The happiest place on earth? It's Denmark-a "post consumerist" society......

[Lorien]

Denmark: The Happiest Place on Earth
Despite High Taxes, Danes Rank Themselves as Happy and Content
By BILL WEIR and SYLVIA JOHNSON

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=4086092&page=1

Jan. 8, 2007—

Disney World claims the distinction of being "the happiest place on earth," but if you're really in search of human bliss, you'd be surprised where you'll find it.

Is there a place where people facing the daily grind of life are somehow nudged by their surroundings or their values or their government into being the happiest people on the planet?

You might expect that place would be a tropical paradise with warm sand and soft breezes. Or a Mediterranean village with sun-kissed vineyards. Or the United States -- land of the free and home of the brave. But if you use social science techniques, you'll find some surprises. A paradise like Fiji comes in more than 50 spots below Iceland in happiness rankings. For all its style and cuisine, France and Italy rank well below Canada. And while the United States may be the richest and most powerful country, when it comes to happiness, it is only No. 23.

For the past decade, social scientists and pollsters have given elaborate questionnaires to hundreds of thousands of people around the globe. Two of the largest studies that rank the happiness of countries around the world are the World Map of Happiness from the University of Leiscester and the World Database of Happiness from Ruut Veenhoven of Erasmus University Rotterdam. All the happiness surveys ask people basically the same question: How happy are you?

"The answer you get is not only how they feel right now, but also how they feel about their entire life," explained Dan Buettner, who has studied happiness and longevity around the world through his Blue Zones project Buettner said that if you mine all the databases of universities and research centers, you'll find that the happiest place on earth is ? Denmark. Cold, dreary, unspectacular Denmark.

Working to Live

Denmark is a place where stoic locals wear sensible shoes and snack on herring sandwiches. Sure, they produce the occasional supermodel, but its most famous countryman may be the late entertainer Victor Borge.

Could the Danes really be the happiest people in the world? When ABC News anchor Bill Weir traveled there to find out, he asked random Danes to rate themselves in terms of happiness, on a scale of one to 10. Many people rated themselves at least an eight, and there were several nines and 10s. Finally, one grouchy Dane came along who said she didn't believe Danes were so happy. But then she quickly conceded that she herself felt rather content with her life, and said Danes in general had very little to complain about. Danes do have one potential complaint: high taxes. The happiest people in the world pay some of the highest taxes in the world -- between 50 percent and 70 percent of their incomes. In exchange, the government covers all health care and education, and spends more on children and the elderly than any country in the world per capita. With just 5.5 million people, the system is efficient, and people feel "tryghed" -- the Danish word for "tucked in" -- like a snug child.

Those high taxes have another effect. Since a banker can end up taking home as much money as an artist, people don't chose careers based on income or status. "They have this thing called 'Jante-lov,' which essentially says, 'You're no better then anybody else,'" said Buettner. "A garbage man can live in a middle-class neighborhood and hold his head high."

Indeed, garbage man Jan Dion says he's an eight out of 10 in terms of happiness. He said he doesn't mind collecting garbage for a living, because he works just five hours in the morning and then can spend the rest of the day at home with family or coaching his daughter's handball team. Dion says no one judges his choice of career, and he actually loves what he does because he has many friends along his route. It makes him happy when he sees the children who wave to him and the old ladies who bring him cups of coffee.

Josef Bourbon, a carpenter's apprentice, is also happy with his choice of career and enjoys the work. "I think it's about building something, seeing what you've worked on the whole day -- you can see what you've done," he said. On weekends he likes fish and hunt or play with his new puppy.

Don't Worry, Be 'Hygge'

Bourbon is another example of Denmark's unusual social structure, because he happens to be a prince. Descended from a Danish king and related to the royal houses of both Spain and France, Bourbon has chosen to be a carpenter's apprentice, and he rarely discusses his lineage with anyone. Not even with potential dates when he's out on the town.

In all likelihood, Bourbon will probably just keep up his current cozy social life, hanging around with friends and family who live nearby. Danes even have a name for these kind of gatherings, calling these intimate and spontaneous get-togethers 'hygge' (pronounced "hoogey").

Hanging out with other Danes just may be their happiness secret. Ninety-two percent of Danes belong to some kind of social club, dancing, singing, even practicing laughing with other Danes. Get a few people together who enjoy model train building, for example, and the government will pay for it. In Denmark, even friendship is subsidized.

