What makes people happier?
Source: youtube.com
Who doesn’t want to be happy? I suspect that the majority of the people, if not all. What is happiness? That is the question - Shakespeare would say. For others, it’s a health, for others a happy family or a large sum in your account. Who is the happiest in the world, Chinese and Danes? Who is happier - rich or poor people? Let's see what about it we can find on the Internet.
Which nationality is the happiest?
On the Internet we can find different rankings of happiness. One of them is especially interesting. According to this ranking on the top of list the most happiest of nationalities in the world are Chinese (100 out of 100 points)! Really close is North Korea (98 points). The next places have: Cuba (93 points),Iran (88 points) and Venezuela (85 points). In the bottom of this ranking is U.S.(203. position, 3 points). However I should explain why these results are some weird. This ranking is conducted by the government of North Korea…
I'm not sure that it's the true ranking...
According the second one conducted by the Gallup World Poll the leader of happiness is Denmark (82% of respondents). Followed by Finland (75%), then Norway, Sweden and Netherlands. Poland is 56th, North Korea isn't rated in this ranking. (Probably it would be one of the last countries…)
More information: http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/14/world-happiest-countries-lifestyle-realestate-gallup-table.html (Gallup World Poll), http://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/articles/153551/20110527/north-korea-happiness-index-rank-china-top-us-bottom-photos.htm (North Korean ranking)
Beautiful people are happier. Why?
According the economists at the University of Texas-Austin more beautiful people are happier. Why? The answer isn't difficult. These people earn more money in easier way. They can get married with another attractive person. The reason of this situation is not using cosmetics, wearing branded clothes or doing plastic surgeries. The most important is shape of face, its symmetry and generally appearance.
“The majority of beauty's effect on happiness works through its impact on economic outcomes.”
Ok, maybe sometimes this law doesn't work...
The role of media
Media is really important in our life. We have contact with them almost all time - at work, in free time, in the holidays, during shopping we are attacked by various kind of media. Our behaviours and moods is shaped by radio, TV, newspapers and Internet. Almost all media give for us nearly only bad and sad information. I found great example. Why Canadians are happier than Americans or British? Because the media in Canada give more positive information! For example - Huffington Post has three editions. In UK and U.S. information are more sadder and scarier than in Canadian version.
Does religion have influence on the perception of the world?
According to an article on the website "news.discovery.com" people who regulary participate in religious ceremonies are more satisfied with life than others. It hasn't connection with belief or spirituality. During ceremonies people make a relationship between each other. They feel safer and more comfortable in the group.
I consider that it's something more than relations. When people belive in God or something stronger than common man, they know they have a huge support in the harder moments in their life. The praying gives a moment of breath, when our life is really fast.
Do I have something what makes me happier?
I've got a few kinds of these things. The first one is travelling. I love it. It's for me way to take a relax, deep 'breath' and load a new energy to new activities. The second way to make me happier is cooking. (You could try my raffaello ;]) Preparing good food is sometimes not easy. I love to cook, because then I run my fantasy. Combine flavors, try new ways. Cooking is also stressful, especially when something isn't working. However it gives me really big happiness!
What is for you happiness?
Do you have something what makes you happier?
What do you think about Poles? Are we happy nation or not?
Thanks for your attention!
Maybe I start from the end ;)
ReplyDeleteAccording to rankings Poles are not leading among the the happy nations. But in spite of all defects of Poles, despite our complaints, numerous problems and disputes, I like Poland with its advantages and disadvantages. :)
I also like what you wrote about faith and its influence on happiness. Faith gives strenght and sense of safety, rescues from loneliness... And that is enough to feel happy.
I see happiness in every minute which I can spend with people who I love, in every moment of joy. Sometimes, when problems come, it's hard to see that you are a lucky man. We are healthy, we have a loving family, we can make our dreams come true... Others don't have such luck.
I recently read a nice quote, which I think is very true.
"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..."
Look at your shoulder... maybe butterfly is already there? :)
Gosia, nice quotation with this butterfly ;d I like it! I share your opinion linked to the faith. I wish I had such strong faith, which would give more sense to my life :)
DeleteDamian: What do you want from Gate's outlook? :P
It's hard to say about a nation from which they originated. I think poles are happy despite the problems that they have. Everyone has thing or things what make them happy. For me these are the my girlfriend and relatives, computer games and good food. What is hapinnes? It's a difficult question and I think that everyone has their own answer for this question.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that the Poles are not very happy people. On the street, you rarely meet a person smiling.
ReplyDeleteI am happy when everything is going my way and when my life does not have serious problems. I am an optimist.
Very nice presentation! Really! I had no idea that beautiful people are happier , I think it is not so obvious. Happiness for me means famyli and friends, this is priceless. I agree with the author that travelling makes me happier, definatelly! I love visiting new places, I love beautiful views, different people, tastes, sunset... Then I stop for a while and think : God the world is so wonderful :) I tink Poles are not a happy nation. They are always complaining, they dont like each other.. this is very sad.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I read that Poles are sad nation I think about "Kwiat kalafiora" - a book wrote by M. Musierowicz. The characters started action called 'Expermental signal of goodness'. They were walking down the streets and smiling to the other people and than making conclusion if Poles are smiling. As I remember, they rarely did there. But now - maybe something change, I should try ;)
ReplyDeleteEveryone has something what makes him happy and it doesn't matter where does he come from. It's important to have something what make us happy.When we are happy, everything looks easier! When we are happy, we got strength and motivation to act.. we could do almost everything what we want!
