Happiness rising

Despite a rise in oil and food prices the world over, happiness has also risen, reveals a survey headed by the University of Michigan’s political scientist Ronald Inglehart.

The results of the survey going back an average of 17 years in 52 countries and involving 350,000 people showed that the "Happiness Index" was up in 40 countries between 1981 and 2007, but fell sharply in 12 countries.

Denmark is the happiest nation, while Zimbabwe is right at the bottom of the pile.

Not surprising, seeing that Scandinavian countries are renowned for the long-standing tradition of allowing their citizens the freedom of choice. Zimbabwe, on the other hand has gone from what used to be the bread basket of Africa to a country marred by violence and intimidation from Robert Mugabe, who chose to become president for life even though his people suffer sickness and deprivation.

The study which is available on www.ns.umich.edu and will be published in its entirety in this month’s Perspectives on Social Science has attributed the rise in happiness to economic growth in low income countries such as India and China, the democratisation of dozens of medium income countries, a sharp rise in gender equality and a heightened tolerance of minorities in developed societies.

Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Canada are among the 10 happiest countries in the world.

Austria, Belgium, the United Kingdom and West Germany have shown downward trends, while India, Ireland, Mexico, Puerto Rico and South Korea have shown steeply rising trends. The survey clearly shows me that more money in our pockets and the freedom to live our lives as we choose should raise our happiness levels, and yet, other researchers have argued that the happiness gene is inherited and that money does not buy much happiness.

I’ve somehow found out a little late in my life that while the old maxims may ring true, money surely makes the world go around.

And if money does not impress us, then like the researchers we should be asking ourselves: "Taking all things together, am I very happy, rather happy, not very happy, not at all happy?" to find what makes us really tick.

Nirmala Janssen
editor@alnisrmedia.com

xpress4me.com/letters