Happiness. Everyone’s searching for it. And everyone has
their own idea of what it is.
According to Webster’s English Dictionary, happiness is
defined as the state of well-being and contentment or a pleasurable or
satisfying experience.
I’ve felt happiness and I’ve seen happiness. I would like to
say that I’m a fairly happy person but I’ll admit, sometimes that happiness can
come from the wrong places or things.
Some of the happiest people I’ve met in my life are those
who have the least materially or have gone through enormous struggles. They are
the people who have been dealt a “bad hand” so to speak.
So this made me wonder. Considering the fact that North
Americans on a whole have more materially and financially than people in
different areas of the world, how does our overall level of happiness compare
to those who are living in developing countries?
The data from the Happy Planet Index 2012 uses three factors
to calculate overall happiness per country; life expectancy, well being and
ecological footprint.
Out of 151 counties, Costa Rica was rated the happiest. They
have a long life expectancy, the overall well-being of their people is high and
their ecological footprint is very low. (I think it’s safe to say that I now
want to live in Costa Rica!)
Canada placed 65th on the list with high life
expectancy and high well-being but a high ecological footprint to go with it.
The United States placed 105th. The life
expectancy and well-being were both good but the ecological footprint was almost
humourously high. On a scale of 1 to 10,
the USA’s ecological footprint was a 7.2 compared to Costa Rica’s 2.5
The country that placed last on the list was Botswana. Their
ecological footprint was a 2.8 (very close to Costa Rica!)
But sadly the life expectancy and overall well-being of
their people was very low.
Honestly, take a look at the list! The link is below. It’s so interesting!!
Picture from Google
This is another fascinating topic, i am thankful we aren't last on that list but this makes me want to go to Costa Rica! Its interesting that countries who have the least money and close communities are so much happier than countries like ours who have everything anyone could ever dream of, we remain so unhappy as a whole and it is because being lonely and having everything is nothing compared to being surrounded by the ones who love you and having nothing at all.
ReplyDeleteI find it mind blowing that the "darkest red" or the most hapiness happens to be a lot in Africa. Now I know not all Africa is poor or in poverty but many parts are and the people are happy. It just shows me that even when you have nothing you can still be the happiest people alive. And Canada who is 65th ? We are move developed then many places in Africa but yet we don't have as many happy people. I take too much for granted. Thanks for the website!
ReplyDelete