The Real Reason Finns Are So Happy
When UnPopulist Senior Producer Landry Ayres moved to Finland three years ago, he'd heard it was the happiest country in the world as deemed by the UN's World Happiness Report (WHR), but had also heard that this title was...suspect, to put it politely. Both Finns and Americans he spoke to doubted the validity of the report's findings, whether it be based on their exposure to stereotypical Finnish introversion, or their aversion to the concept of an objective "happiness" ranking.
Yet, for the past seven years, without fail, on March 20 (the UN's International Day of Happiness), Finland has been come out on top and been awarded the title. Landry wanted to know why and how: why Finland continues to come out on top so consistently, and how do we even measure how happy a nation is?
While there are valid critiques one can level at the WHR, its findings continue to identify something exceptional about the Nordic nations' ability to foster satisfied populations. Landry was pleasantly surprised to discover that, contrary to simplistic and surface-level explanations, Nordic liberalism clearly explains how Finland and its neighbors top the charts year to year.
His latest video attempts to guide you through the same journey his research took him on; from the WHR’s methodology and findings, through common arguments for doubting them, and ultimately to a place where we can hopefully all take away something that allows us to live peaceful, fulfilling, contented lives.
View it below or on KZhead (and subscribe to our KZhead channel), and after watching, tell us: what does happiness mean to you?
Replace 'happiest' with 'the most content' and there you go.
Exactly that´s even better wotld.
As a finn, i appreciate you explaining this to us as well :P
It should make you even happier.
Safety + welfare state = base nordic country level of "happiness". The addition that brings everything is sauna. I mean it. The Finnish sauna culture is unique and sauna has been shown to both help with physical as well as helping mentally.
Nowadays I refuse to live in any apartment that doesn't have a sauna.
Well that's what I call being happy. I would not want to live in a country where people are homeless or where people don't respect eachother. Trust eachother is important..
Wow, what a great video! This explains brilliantly what most finns already intuitively know. I must link this video whenever the topic comes up online.
Hahahhaaa. like your humor in the end :D But seriously, a good and correct analyses of the bases and preconditions to be able to feel satisfied instead of misery, being the case in here!
Very well done video, kudos!
Good video! I think the one aspect that sets Finland apart from the other Nordics when it comes to scoring high on life satisfaction is our recent history. A part of Finnish mentality is that things could always be worse. Because Finland had such an incredibly shitty 18th, 19th and first half of the 20th century it stayed in our collective memory. I mean, by the time my great-grandfather was 50 he had seen WW1, a civil war, wars in border regions (heimosodat) and Estonia, an armed fascist rebellion (that luckily failed), WW2 where we fought bought the Soviet Union and then Nazi Germany alone, had his nephews and nieces sent abroad for safety, had 11% of the population internally displaced and then needing to pay back reparations after the war. Such a history leaves its mark on generations. Then Finland became one of the wealthiest countries in the world in just a few decades, with a Nordic model that boosted the living conditions of pretty much the entire population. Wealth, security, trust and inclusiveness plus the collective memory of misery means great relative satisfaction.
Very well explained, and funny ending ;-). One of the things you didn't dwell into, is also Finns' very high will to defend thier way of life from violent outside agressions.
Best way i explain it to people is that Finland is the place that allows you to be happy, but doesnt make you happy by default. Coming from a southern country that is directly connected with hospitality and cheerfulness, even though you can get quite a lot of intense and heartwarming moments, the vast majority is depressed and in a bad situation all year around.
Was surprised to see Landry on a different channel.
Sounds like the more purely capitalist a country is, the less likely the majority of people will be happy or satisfied with their lives. It’s too prone to corruption that keeps wealth in the hands of the few, and far more likely to be exploitative of the working class (minimum wages that don’t keep pace with inflation; benefits available only to those who work full-time), as well as competition that keeps racially and ethnically segregated communities from integrating; incentive for the wealthy to buy politicians who keep wealth taxes low - thus undermining faith and trust in them.
stop right there. this has nothing to do with capitalist county. Finnland is a capitalist country - but with much less corruption, and politicians not all working for some industry lobby. So decisions are made for the voters, surprise surprise. It also help to have a real democracy instead of a laughable binary system where you can choose between shit and manure. low corruption and equality - could theorhetically also happen in america. - you would just need to send the whole congress and house into retirement - and recruit idealists ; and allow each a campaign fund of 1000 dollars. ---- once that is doen stuff like social healthcare, cheaper education and equal opportunity would automatically follow. So, not the change of the system - but the enforcement of laws and elimination of corruption. Currently america german and venezuella is on the same level of corruption in my eyes. germany and the us just call it different "campaign fund" instead of bribing... same difference.
