Recently, talk show hostess, Oprah Winfrey visited Denmark with the quest to find out why the Danes are so happy. She visited several families and concluded that Danes were the happiest people around because they didn’t have to worry about health care or sending their children to college because ‘everything’s paid for’.
But her viewers questioned just how happy Danes can be when taxes are so high in order to pay for the ‘free’ education and health care. In addition, it was pointed out that from the latest happiness survey, other Scandinavian countries with ‘free’ education and health care did not even rank inside the happiness top ten.
Indeed poorer countries such as Bhutan and Bahamas which have large differences in wealth distribution are among the top 10 happiest nations. In developed countries, reported levels of happiness do not increase with income. So a paradox exists….
Economists and psychologists alike have seemingly focused too much on income, wider economic and social political environments as the reasons for happiness. While these areas may contribute to establishing a baseline that most Western countries have, subjective concepts such as ideaology, feelings, beliefs, and desires may be the true key to happiness.
Is it possible that a life philosophy based on a special set of unwritten laws is the secret? I think so and let me tell you why.
The Laws of Jante may explain why Danes lead the world in the happiness rankings and have a unique mechanism for managing expectations and ‘keeping it real’.
Focusing on other attributes in life such as community, family, leisure time, environment and free choices are keep trademarks of Danish society and happiness.
It is possible for all of us to step off the material treadmill which goes to nowhere – make better and wiser priorities by learning to live like Danes (without moving to Denmark)?
6 Comments
Your quest is noble and very interesting to follow – keep the posts comming.
Ufortunately most Danes have jumped the material treadmill and the current government is treading fast in that direction. They are quite fond of the ‘everything is bigger’ side of the USA, to say the least.
But I find The Laws of Jante very healthy when it comes to working culture and hieraky. The communication is straight forward and you can build a team of danes from all levels and start the project emmediately.
But all of that is changing fast in a very material and competative world.
So what do the Danes have to offer to the rest of the world and how can they resist trading of happiness for materialism??
It’s possible, but not probable, dear Sharmi
The happines of danes is an enviromental attribute stemming from small social communities , somehow they have a natural instinct for fresh jest and humor, they don’t take life too serious , they are generaly good cratfsmen and predominantly take great pride in their work , as the old saying goes, busy hands are happy hands.
I don’t understand why anyone has to “study” why people are happy. That makes it seem like it’s an anomaly!
Wow, sharmi. What an interesting project. Looking forward to hearing more….
Thanks for all your very interesting comments.
Dear Jennifer — I think it is a good idea to reflect on happiness, especially when it is such a phenomenon like it is in Denmark. My goal is to explore and possibly explain it and therefore allow others to also find joy….I don’t think you need to live in Denmark to be happy like a Dane. But let’s see.