And Denmark is what is called a "post consumerist" society. People have nice things, but shopping and consuming is not a top priority. Even the advertising is often understated. Along with less emphasis on "stuff," and a strong social fabric, Danes also display an amazing level of trust in each other, and their government. A University of Cambridge happiness study found that both kinds of trust were higher in happier places.

In Denmark, you can see trust in action all around you. Vegetable stands run on the honor system, mothers leave babies unattended in strollers outside cafés, and most bicycles are left unlocked. And perhaps the bicycle is the best symbol of Danish happiness. Danes can all afford cars, but they choose bikes -- simple, economical, nonpolluting machines that show no status and help keep people fit.


Related video at the above link. So, what can we learn from the Danes? Can ANY of their successes work here?

[bronxiteforever]

1. Thanks for posting-great article!

[SmokingJacket]

2. I have a Danish friend, and I have to say, though one person is a small

sample, she's incredibly generous, friendly, kind, and smart. Her favorite thing to do is cook for a huge motley group of people.

The only thing that pisses her off is George Bush!!

[lostnfound]

37. My Danish friend is warm, intelligent, and light hearted.

A member of a book group that unfortunately I stopped finding time for. But I do miss her. I need to call her to celebrate on Nov 5.

[derby378]

3. I think America could benefit from a little Danish post-consumerism

It's okay to have nice things, but we shouldn't turn them into some kind of status symbol.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Socialism! Aauugghhh! Thousands of frantic Danes sneaking into the U.S.,

desperately trying to escape from that socialist hellhole...



Oh. Never mind.

[Lorien]

7. You don't see too many of them over here, do you

lol!

[SammyWinstonJack]

32. Why would they come over here? I want to live there, among them.

[Aviation Pro]

5. I've been to Copenhagen and I can attest to the friendliness....

...of the Danes. They easily open up to foreigners and their English is excellent. However, if you go, beware, they are party animals and woe be it to the Westerner who tries to keep up with them.

[rucky]

6. I love Denmark

they do seem happy. I suspect the schnapps help a bit.

[knitter4democracy]

8. And a lot of them knit. Coincidence? I think not.

:)

Still, that sure does sound like a lovely place to live.

[ulysses]

9. they don't have the baggage of a wild west loner mythology.

Their system is too sane for us, I fear.

[starroute]

15. No baggage? These guys were Vikings once upon a time

They seem to have gotten over it, though. In checking around, I find they've even apologized:

http://www.newser.com/story/5920/danes-apologize-for-viking-raids.html

More than 12 centuries after Viking raiders began pillaging settlements in Ireland, the Danish government has apologized for their behavior. The country's culture minister offered the collective mea culpa yesterday in Dublin, where he marked the arrival of the Havhingsten, a replica Viking longboat, after a 1,000-mile journey across the North Sea.

"We are certainly proud of this ship, but we are not proud of the damages to the people of Ireland that followed in the footsteps of the Vikings," Brian Mikkelson said. "The warmth and friendliness with which you greet us today and the Viking ship show us that, luckily, it has all been forgiven."

[ulysses]

16. ok - theirs is somewhat less recent, though.

:)

[eppur_se_muova]

41. Not too many loners on a longboat, I would guess ...

everybody pulls together, or the ship goes nowhere.

[Joe Chi Minh]

60. Exactly. Seen it all! Been there, done that.

[fencesitter]

10. they spend alot of time assembling modular furniture

IKEA?

I read this story awhile back. While marveling the Danish lifestyle and social structure, I quickly realized this would never, ever be acceptable in the U.S.

[electron_blue]

13. No - that's the Swedish LOL

I'd like to give their lifestyle a try. For 50 yrs or so. :)

[The River]

11. Informative Post...Thanks

My only concern in the world is health care. Were
it not, I'd be about 99% ecstatic 100% of the time.

I'd be more than happy to pay another 5 or 10% in taxes
to have a national health plan. It would be worth it
free myself and 300 millions of my fellow citizens from
ever having to worry about affording health care ever again.

[BB1]

12. I think I'm moving to Denmark

from The Netherlands!

[malaise]

14. Vegetable stands run on the honor system

That was my biggest shock in Denmark. Driving through Billund with my brother in law as he looked for new potatoes and seeing all these stands with no people manning them was a culture shock. He just took up his potatoes and left the money.

