Icelanders are very satisfied with their lives compared to other nations, according to a new international poll by Capacent Gallup.
Around the world about half of respondents said they are happy with life; while three quarters of those surveyed in Iceland said they are happy.
73 percent of Icelanders are satisfied with their lives, seven percent dissatisfied, 19 percent neither satisfied nor dissatisfied and one percent chose not to say.
On a global scale 53 percent of people are satisfied with their lives, 13 percent dissatisfied, 31 percent neither satisfied nor dissatisfied and three percent chose not to say.
The research found that there is a massive difference between people’s happiness in different parts of the world. Life satisfaction measured lowest in the Arab countries; where one fifth of people say they are happy. In addition to this, only a quarter of respondents in Eastern Europe reported happiness.
Satisfaction with life runs highest in Africa and Latin America; where two thirds of people say they are happy, RÚV reported.
Although the Gross Domestic Product of the United States is higher than nearly all Western European economies combined, and its citizens are generally more positive about their country’s economic future than most Europeans, Americans are still generally unhappy with life, according to the poll. Half of Western Europeans surveyed said they are satisfied with their lives, but only a third of Americans.
The idea that money cannot buy happiness seems particularly poignant in this instance; and happiness has very little to do with material wealth.
Icelanders are not happy nation, they are just false nation, most of them always answer that they are happy, even if everything collapsing around. They are taught to say so, because they always say that 50 years ago was tough, now is good:) So.. do not trust them:)
Perhaps it depends who asks. If it is done by foreigners or in the name of a foreign agency the answer is partly considered in regards to how outside countries should see Iceland from the Icelanders point of view. So Icelanders like to be nice and are very hospitable to foreigners, because they want people give good reports about their country when they are back home. I find it cute. And statistics are generally not to be trusted in any case.
Don’t know what got into Armani and Stefan. I live in NY but have family in Iceland and visit about once or twice a year. I find Icelanders quite happy. They are proud of their society, heritage, language, culture. They have been rated #1 of 31 OECD nations in Social Justice which rated things like childhood poverty, quality and access to health care, income equality, education. Despite their own financial crisis, they continue to give aid generously to 3rd world countries. Their country is a natural, geological paradise. UNESCO has designated Reykjavik as a City of Literature this year because the Icelanders are so well read and educated. Many of these facts are based on international studies, not surveys of Icelanders. The point is: with a nation that has so much going for it and is so egalitarian, why shouldn’t they be happy. And why are Armani and Stefan so suspicious of that?
Well said foreigner Zuck!!
Sadness in Iceland has always been punishable by law. In olden days culprits were exiled to Akureyri. More recently, they serve out a ternm at the Ópal factory. As test subjects for new, improved candy-flavored liqueurs, many die agonizing deaths. Despondency being harmful to the state, we take this crime very seriously.
Boosting our happiness-quotient is news that Olafur Ragnar Grimsson will not run for re-election, returning instead to his day job at Bæjarins beztu pylsur.
Afram!
Gummi
SORRY GUMMI.
I thought this was for serious comment.
Perhaps having a sense of humour and self-deprecation (Gummi!) is the key to happiness, especially in the face of adversity? I have always found Icelanders, as we say of ourselves here in Scotland, to ‘have a guid conceit o’ themselves’ [in effect a strong self-concept] this being perhaps an essential trait for a small nation, geographically isolated, to make it in the world…
I have it on the good authority that this Gummi is actually an English man posting to amuse him self.
His humour posts are mostly funny but some are in very poor taste.
>The idea that money cannot buy happiness seems particularly poignant in this
>instance; and happiness has very little to do with material wealth.
But disatifsaction certainly does. If you are objectively poor you will be unhappy. ( Modern era leftist ideas also introduced the idea of being relatively poor but that is Socialist nonsense as long as the people got they money by earning it — those people will have pulled every one’s objective level of wealth up — rising tide raises all boats. )
In happiness it’s all about hierarchy of needs :
http://philosophy.thecastsite.com/readings/marilynmonroe.pdf
Same at work. Absence of of good chairs, low pay, makes you dissatisfied.
But having a good chair and good pay will not generally motivate you.
