Non-motoring > Are we really so miserable? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Crankcase Replies: 18
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New Thu 17 Mar 16 13:09 
 Are we really so miserable? - Crankcase
So, the World Happiness Index has been published. Whether it's really scientific, or like so many surveys, really just a bit of fun open to interpretation might be debatable, but nonetheless, it's vaguely interesting.

Whilst I object to "the UK" being used as a synonym for the country I live in (yet another in my lost battle list), "the UK" doesn't even make the top twenty.

Where are we going wrong? And of the countries that are happier than us, are there any you'd pick to be in? Stick or twist?

www.reuters.com/article/us-world-happiness-idUSKCN0WI0TJ
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New Thu 17 Mar 16 13:16 
 Are we really so miserable? - Dog
>>Where are we going wrong?

Too many immigrunts from the US of €, and the wev of course ;)

>>And of the countries that are happier than us, are there any you'd pick to be in?

Canada, if I had to pick one.

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New Thu 17 Mar 16 13:18 
 Are we really so miserable? - Manatee
Perhaps it's not a total coincidence that the country that pays the most tax is the happiest.

Certainly it's a truism that "having stuff isn't what makes us happy". Putting one's finger on what does create happiness is more difficult.

My working hypothesis is that it is people and relationships that are the most important factor. Maybe that sounds too obvious, but judging by behaviours not everybody thinks that way.
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New Thu 17 Mar 16 13:29 
 Are we really so miserable? - Dutchie
No country is perfect, I have just come back from family in the Netherlands.

Sister lives in Rotterdam south the area has gone down to what it used to be.The flowers in the window are gone and yes immigration has affected the area.

Brother lives in Assen very smart small town.People look comfortable and you can see the town has a high standard of living.

Of course relationships are inported .
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New Thu 17 Mar 16 14:12 
 Are we really so miserable? - Ambo
Of course we are miserable; it's our job.

I would chose France, no better or worse than here overall but intriguing.
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New Thu 17 Mar 16 14:27 
 Are we really so miserable? - Runfer D'Hills
I go to Denmark a couple of times a year on business, and yes, they do seem very relaxed and happy people. A tangential thing which struck me was the way bicycles are routinely left parked in city centres without being locked and seem to be left unmolested.

One of the things my Danish colleagues seem best pleased with is that they can rely on good state pensions.

A sense of the long term being a comfortable prospect must be a factor.
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New Thu 17 Mar 16 14:27 
 Are we really so miserable? - Armel Coussine
We may sound miserable, but we're far better off materially than the vast bulk of humanity.


'Money doesn't bring happiness...'
Perhaps not, but it's a damn good start. Ask anyone whose misery is caused by material poverty.
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New Thu 17 Mar 16 14:57 
 Are we really so miserable? - Armel Coussine
We are one of a patchwork of rich northern European countries. Some (France, Germany, Spain, Italy) are richer than we are in agricultural and mineral (and intellectual) resources. But we have a serious imperial past that we still think is happening, to the contempt and irritation of the other Europeans. They long to see us taking pratfall after pratfall, and we seem all too ready to oblige.

While sucking up to the Gringos just to be on the safe side. It's a deplorable spectacle really.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Thu 17 Mar 16 at 15:00
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New Thu 17 Mar 16 16:53 
 Are we really so miserable? - Roger.
So what made the inhabitants of this small island so rich, while other countries just weren't?
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New Thu 17 Mar 16 16:55 
 Are we really so miserable? - Runfer D'Hills
Not much else to do but work when it rains all the time.

;-)
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New Thu 17 Mar 16 17:50 
 Are we really so miserable? - smokie
@ Roger Pillaging the natural wealth and resource of bigger countries of course...
Last edited by: smokie on Thu 17 Mar 16 at 17:50
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New Thu 17 Mar 16 14:49 
 Are we really so miserable? - Dog
>>I would chose France,

You can't have France rambo b'cos it's not on the Liszt.
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New Thu 17 Mar 16 17:39 
 Are we really so miserable? - RattleandSmoke
I would always want to be the UK, but if I was rich and didn't need a job I would retire to Spain maybe Northern Spain.

If I needed to work then I would choose France or Germany, I would love to live in southern France but the job situation there isn't brilliant. If the UK pulls out of the EU though I have no choice but to live under a Tory invested government.

In a world where the local primary school is run by Virgin and there will be no cancer treatment unless you're rich.
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New Thu 17 Mar 16 17:46 
 Are we really so miserable? - Zero

>> Whilst I object to "the UK" being used as a synonym for the country I
>> live in (yet another in my lost battle list), "the UK" doesn't even make the
>> top twenty.
>>
>> Where are we going wrong?

Too many people whining loudly about inconsequential things, like the use "The UK" for example.
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New Fri 18 Mar 16 08:52 
 Are we really so miserable? - Cliff Pope
Ask yourself if you are happy, and you cease to be so.


Happiness is something you are, not something you have, like a consumer product.

(Erich Fromm - To have or to be)
Last edited by: Cliff Pope on Fri 18 Mar 16 at 08:54
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New Fri 18 Mar 16 08:54 
 Are we really so miserable? - Dog
Happiness is a warm gun.
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New Sun 20 Mar 16 17:34 
 Are we really so miserable? - Armel Coussine
'Happiness is a warm gun Mama

Happiness is a warm yes it is

GU-U-UN

(bang bang shoot shoot)'.

Gotta get the lyric right...

Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Sun 20 Mar 16 at 17:35
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New Fri 18 Mar 16 10:30 
 Are we really so miserable? - Mapmaker
>> Whilst I object to "the UK" being used as a synonym for the country I
>> live in (yet another in my lost battle list),

Why?
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New Fri 18 Mar 16 12:31 
 Are we really so miserable? - Cliff Pope
>> >> Whilst I object to "the UK" being used as a synonym for the country


UK is a country composed of four component sub-countries. I don't see the problem. And nor do the Scots, who recently voted to retain that structure.

Or are you Northern Irish, and complaining about GB being used as the badge of a UK car, when NI isn't part of Great Britain?

Or are you just complaining about the use of an abreviation, like USA or USSR?
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