They could not understand my obsession with locking up the car, closing doors or windows.
My brother in law's father had a medium size chimney sweep business. He is a medical doctor. His hobby is making furniture and damn he makes beautiful stuff. He received free education but it's locked in to the social good. Before he could go to graduate medical school, he worked in the state hospital in Greenland. He only opened up his private practice after another doctor retired and he works in the state hospital at least one weekend a month.

I love how the entire country goes on vacation in summer. They have every reason to be happy people -there's a lot less consumer madness. I saw more people in museums than in malls.

I don't know that I am qualified to compare Denmark with the rest of Europe because I've spent a lot of time there and was able to see everywhere because of my sister and her family and that is not true of anywhere else. Norway and Sweden are pretty cool are so are the Netherlands, but I saw those places as a tourist. I do know England pretty well, but it is nothing like Denmark. The Danes are way more relaxed and significantly less preoccupied with 'class'.

My oldest sister has lived there since 1968. She was born in New York when my parents were returning from England in 1945. She went to College in the US and met him on a holiday in Denmark with one of her Danish classmates. She gave up her US citizenship during the Vietnam War.

[Gabi Hayes]

74. bastards!

when are they going to discover Jesus Christ as their one and only savior?

[Marrah_G]

85. We have little veggie stands like that around here too

[Lorien]

86. It works far better in solidly blue states

than in purple or red states. ;-)

[KillCapitalism]

17. *Sigh* I envy them.

I hope someday we will move toward a society that is similar to theirs, we just have one problem, all the backwards McCain zombies out there.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

18. There are pockets of trust here in the US

Most folks around where I live don't even know where their house keys are. And leaving things around is, well, common too, though not usually babies.

What strikes me most about this article is that it is showing how socialism leads to contentment.

[SmokingJacket]

35. It's true -- I lock my house, but not my car, and sell my chicken eggs

at an unmanned roadside stand. No one's ever ripped me off.

I love that bit about how being a garbage man is a perfectly respectable middle class occupation in Denmark... AS IT SHOULD BE!

[marmar]

19. When I visited Copenhagen, my immediate thought was "Gosh, I'd love to live here."

The wonderful public transit system was based completely on the honor system (similar to Germany and several other European countries).

The city was compact, dense and very walkable....particularly the Stroget commercial area. I believe a third of the people commute by bike.

It was just clean, green and beautiful. ..... They really "get it" - the approach to life.

[Ichingcarpenter]

20. My Kids are dual citizens and live in Denmark

It's pronounced Hoogley not hoogey BTW. Mental healthcare is also not looked upon as a pariah and
is a socialized and used just as readily as physical healthcare is.

As far as bikes being unlocked you don't do that in Copenhagen and petty crime is up
due to the global economic meltdown

Everything else in the article sort of rings true.

The biggest downturn of Denmark?
The weather sucks, even Greenlanders complain and start getting arthritis when they move there.
It has a bitter wind that blows across the peninsula of Denmark from the North Sea.

[Kitty Herder]

21. Kinda makes me wish my ancestors had stayed there.

I wouldn't mind being a Dane.

[JBoy]

22. Contentment with your lot in life is all relative to what you see around you.

I'm not bummed about not having a personal jet pack because nobody has one.

Imagine not spending effort and emotional capital trying to keep up with the Joneses. You could instead just become friends with the Joneses.

[Lorien]

50. It's a radical idea, isn't it?

Our name, the "United States of America", and our anthem, declaration and pledge "One nation, indivisible" "We the People..." "..and to the republic for which it stands..." it all seems so ironic. Americans seem to feel that helping others is unpatriotic. That pure selfishness and individualism is the highest goal of every American...as if allowing one cent to go to someone who didn't "earn" it is the greatest sin imaginable. It's hardly a Christian mindset or belief system. My own family was a perfect example of this; as kids, we were always told that we were on our own and had to rely on ourselves and no one else. If I wanted a ride from my mother to the store for school supplies, I had to barter with her over what jobs I would perform to earn the ride and the supplies. If I wanted something special to eat, I had earn the cash for it, to walk to the grocery, and figure out how to cook or bake it myself-even as an eight year old.This was all done to help us become independent, and we were...except that we also weren't close to one another (no sense of "family" of feeling of being safe and protected), and we grew up feeling like we could never depend on anyone for anything. Maybe that's good if you're an American, but it probably looks odd to the rest of the world, especially since we crow so much about being "united".