It’s about higher achievements that motivates people.
>I have it on the good authority that this Gummi is actually an English man posting to amuse him self.
Go Fisy!…..you are only a short step away from alleging it’s Brumleys alter-ego….
Terry, regular readers do know this Gummi but this new posters not.
So on subject of happiness that being a very subjective thing — how are people in England now?
I suppose happiness was up after Brown was kicked out but then when saw how much tax payer money he squandered from 2007 until 2010 people are now less happy?
As to happines over here ” friend of Nick+ ” and known genius++ Árni Páll Árnason has lost his cabinet possition in the January 2012 Red – Green coalition reshufel.
+Collège d’Europe in Bruges the elite finishing school for aspiring Eurobrats both there in early 1991- 92. Also alumni are Helle Thorning-Schmidt and Stephen Kinnock ( who met there ).
++Árni Páll Árnason described Nick Clegg as “a very principled politician “. Given Clegg record on for example issue of EU referendums it shows more fine judgement by Árni Páll. As to Clegg being a ” good lad ” probably so as even Daniel Hannnan who does not like Clegg policies and lack of principles agrees having worked with him in EU parliament :
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/100122628/for-his-own-sake-nick-clegg-must-rule-out-becoming-our-next-european-commissioner/
Fisy, I think it depends on the people and where they are from. I’ve seen lots of happy Indians who have absolutely nothing yet they still manage to take care of each other and feed the animals on the streets.
Just being a good person is enough for some but maybe it differs in the western world because there is more peer pressure involved in society. There is more shame involved in being poor. I prefer the Indian mindset, particularly those in the Gujarat region.
Yep, higher achievements motivate people at the end of the day and jealousy, anger, love, lust, hate, fear, survival etc motivate people to achieve greater things if you wanna get all psychobabble about it. Btw who is Gummi?
>” So on subject of happiness that being a very subjective thing — how are people in England now?
I suppose happiness was up after Brown was kicked out but then when saw how much tax payer money he squandered from 2007 until 2010 people are now less happy?
Off topic to talk about England Fisy – but it is a little quiet on IceNews & I’m sure Alex will be flexible, as ever”.
Things are difficult – unlike Iceland.
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2012/01/05/iceland-among-the-happiest-nations/
I have to admire Icelandic stoicism given –
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2011/12/11/icelandic-households-among-the-most-indebted-in-europe/
But that is no doubt because of the foreign investment pouring into the country.
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2011/12/23/eu-paid-iceland-two-billion-kronur/
Given the argument presented by yourself, Bjarni and others, I’m a little perplexed at the lack of comment provoked by -
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2011/12/15/efta-to-take-iceland-to-court-over-icesave/
Perhaps Icelanders are concerned that ‘The Dear Leader Grimsson’ who rallied Icelanders to reject their debt obligation, is moving towards exit stage left, before the proverbial hits the fan?
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2012/01/1m2/candidates-for-president-of-iceland-waiting-on-incumbent-to-make-first-move/
Back to England. I live in Gleggs constituency, and voted for him : (
He is an absentee M.P., based in London with his International Lawyer wife & children. Your link foretelling his possible future as a Eurocrat is entirely plausible – especially given that he has reneged on University student fees, and Sheffield having 60,000 students, most of which live in his constituency!
So things are difficult here Fisy – Scots independence, EU, etc, etc.
But after all – this is an Icelandic news forum, and I would like to see Icelandic comment on bilateral matters EFTA, IceSave, E.U…..
>I have it on the good authority that this Gummi is actually an English man posting to amuse him self.
Englishmen are famous for sedateness, restraint, and decorum. Qualities that I, Gummi, completely lack. We Icelanders are famous only for other, less decorous behavior.
Gummi
Further–I have it on excellent authority that not only are you, Fisy, not Icelandic. You are also not human. Yes, it must be said. You force my hand! The truth must be revealed.
FISY 1.0 was a program created by The University of Chicago at Urbana-Champaign in 1998. It penetrates message boards with a simulacrum so apparently like-like it can dredge up tedious old links and post them in an endless stream of peppermint-schnapps-fueled digressions and infinitely annoying non-sequiturs, peppered with the occasional accusatory delusion.
