head of the company would probably be  expected to "do the honourable thing, regardless of how he felt about it.  Generally, in places like Japan and Korea, I would not necessarily assume that suicide was an indicator of extreme unhappiness.

*  The aforementioned cultural attitudes etc. also mean that such things are likely to be under-reported in some countries.  (Perhaps because of that, as well as for other reasons, getting reliable data from African countries seems to be generally difficult.)

That aside:

I do agree that perhaps the survey is not really measuring happiness; in its true sense, I doubt that it can be measured. But the survey does seem to be measuring something that is at least related to happiness---perhaps no more than "conditions conducive to happiness".   I can't say what, given that I have no idea of what really makes people happy.    Still, I can say that generally certain conditions are required for most people to have the leisure to see that, say, "Each tree and flower was SOO unique".     

[Bella]

I agree.  The universe is too beautiful.  The greatest show on earth.  For free.

  The older I get, the more I realize that all the essential things are in abundance. Happiness is sooo essential, but for some reason we think it is impossible to find or at least very scarce. I believe (from my experience/learning) that happiness is automatic whenever you have an experience that removes you from your own immediate focus or from the obsessive belief/conviction that you can control life or that you CANT be happy until or unless you can make life just how you like it. That realization of the beauty all around is one way of not obsessing over me, tomorrow etc. The more I realize that it is no one's job to make sure I am happy, and that a great deal of my unhappiness has been (unbeknownst to me) due to my own resistance to life, or at least to less than a full embrace of what IS, the happier I become. I think when Jesus said "Be not anxious for tomorrow" and to observe the birds of the air and flowers of the field as an example of how to live, what he was trying to teach us was that happiness was really a very simple affair. Not complicated at all.                                                                                                                         

[Bella]

Australia has the highest suicide rate. I can't recall happy people committing suicide.

Eggzactly!!! Scandinavians always come out on top but have the highest suicide rates.....

This is a popular myth.    Looking around for compilations on such things, here is the most comprehensive (based on its sources) one that I can find:

http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/suicide/by-country/

Here is another list:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rate


A couple of other points:

* On the whole, it is reasonable to say that people who commit suicide are probably unhappier than those who don't.   But I would hesitate to compare such data across countries.

In some countries, cultural attitudes etc. are such that even people who feel very unhappy will not take the first step.    On the other hand, there are places where it is accepted and even expected in certain circumstances: for example, if Toyota went bankrupt today, the head of the company would probably be  expected to "do the honourable thing, regardless of how he felt about it.  Generally, in places like Japan and Korea, I would not necessarily assume that suicide was an indicator of extreme unhappiness.

*  The aforementioned cultural attitudes etc. also mean that such things are likely to be under-reported in some countries.

That aside:

I do agree that perhaps the survey is not really measuring happiness; in its true sense, I doubt that it can be measured. But the survey does seem to be measuring something that is at least related to happiness---perhaps no more than "conditions conducive to happiness".   I can't say what, given that I have no idea of what really makes people happy.    Still, I can say that generally certain conditions are required for most people to have the leisure to see that, say, "Each tree and flower was SOO unique".     

Thanks for the information on Scandinavia and suicides. I see the Fins have the worst lot among them, followed by Sweden and then Denmark with Norway having the lowest rate (per your first link) I think I might have read an article comparing Scandinavians to other Western countries they had been claimed to beat (in happiness) but that had fewer/lower rates of suicide, and not the whole world as I had thought.

I think we can all agree that having more wealth gives more opportunities, at least for one to discover very fast that money doesn't bring lasting satisfaction. When you are poor, you may not buy this "line" until you have money and are still miserable. But some poor don't need this lesson to know it, just as some rich people still obsess over more and more, never realizing that what they are looking for (and assuming more money will bring) is joy, peace, equanimity, contentment, a sense of safety/security.

At some point in my life, I was convinced that the formular for happiness was one soulmate plus another soulmate, with the right amount of cash (enough for a honeymoon in Seychelles, nice house/cars and good Nairobi schools for kids) equals happiness. I thought I just had to be picky and wise enough in my life choices until I found the right match. Lo and behold, there aint no such thing. No one in this world was created as a means for me to be happy. Everyone is unique and created for their own sake, so that THEY can be happy. Sure, you can be happy together, but it is not their task in life to bring you happiness, so sitting around planning for an event or a situation to shoe in happiness is one sure way to get disillusioned with life, very fast. And possibly make other people crazy in the meanwhile. Throughout the last few years, I have been pursuing a certain career. Now, it's within my grasp and again I discover, it's as normal as the last occupations of the last 5 years, only I may make a tiny bit of money. Some people are naturally wise, they get this quick. Some of us need something more before we wake up. What I am discovering is that save for those instances of genuine suffering (sickness, war, hunger etc), which in a single life (for most people) is not the constant state of affairs, happiness is a mind-shift away, and it is not about money or social status.