[Joe Chi Minh]

61. That sounds grim indeed.

[renate]

84. very well written, and a very sad point you make

It's true, isn't it--somehow selfishness has been made out to be a good and admirable thing instead of a, well, selfish thing.

(I'm sorry about the way that your family's emphasis on self-reliance had the results it did... in a way I can see that your mother was trying to teach you a life lesson, but I can also definitely see how it would make a kid feel unprotected. :( A little kid shouldn't have to deal with that kind of feeling. :hug: )

[reggie the dog]

23. six weeks paid vacation minimum in Denmark!!!!

That would make lots of Americans happy, throw in national health care and affordable universities and well.....

[Diclotican]

28. reggie the dog

reggie the dog

Dam, in Norway we have just 4 to 5 weeks paid vacation.. Well we can't get everything I guess.. But yes DENMARK is a wonderfully place to be, nice, and we can speak to each other without problems.. Danish and Norwegian have some of the same language.. And the written language is pretty similar, even that danish is little "old" compared to modern Norwegian.. But most of the language is understandable.. Even if you came into the south of Jylland... It is maybe because we have more than 435 year with same government and crown with it?.. Even our current royal house are in family with the Danish royal house.. our first modern king Haakon 7 was a Danish prince.. And even today, we have a lot of connection between our royal families.. And it is easy to travel to Denmark, even that you have to sail the high seas to do it.. Have been in Denmark many times. And like me there very good.. And they are little more "easy going" than both the swedish and Norwegian I guess too:evilgrin:. I guess it have something with the climate..

Diocletian

Sorry my bad english, not my native language

[IndyOp]

30. Thanks for commenting on this thread - I always appreciate our international DUers

-- whether or not your English is good. Who is Reggie the Dog?

:hi:

[Diclotican]

44. IndyOp

IndyOp

I don't know who Reggie the Dog is, Don't ring some bells... But I guess it have a point somewhere...

And yes I am from abroad, Norway in fact;) A small country in the north of Europe. In one of the more peacefully areas of the world I guess.. Since we have had no war since 1814, well we had this little incident with germany between 1940 and 1945 but if you don't take it into the case, we have been in peace with each other since the union between Norway and Denmark was severed after the Napoleon war of 1814..
Denmark-Norway was on the wrong side after the British have burn our Navy, WHO at the time was one of the biggest in Europe. Far bigger, and better equipment than the British navy.. What they don't steel, they was burning to the ground.. Not surprising it was not popular to be British in Denmark or in Norway after that... early in the 1850s a British was hanged by his neck in Copenhagen by an angry mob... But after that we have not hanged british.. And today I guess we are friends:)

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language

[Lorien]

42. "Just" four to five weeks of paid vacation?

Here we'll get two weeks-after working for a company for a few years. I haven't had a vacation that lasted longer than four days since 2000. :-(

[Diclotican]

45. Lorien

Lorien

I guess we have had better Unions when the deals was struck. Or everyone in Norway decided it was better to have this little case of paid vacation, then have the opposite I guess.. And the funny part is that in Scandinavia we do not work less than our friends in other country even with all our holidays.. Something you and your americans should tell your company CE Os more often than you do I guess.. After 1917, even the most "hardliner" understand if they have to survive, they have to give away some.. And in between the WWs, it was pretty hard to work things out between the worker and the employers.. But we managed it, specially after WW2 when everyone decided to work toghter, to the best of everyone..

It have been a long way to this 4-5 week paid vacation in the summer, more than 150 year in fact..

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language

[SoCalDem]

47. and with cell phones, no one here is truly "on vacation" if anyone at work

has your number:(.. My son got 3 "emergency calls" during a Thanksgiving dinner a few years ago..:(

[Diclotican]

49. SoCalDem

SoCalDem

O dear.. Well you can always shut down the phone with "accidence":P. I do it when I have some days of.. Then I tend to just accidental shut down the phone and not start it if I do not need to do it..

And then nobody could call me, if I do not wish it myself.. Very good when you are in a cabin far away from everything and want to be left alone.. Medicine I would say it is..

But in some cases it is maybe not possible to shut down your phone for some reason I guess..

