# Anyone here who lives in these happy places? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 26, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133 "2010-09-26T19:57:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/1 "2010-09-26T19:57:34Z")
[These](http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/14/world-happiest-countries-lifestyle-realestate-gallup-table.html). Is your home in the top ten or so? What do you think? Go ahead and gush if you like. šŸ™‚ Iā€™m not sure why, but reading that article makes me happy. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/2 "2010-09-26T20:10:23Z")
UK - 17. I guess it makes sense that weā€™re not higher on the list - weā€™re only trully ā€˜happyā€™ when weā€™re miserable. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/3 "2010-09-26T20:19:51Z")
Well, I do live in Canada (tied for #8). Iā€™ve spent more of the last 3 months thinking more about how I can kill myself than how happy I am to be Canadian. I wish I was joking ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/4 "2010-09-26T20:27:18Z")
The happy ones have a sense of security because they have health care and their government does not hate them for needing help. A little socializing goes a long way. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/5 "2010-09-26T20:42:56Z")
Interesting. Panama comes in at number 12, just above the US. I do think people here have it fairly good. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/6 "2010-09-26T20:58:53Z")
Interesting that, in spite of everything going on in Haiti, there are 8 countries that are more miserable. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/7 "2010-09-26T22:53:18Z")
Australia, equal eighth with Canada, Israel and Switzerland. Seems reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/8 "2010-09-27T00:15:10Z")
Weā€™re number 4 (shared)! (Netherlands). ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/9 "2010-09-27T00:19:01Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > UK - 17. > > I guess it makes sense that weā€™re not higher on the list - weā€™re only trully ā€˜happyā€™ when weā€™re miserable. From what I hear from my sister, I think the current economic situation in the UK is pretty hard. At least, getting any kind of decent job looks a lot more difficult than over here in the Netherlands. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/10 "2010-09-27T00:31:32Z")
I find it interesting that freaking Central African Republic (and Afghanistan) rate happier than China. If your country canā€™t beat CAR at basically everything, thatā€™s an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/11 "2010-09-27T05:49:33Z")
We (Dom. Rep.) are in the 40s, two spots below Italy, just below Spain and above France. I guess having the worldā€™s greatest cuisines donā€™t help us much. šŸ™‚ Husband is Danish, Danes are generally happy I reckon. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/12 "2010-09-27T08:19:43Z")
When I lived in Germany, I used to go work in Switzerland (ranked number 8 on this list) 2 1/2 months every summer. Yes - it was a beautiful place and have very fond memories. But I donā€™t think the Swiss were particularly ā€œhappyā€ people. Content and somewhat xenophobic, but they didnā€™t exactly giggle a whole lot. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/13 "2010-09-27T08:33:31Z")
Wait, Israelā€™s in the top ten? I guess weā€™re just happy to be alive. Either that, or thge rest of the worldā€™s a fuckinā€™ miserable place. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/14 "2010-09-27T08:56:57Z")
Happy to see the UAE at #20ā€¦ but how did Turkmenistan get to #18. Iā€™ve been there and didnā€™t think it was a happy placeā€¦ I guess the brain-washing program works well. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/15 "2010-09-27T11:00:28Z")
I used to live in a #6, but have moved to #8. Apparently I like slumming it. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/16 "2010-09-27T11:32:13Z")
> [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](#): > > Weā€™re number 4 (shared)! (Netherlands). Yup. And Dutch chidren are the happiest in the world, apparently. Me? Iā€™m depressed, but I do know very wel that objectively I have it very, very good. ---
**Author:** ![footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footballisplayedwithyourfeet)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/17 "2010-09-27T11:36:45Z")
> [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](#): > > Weā€™re number 4 (shared)! (Netherlands). Me too _high five_šŸ†’ ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/18 "2010-09-27T12:40:42Z")
Iā€™m surprised Bhutan isnā€™t on the list. Iā€™d be interested to see how they ranked, since their government a while back quit worrying about gross domestic product and instead began measuring gross domestic happiness. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/19 "2010-09-27T12:56:58Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > . And Dutch chidren are the happiest in the world, apparently. Somewhat surprising, what with all that standing around with their fingers in dykes. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133/20 "2010-09-27T13:02:00Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > > [@Maastricht](#): > > > > . And Dutch chidren are the happiest in the world, apparently. > > Somewhat surprising, what with all that standing around with their fingers in dykes. They found a way to eliminate all that standing around. If youā€™ll look closely, youā€™ll see that most younger Dutch people have only four fingers on the left hand. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-who-lives-in-these-happy-places/555133.md?page=2)