Corruption in Nordic countries is lower for many reasons, one of them being that everyone's tax records are available to the public.
If it's about smiling and looking happy, then all these African villages must be number one. We all have seen these happy childrem that's rolling some wheel with a wooden stick wit the most beautiful smile there is.. Just look backwards and see all the other children's that's running after your old Toyota Taxi... They must be the happiest in the world, for, sure
I thing the Finnish happiness is based on some level to the certain amount of introvert nature of Finns. We define for ourselves what happiness means to me personally and try not necessarily achieve some socially accepted description of what you need to have to be happy, like money, luxury and fame. That's why we're not being unhappy for not having gained "the goals", which in this perspective even aren't things that make people happy, and to which most the of people in the world never reach and are unhappy for it, for not reaching the supposed expectations that really aren't our own. I guess there's the answer for a lot of unhappiness in other countries, too.
I am generally happy. For me it's cheap rents even in Helsinki that allow me to use money on other things. Most western countrys have a housing crisis.
From 1 to 10, we don't think 10 is the absolute best kind of life. More like, this is the best I can get so 10 it is.
If you believe in a country with Santa Claus and happy people, you might believe that Finland exists. 🇫🇮
People tend to confuse joy or gladness with happiness. Those are just temporary, whereas happiness is more permanent state of being. It's being content with your life and what you have, not wanting for anything. I find it amusing that people want to overanalyze the matter.
Finland might be the most adaptable country in the world. Finnish man are very state-minded and love restrictions and laws, maybe because they otherwise feel lost.
Finland's alcohol consumption is in the middle of Europe. Watch the statistics in the video "Country alcohol consumption comparison."
Still waiting till people learn about Finland's depression/mental illness rates :D
Having Russia next door gives them a good perspective of how good they have it.
I see a lot of mental issues here in Finland (as a Finn). However, as I've lived in other countries as well, I've realized that Finns are rather unstressed and unworried
Dude,there is al ot sick puppies here! 15years florida open my eyes!
damn, we have our very own florida man. did you bring crack-, and oxi-epidemic with you as well as the great florida educationsystem and mass-homelessnes? At least our sick puppies get help.
Before listening, my guess on your title, alchohol.?
to be quite honest alcohol makes me happy.
Why is liberal democratic pricipals a must? The right is to balance the left. If we go too "far" to any end of the political spectrum it is not good. Balance is the key.
Exactly. That's why I do'n't not see the current rise of the so-called "far right" as some kind of a poison pill as many do. It's like driving a car, sometimes you have to turn left and sometimes to right to find your way.
Who Needs 3x reasons when One will do? Russia has stopped attacking them.
I like how you make immigration and far right sound like bad sides that has impact in happiness? Maybe they are positive sides to have tight community where you can feel safe and trust others? Looking at the Sweden where multiculturalism only causes unhappiness/danger.(no go zones)
sweden otherside, Russia on east. Heaven and hell.
Sweden is an absolute shithole.
I have lived in Suomi for years and l find the Finns gloomy and introverted!
This whole 'happiest country' is such misleading bs. I'm a native and I don't see anyone happy anywhere. People are slightly content, but everyone is complaining about the living cost crisis and the utter incompetence of public finances. This country is going to the tubes. It's easy to be content while there is still free money coming in, but the gravy train is gonna stop eventually.
Congratulations - you really are a Finn! Everything was so good in your critical video, until you started to talk about debt, ageing population, retention of foreigners and so forth... Why on earth do we Finns always try to find a reason for not feeling special or even good? Myself as a Finn, I am so tired of that attitude. But you seem to have adapted to it fully. PS. "Happiness" is a bad choice, as so many believe that it has to do with laughing or smiling etcetera - it really should be "contentment".
Of coarse they are happy,they are far away from New Zealand.
New Zealand is great.
@@hawkingdawking4572It used to be but now many want to get out. Even to Finland.
@@ImForwardlook What's the reason for that?
Right wing politics, mainly heavy cutting looks like something evil but we have to see how finns were on a same board with reality. Finns did vote this, not because they would like cutting but of fear of tomorrow. Of course they will have to step on someones foot but majority want the debt away and have the life quality of early 2000. Honestly I didn't believe they could do it. surprised me.
One of the most suicides in the world. That maby why, because those miserable ones kill them self.
Blatantly false. #38 by 2019 census. Interestingly, USA is higher on the list.