ReplyDeleteThis presentation is really nice!:) when i read it i was surprised that beautiful people are happier!!! i think that it is not the whole truth. Information which did not surprised me that the most happiest of nationalities in the world are Chinese North Korea, Cuba, because this is a kind of belief, culture,style life and conscience, which causes that they are happy no matter how bad it is,it is forced upon them from above.
ReplyDeleteDo I have something what makes me happier? i have something like that, for me is watching a tv series!:)
I try to answer for all your questions.
ReplyDeleteWhat is for you happiness?
Everything what makes smile on my face and my relatives, what let me live and wake up every day. Happiness is a immaterial thing. We can only feel it. And I feel it :)
Do you have something what makes you happier?
Of course. I think, everybody has :)
When I work very hard on STH for long time and I get a success it makes me very happy. I am always happier when I meet with my friends and I know that everything is good with them.
What do you think about Poles? Are we happy nation or not?
Unfortunately, I think we are not really happy nation. When you watch TV, we always hear plenty of complaints from people. We should happy from what we have.
I think that Poles are rather not happy people. Very rarely we can see on the street people smiling to strangers. Maybe we are happy nation but for sure we don't show it. Very often we complain and argue with others. I think that people should be more optimistic and enjoy life because than everything is much easier and we are happier.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I would like to say that there is many definitions of happiness. Secondly, different things can makes us happy. For me the most important is friendship and love.
ReplyDeleteMy friends always give me the strenght and bring about that the world seems to be better.
Also very important is influence of religion. Religon gives me the hope and edifies my morality.
What is more, I think that also the very important aspect is othe power of positive thinking. So think lucky and you will be lucky;)
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ReplyDelete,,Happiness" is very elusive word. It is a special feeling. It is something what are suppling energy and cause, that we are forgoting about all bad things. Happiness for me it is my family, friends and my boyfriend.
ReplyDeleteWhen I feel not so good or something are dumping me I am talking with my friends. They have a special sense of humour so they always cheer up me.
What about Poles? I agree with Joanna - Poles is not happy nation. They are pessimists and they forget about that: ,,The most important in the life is spontaneity":)
Hmm, I think that happienes is very important in our lives, but what we schould do for happienes? I'm a person who are working, studying I have my scout team and haven't much time for relaxing at home. But after all I think that my family make me happy and of course my friends. I wont to go to the sleep and could tell that it was a good day, day - which make me happy.
ReplyDeleteThere is no one definition of happiness. For any 'happiness' will mean something different. Poles aren't perhaps the happiest, but remember it is only statistics! In Poland it are getting better in spite of appearances. I think it affects our mood is also the weather. We need more sun :)
ReplyDeleteFor me, happiness consists of health, family, peace, and of course passion. I think that a man who hasn't a passion, isn't growing and stays in place. What I do to feel better? As has already been written, I also like traveling and it is good to meet up with friends. But above all, I'm watching films. Cinema is my greatest love. Movies allow you to break away from reality and for a moment forget. Besides, I like good books, food and long walks with my dog.
I think think that Poles aren't happy nation. We are usually really serious and we aren't spontaneous. Of course, it's like stereotype, but it has a big part of truth. I compare with other nationalities. Spanish are more joyful than Poles, for examples.
ReplyDeleteEveryone has his own definition of happiness. My passion is dancing, so it bring me a lot of happiness. People sometimes only explain about evrything waiting for someting incredible in their life. It is no good way. You should take life in your hand to be really happy!
ReplyDeleteRecently I read a book about happiness and I found out some interesting thing about this issue. First of all, In every language is really hard to express our positive emotions. We can say that we are happy or we are lucky and what else? We also prefer tell about our misfortunes, troubles - I think that is Poles feature, and only our problems are on the top of topics.
ReplyDeleteEveryone try to find happiness with various things and activities.
The best recipe for this feeling is live in harmony with himself, do what we interested in and just be yourself.
What make me happy? Of course love, my relation with friends, my lovely family, health. The most important for me are relations with people and everything what I can do with them. So I can truly say that I am happy :)
For everyone happiness is something different. It doesn't matter where are you from - you always want to be happy. There are so many ways to be happy as many people in the world.
ReplyDeleteI have recently read a book of George Orwell "Year 1984" - it was about people living in totalitatian state called Oceania. They could only be happy or simply couldn't show that there is something wrong in their lives. They were slaves in their own country. I'm pretty sure that they couldn't be happy, because main character - Smith - found his love, it was obvious that it was happiest time in his life.
ReplyDeleteI hope that I won't live to times that I won't be able to live free in my life.
When someone is saying "happines" I'm thinking about my friends and work. I just need to feel good at free time and be satisfied at work. I think people who do not have an interesting job are frustrated. And if they, do not have a nice social life, they begin to feel unhappy. But I understand that for somepeople work isn't important and they can be happy without ''dream job of their life". It dependes of personality.
ReplyDeletehappines depends of personality. In the same situation one person could be happy while another person could be unhappy. For me happiness means free time without work and parents just me and nice pop music. I think that some nation are more happy than other nations are less happy. In my opinion, Poles are quite happy people.
ReplyDelete