Trust and strong social bonds can make you happy

Question

Hi dear Everybody,I have just bumped into a very interesting article on the net, what is about Icelanders, who ranked out as the happiest and healthiest nation in the world. The article is a bit long, even so it is worth to run it through. It may help all of us to see things a bit different and make more "social connections" in order to live a much happier life You can see the article under the following link:http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/08/iceland-superlative-happiness-on-a-cold-little-rock/261005/#.UCe5UXmqd38.emailI am curious, how do you think about the theme?Have a nice life,Eszter

Stormy · Accepted Answer

This is quite interesting - but Iceland is third on the list. Quote from the article: Iceland ranks as the third happiest country in the world -- just behind Denmark and Costa Rica...

Every year I read a new article that ranks the country I live in, as the most happiest place on earth. So the first thing I always ask myself is: Am I happy? Am I generally content with my life? And I always come to the same answer: Yes, I am.

I live in a cold place - much like Iceland here in the article. A cold rock, where people usually tend to themselves and doesn't really get in to other peoples business.

Every year these articles become more detailed. We learn more about what makes us happy, and the statistics behind the meassurement of happiness. This year I read that some of the reasons why we are happiest are these:

1. A well-fare system, which makes sure we don't have to go around and be concerned of what will happen if we loose our jobs, or if we have to go to the hospital.

2. The difference between rich and poor. For some reason the less of a difference there are between the rich and the poor, the more happy the country is.

3. Topics which tend to get out of hand, like religion or politics are something we keep to ourselves. We don't care what you vote for, or who you believe in or don't believe in, as long as you keep it to yourself. So the things that can get people into huge arguments, are usually kept to ourselves or within a very few people around you. Thus - less huge arguments = more happiness.

4. Trust. We are a people who trust eachother. We are also a people who will not tolerate injustice, corruption, or unfairness to those who can not stand up for themselves. We have the highest taxes on the whole planet, and yet - we pay with delight. We know every step of the way, what our money is being used for; and we can see that this is working, for the greater good of the whole country, in which we tread our happy feet onto every day.

That was it for me - a happy Dane.

Trust and strong social bonds can make you happy

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