Long gone are the days when income or GDP per person were used to calculate how well a country was doing. What with countries with high incomes but low levels of freedom (such as Saudi Arabia), or low incomes but exceptional levels of literacy rates (Sri Lanka comes to mind), there was a dearth of a proper measurement for the living standards of individuals in an economy.
Along comes the World Happiness Report, which claims to calculate the happiness of residents in a country. Dimensions involved in the calculation include GDP per capita (yes, it still is important), social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity and trust. Denmark bagged the top spot. Therefore, if you are looking for happiness, we highly recommend a visit to Denmark.
Why are the Danish people so happy though?
In Denmark, health is a civil right. The Danish receive medical care at an average of seven times per year, as compared to America’s four times. Women hold a large number of leadership positions: they are empowered and gender equality is emphasised. In fact, the previous Danish prime minister was a woman. Copenhagen (Denmark’s most populated city) homes bicycle-riders: a good 50 percent of daily trips to and from school or work take place on bikes. This cuts down on carbon emissions and leads to a healthier population.
In Denmark, the concept of hygge is very popular. Hygge means cosiness, intimacy or warmth, and it is used to combat the dreary winter darkness that usually envelopes the area. What’s more, the Danish feel collectively responsible towards one another’s wellbeing and security. Civic duty plus economic security and work-life balance make great ingredients for high rates of volunteerism. They engage actively in the voting process (87.7 percent of the people in the country voted in 2011). Although the country has high tax rates, people pay them confidently with the assurance that the money they are spending will be invested back in them via social security, universal healthcare and a universal pension. This is the high level of trust the residents of Denmark have in their social structure and government.
Some unknown secrets of Danish happiness include the following. The average Dane eats 3 kilos of bacon each year, along with exorbitant rates of coffee, confectioneries and other meats. The Danish love lightings: from candles to lampshades, they can’t get enough of associating hygge with the number of candles around them. Underlying all of these causes is the panacea in the form of hygge. It is an integral part of everyday Danish life and could be the key to their happiness.
Kluchit Team
