From World Happiness Report |
According to the World Happiness Report 2023, Finland is the happiest country in
the world. All the Nordic countries rank very high on the Happiness Index. The
Finns might have found it hard to accept that they are the happiest people in
the world. Because they are rather unsociable people who look melancholic. They
don’t look happy.
But the Finns are the happiest
people, according to the Happiness Report which was prepared after a long and
systematic research. What makes Finland the Utopia of 2023?
First of all, the Finns enjoy the
small pleasures of life. They don’t build luxurious houses, they don’t show
off wealth, and they don’t compete with the neighbours. They don’t spend much
time on the internet and social media. Instead, they spend time in the company
of nature. Their summer holidays are all about living a simple, rustic life. A
country of 56 lakh people, Finland has 32 lakh cottages most of which are
located in forests near one of the 1.88 lakh crystal-clear lakes that the
country is blessed with.
Secondly, the government cares for
the people. There is no corruption in Finland. You get the best of
everything possible from the government: education, employment, healthcare,
security, pension… If you lose your job, your government will give you Rs3 lakh
per month for two years or until you get another job. Education is free. So
everyone gets equal opportunities. The wellbeing of the citizens is the primary
concern of the government. And the citizens are honest too. So they do honest
work efficiently and get more free time. The offices close at 3 pm in summer so
that the citizens can go hiking or swimming which they can’t do in winter. But
no work suffers because of the reduced office times. On the contrary, the Finns
think that working long hours is a sign of inefficiency.
Thirdly, people trust one another.
They cooperate and help one another. In their schools, children are not taught
to compete with classmates but to cooperate. The politicians take public
transport for travelling like the other citizens. The top leaders mingle with
the ordinary people in the streets and parks and such places. The people do pay
high taxes in Finland. But they get excellent returns. The taxes are used for
the wellbeing of the people – not of the politicians and their cronies.
Finland teaches us how we can convert
our own country into a utopia. Make every public institution accountable to the
citizens instead of serving a few elites. And never forget that in the end
every citizen has to play a vital role in the creation of Utopia. The Finns
rank high on civic honesty, trust, cleanliness and modesty. They have great
virtues and high standards of behaviour.
For a country like India whose rank
on the Happiness Index is 126 out of 137 countries, there is a long way to go.
It may be worth remembering that in spite of all our high-sounding slogans
about Achche Din and Amritkal, we are behind Pakistan (108), Sri
Lanka (112), Myanmar (117), and Bangladesh (118) on the Happiness Index.
Creating a utopia will take a long time. Maybe, we can start with a bit of
basic cleaning up in our government: too many of our legislators are hardcore
criminals!
In the last election, earlier this month, Finland chose a conservative right-wing government. I guess, they want to protect their goodness from infiltrating evil. Sometimes, right-wing seems right!
PS. This post is part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023
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Yep. I wouldnt want Finland to be desecrated by outside influence. Even though it's already started which is why they elected a right wing govt. I believe in cleaning our own place rather than hopping off to an already clean place. Since many who do that don't really know how to clean, they more than anything end up dirtying other places too. Fight on Finland~
ReplyDeleteSo true. We Indians have gone too many places with our culture that is not quite commendable.
DeleteI know someone who is Finnish, and can say that the person is the most sorted, calm human being I have known. I too dont mind paying higher taxes, if that is for the benefit of society at large. But I do know it is not possible in Indian sub-continent.
ReplyDeleteWe Indians are still living in some prehistoric times!
DeleteDidn't know so much about Finland. Honesty is an important virtue. If citizens aren't honest they shouldn't expect their leaders to be honest.
ReplyDeleteIt could be the other way too - jaisa raja waisi praja!
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteTrue, all that - except that I am inclined (as Careena hinted) to think that the move right is indicative of something else stirring... Similar in Sweden, which was always high on the happiness list but has been dropping back. The community imperative is essential, though - even the UK is not managing well on that score! YAM xx
Yes, all over the world there's this rightward tilt.
DeleteWonder if Bhutan was considered in this race. Instead of GDP they have GNP - Gross National Happiness. Have been there and found them to be a laid back, happy lot!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't find Bhutan on the index. Wonder why that country was not included in the study.
DeleteFinland sounds like Utopia. indeed!
ReplyDeleteWe can learn lessons.
DeleteI wonder which states here has the happiest people. One thing I like to mention about welfare or gov't taking care of. Here in United States it look down upon.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe.
Isn't the US a sort of dystopia?
DeleteBtw, US ranks 15 on the index. Good score 😊
Delete