I am dashing off an angry letter to UC at this very moment.
My happiness quotient has dropped by as much as 15%.
Gummi
Gummi, could you please upload a copy of FISY 1.0, it sounds good. Just stick it on rapidshare if you can and I’ll download it later. Cheers in advance pal ;)
ALL AROUND THE WORLD THE SAME SONG!!, and still they never get tire of chasing their tail!! :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vQaVIoEjOM&ob=av3e
Icelanders will say they are happy as long as the society continues to function, even if it is severely flawed.
In the space between happiness and unhappiness are protests and riots, when they are unhappy they will show it.
The current economic growth is based on minor increase in export,due to the fact that all the Mackerel in the world decided to come to Iceland, and there is a increase in consumption, that comes from 70 bn kr of private pension savings and other savings spent from our pockets.
That money is gone, a enormous amount of home owners are now in negative equity because of loans indexed to inflation.
Politicians and bankers understand numbers to some degree, but not where they come from, so this growth is seen as a opportunity to increase taxes to replace funds that have gone missing. This is slowing the economy down even more.
Terry said
“I suppose happiness was up after Brown was kicked out but then when saw how much tax payer money he squandered from 2007 until 2010 people are now less happy?”
Brown tried to win the elections on his charm, somehow it didn’t work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr9lEPYf4vQ
EFTA and Icesave, that one is in the bag.
And the EU.. Isnt it dead yet ???
>Terry said
“I suppose happiness was up after Brown was kicked out but then when saw how much tax payer money he squandered from 2007 until 2010 people are now less happy?”
Err…No Axel. It was Fisy that said that in a prior post, hence my use of >, and the rest of the post was my response.
As to your other comment Axel
“EFTA and Icesave, that one is in the bag.
And the EU.. Isnt it dead yet ???
Time will tell, but I appreciate your optomism (esp on first point).
Terry did write :
” Given the argument presented by yourself, Bjarni and others, I’m a little perplexed at the lack of comment provoked by -
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2011/12/15/efta-to-take-iceland-to-court-over-icesave/ ”
EFTA Court is not an EU kangeroo court. By the time this gets its way through, the Landsbanki adminstiration will be nearing 50% through and the money from that on hand to pay back what needs to be paid.
Because case is not as open and shut as EFTA Suivellance Authority reasoned opinion may seem on first reading expect a reasonable out come.
The outcome for EU banks and the Eurozone is far less reasonable and predictible than the outcomde of this case for Icelandic state and us tax payer.
“> So things are difficult here Fisy – Scots independence, EU, etc, etc. ”
I would have thought that Scots will go for devolution max but why not give them they independence. Why not ?
There is not much North Sea Oil in they waters ( if Shetland does go Crown Dependency then even less for an independent Scotland ) so English surely can let them manage and pay for they own affairs.
Scots can keep the pound or even have they own currency ( not sure they will want Euro though by that time ).
As to happiness well many people are having it tight here — but many people are using this as opportunity to start the new ventures like it always is in recession.
Our Red Green governement now no longer restrained by the IMF in country is lurching from one puppet show to another — and doing all they can to waste money and time on EU application and they pet projects.
But individual Iceleandic people are seeing that things are not as bad as they could be.
Do you think Alistair Darling will become new leader of HM opposition when Edward Milliband is deposed as leader of UK Labour party ?
Gummi wrote :
” Englishmen are famous for sedateness, restraint, and decorum. Qualities that I, Gummi, completely lack ”
That is because you are in character.
“[a] simulacrum so apparently like-like it can dredge up tedious old links and post them in an endless stream of peppermint-schnapps-fueled digressions and infinitely annoying non-sequiturs, peppered with the occasional accusatory delusion. ”
” Gummi ” I have missed your posts too !
WE do not want it to be boring here for the readers of IceNews.
But most of all ( and I am glad to see Andy posting again ) I do wonder what has happened to Mike UK Nordic ANalyst.
Is he still working with Barclays ? What does he make of the Eurozone mess and all the things going on now that Lee Buichet did mention.