So do we naturally place a smile face next to all references of America? Are we a happy camper nation? In the 2018 World Happiness report *USA was ranked # 18 in the field of 156 countries that are part of the study. First is Finland. Last is Burundi. With all it's news craziness Israel # 11 and Costa Rica # 13 get higher scores than our nation. Go figure that. USA was # 14 last year but dropped to 18 this year. May have something to do with the permeating attitude and conditions that helped spark the 2016 election outcomes..maybe..
By many accounts, our smile face index is trending down to frowns.. Why. We are the biggest, kick-ass, fattest, richest MFs in the world - yes? We are on the MAGA path! Where's the smiles?
Well. it's complicated. The best, and only, measure of planet earth happiness is found in the annual report compiled by a bunch of smart folk who look at trends, polls, surveys, analyses, reports and all kinds of data that might paint a picture of emoticonnectivity running the range between happy face nations and tearful ones. The criteria used says a lot about human needs, desires and fulfillment. It's the components that support a feeling of well being for humans that are counted in this measure.
To support "well being" they measure:
- income - who's got it who doesn't - money breeds smiles - erases frowns
- healthy life expectancy - who feels good - who doesn't - why? are we cared for - do we care for
ourselves - good health is positive
- social support - do family and community help folks in need? Are support systems in place with more than shoulders to cry on in
frowning times? knowing one is secure - knowing someone's got your back feels good -
- freedom - are we free - or are we locked up in social and economic confines - are rights equal?
- trust - we all feel better in crime and corruption free areas and where the government that's honest fair is helpful and cares about us and our families.
- generosity - we give more and help more when we feel its meaningful and helpful and when we have something to give thats more than what we need.
Are these things that support well being good things? Should everyone be able to pursue happiness by earning, owning, snagging all of these things?
The countries with the highest scores overall have the most of this stuff ..for everyone.
If you can think of any of the well-being criteria that USA falls short on - and we're getting shorter on all of them every day - think of how we can push the needle in the other direction.
It makes me happy to think we could trend better to smiley faces if we can get more of these well being criteria working better...for everyone.
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