Denmark and Sweden are some of the happiest countries in the world, but they also have the highest tax rates (unemployment rate, Obama)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Is happiness the most important thing in life? If so why don't we just pull some 1984. We could deplete people oxygen when they are babies, then we'll medicate them their whole lives. Viola! Happiness. That is obviously ridiculous though. Keep in mind that Sweden and Denmark are small countries with small populations. Sweden's population is 9.2 million and Denmark's is 5.5 million. They had very little ethnic diversity until recently. So they have a very family like culture and government. Imagine sharing your resources evenly with your family. It is easy to give to people you know and you can expect the same from them. It is easy to keep track of where the money goes and who is getting what. Now, imagine sharing in the same way with an arena full of people who you don't know and who don't know you. How can you know where your money is going, who is getting the money, and for what reasons. More people would cheat the system and there would be more opinions and ideas that would clash. The United States has +300 million people with extremely differing ideas and ways of life. I don't see socialism working out in the same way it does in Nordic countries. And besides, how do you measure happiness?
I don't know how you can measure "happiness"... one, never believe statistics that measure "emotions" and two, never measure happiness when everyone in the country is overtaxed... they don't know that there is a better place out there... and they cheat on their taxes like breathing air... the government turns a blind eye... and three.. how many countries are in this world? 17th is looking pretty dang good...
I totally agree. What a 'crock', and how DO you measure happiness, anyway?...and "compared to WHAT ?". I always thought of Scandinavians (if I thought of them at all) as rather withdrawn and taciturn. Is that true? I don't know....but there seems SOME truth in it to me. Meanwhile, who are the people I've seen who NEVER seem to let things "get them down"? FILIPINOS !! I don't think I've ever met a depressed Filipino..or one who didn't laugh often..or one who didn't know how to have a good time on a 'tight budget'?
Doe this mean I'm an expert?...no. But I think it makes as much sense as the author of the above study..(which is to say, VERY little !!)....
NOW....what country produces the BEST CHEFS in the world?....(warning: there may be SOME disagreements on this...beginning with what each of us thinks of as "good food"..)...
Or we could reinstitute laws and mandatory behaviors and make everyone go back and act like they were in the 1950's with small houses, inefficient cars, and pay everyone less! Reverse allowing women into the workplace, etc, etc.. Everyone should be happy then... not... happiness is what you make out of life... just because you failed, doesn't mean you should increase everyone taxes so everybody will fail and so everyone would be miserable (or in this case, happy) about it... cause misery = happiness at that point... you shouldn't be trying to decrease the level of happiness so that it equals misery...
That group has 42 members. I don't think its representative. I think people in Norway do not suffer, they have a good life, but maybe someone from Norway is here on this board and could give us some real insight.
When I was in Sweden many years ago, I found the people the be much more relaxed than Americans. They don't have to worry about the things Americans do and they aren't so competitive to keep up with the Jorgensons and Olsons.
If Norwegians love their system so much, maybe we should tax them to give us better health care... according to them, they don't mind paying for someone else's health care... any Norwegian volunteers?
That group has 42 members. I don't think its representative. I think people in Norway do not suffer, they have a good life, but maybe someone from Norway is here on this board and could give us some real insight.
Norwegians are too close to the lulling evil to see it for what it is. Norway needs to be freed by those who know what's best for it.
When I was in Sweden many years ago, I found the people the be much more relaxed than Americans. They don't have to worry about the things Americans do and they aren't so competitive to keep up with the Jorgensons.
Hahaha... that was funny, I liked that... and yet, sadly so true in America... Everyone is so mad at you having something better, there is a deep-seated jealous to covet it with something better...
Hahaha... that was funny, I liked that... and yet, sadly so true in America... Everyone is so mad at you having something better, there is a deep-seated jealous to covet it with something better...
and it's all learned behavior. And people kill for it, die for it.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
