https://runosto.net/eino-leino/hiihtajan-virsia/laulu-onnest...
Tl;dr
1. Finns have no reason to be unhappy
2. moderation (for the people, by the people, when one is not alone, drinking)
Finland sits about middle in the EU on suicide rates.
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/e...
That said Finland is a lovely country to move to. Raising a child here in particular has meant I really appreciate the support, and services/facilities available. From the daycares, onwards.
Sure the taxes are high, but when you have good public transport, good services, and so on it's hard to resent them too much.
I'm not saying Finland doesn't follow this religion..
Oh and no proper healthcare (because you need private insurance from employment or money)
Makes you wonder how Finland can be the most content country in the world
This information can be found everywhere at this point
Note that the scale is calibrated by what the respondent considers possible:
”Please imagine a ladder with steps numbered from 0 at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you, and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life for you. On which step of the ladder would you say you personally feel you stand at this time?”
In some other countries, the bar for that personal “top of the ladder” is set extremely high by more visible income inequality and concepts like the American Dream which suggest that everyone could/should be a billionaire.
In Finland, a prevailing pessimism keeps expectations in check. (You can see examples of this pessimism in sibling comments here.) Good things are a happy surprise, not something you were promised.
Hopefully this will make you even happier!
On the streets, in my anecdotal experience of 1, everyone is happy, friendly, and things are good. There is disagreement but tolerance about politics, and in most cases a assumption of "not bad" faith.
My high school principal once told me - you cannot be happy, nor by extension do anything productive, within 1 hour of reading the news.
I don't own a smartphone, and I suspect that has to do with my narrow experience. But, I really wonder how much the various media outlets are negatively shaping reality.
I don't think many are too fond of the whole "happiest country" label right now
It is all part of this broader wave of newspeak. If you can quite literally redefine happiness, you can redefine anything. Nothing has meaning anymore. You will live alone, you will consume antidepressants, you will be protected from the sunlight, you will not smile, you will not laugh, and you will be happy.
adithyassekhar•5mo ago