the world happiness survey - how to explain?

Question

recent world happiness surveys, done by the lse, the london school of economics, comes up with happiest countries bangladesh, nigeria, columbia - and usa 46th - what gives?

is it that happiness is much more related to equality than to wealth opportunity? is it that people feel happy when others around them are in the same boat, regardless of whether the boat is low in the water or high?

[in poverty, most are at the same level - in extreme wealth/poverty, there are few at the same level, and others at different levels are very visible - those at higher levels are demoralising, those at lower levels frightening]

or is it that bangladesh is on the way up, and people feel hopeful, whereas usa is on the way down, and most incomes are on the way down

and how much is it to do with the microbanking grameen thing in bangladesh? how many people does that affect in some way? most of them?

Answer 1

I'm from bangladesh. My point of view is when a deprived person have even a small achievement, he feels very happy. In bangladesh the difference between rich and poor is so high that poor can never wish for anything good for themselves. So they are happy with the little they have. People are happiest when they are happy with what they have. I think thats why Bangladesh people are happiest ( I'm one of them!)

Answer 2

I think, or at least in my own observation of people; happiness is related to equality or feelings of equality. It doesn't seem to matter what the water level is when we are rowing about, as long as we are all rowing about at the same level, we then have a sense of brotherhood, and a sense of striving together for a common goal, this gives us a cohesiveness that makes us civilized....... or at least that is how I see it.
It is when we are struggling at different levels, and so many see the struggle go on in vane, that they become down-trodden and hopeless. Especially in a world where so much value is placed on monitary success; we look around and see others who appear to be floating about with no apparent struggle, gaining much ground at greater speed and distance using little effort and we become discouraged.