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language

[fascisthunter]

52. Six Weeks Paid Vacation in Germany Too

makes for a healthier more productive work force. Treating people like shit and giving them little in return for their work, makes them miserable and less productive. But I guess corporate CEO's really were never concerned about their companies doig well, especially here in America,

Treat people like shit and make millions off their backs. There's your republican fascist morality.

[Joe Chi Minh]

62. ... in a nutshell.

[Blue_Tires]

24. k+r

[get the red out]

25. This would be a fantasy life for me

I had a conversation with my mother on the phone last night about the growing crime rate in their extremely small, extremely republican, very white town (those are supposed to be the real Americans, right?). There are such horrible drug problems that break-ins are becoming commonplace because desperate addicts are needing a fix. She knew more people who had had their homes recently invaded than I do in my home city of 260,000 people.

This way of life we have in this country; the cowboy loner mentality, the "religion cures all ills" theme, the rejection of helping others because their problems must be their own damn fault, just isn't working.

[Lorien]

68. Agreed. My father lived in a similar area of the country for a while

and couldn't get out fast enough. He had a freaking arsenal in his home because break ins were so common in his small, white, rural town. Domestic violence, rape, and child abuse were also sky high in that area (not unlike Wasilla). "Real America" for the GOP is the most violent, hateful, crime filled racist and homophobic parts of the country-mostly driven by extreme religious views and lack of education. I think that if significant improvements in education were made a lot of things would improve in this country. Hopefully Obama will make as much of a commitment to education as BushCo did to war.

[SidDithers]

26. Well, I'm Danish-Canadian...

and pretty happy about it too :)

Sid

[OnionPatch]

27. Very interesting.

My new office-mate at work is Danish and in the states temporarily. I move into the office on Monday. Now I have some conversation starter. Can't wait to get some input from her on this. Thanks for posting.

[jakem]

29. They have good beer, AND a sense of humor (sorry Germany!)

a good start!

[morillon]

31. Wow, that sounds like paradise.

The only drawback is the cold!

[lightningandsnow]

33. That sounds kind of awesome.

Makes me want to move there.

And that's really interesting about the taxes. A lot of people are like "Oh not, they're taking my money away!" but in a system where taxes are used wisely to fund effective services, people really do end up happy, at least in this case.

[BR_Parkway]

34. They are also one of the least religious countries in the world - I wish

I could find the link to the article, but it was talking about how the un-religious tend to be happier because they don't carry around all this guilt.

[Diclotican]

48. BR_Parkway

BR_Parkway

I do not believe Scandinavia to be less religious country's in the world.. We just happened to not be an nut case about it anymore.. And our history is full of what can came if you get into politic, and religions at the same time.. It is not pretty by the way... And our Welfare system who are one of the best in the world, and good education are maybe one reason to that our religious believe is more easy going than in many other country..

Or it can be the climate who are doing it.. When you have 9 months with snow and ice, you are not using your summers fighting over how have the right religious belief, but rather living, and have a great life: I would say, we in scandinavia are an lucky bunch when it came ot it, in the summer... You can't find better place to be when the summer is right..

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language

[Lorien]

73. Interesting. I, too, believe that education is key to a civil, peaceful society

I've known a few religious intellectuals, and they never felt like forcing their faith on anyone of using it as an excuse for bad behavior. It was something that they kept private. I really hope that President Obama can do something to turn America's educational system around.

[Diclotican]

76. Lorien

Lorien

You can be religious, and educated.. I believe it to be important to have a education, even if it not that large an education.. And I am also a person who are not very "lou-nd" about what I believe in. i just don't believe it to be the most important thing to do. But if you ask me, I would be more than happy to speak with you. But what I believe is something personal to me, something I do not want to "Push" if not asked... And I would say education is important.. For everyone.

I for one can't understand why US could not have the shool system you had after ww2. Once in the times, you in the US used to have decent, and goods Schools.. You have some of the brightest mind in the world working for you. For the lord of things. You managed to put the man into the moon... And you still had a decent school system.. now even China are ranked over you in international studies when it came to school readiness... And China have far more students in higher education than US

Yes I hope Obama can do a difference.. Not that I believe he can make miracles.. But he can make a small difference and that is everything I hope for..

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language

[BoneDaddy]

36. Grocery stands on Honor system and I had kids take all the halloween candy

from my front porch while I took my little ones out. Americans need to get over their sense of entitlement and greed before we are even close to that kind of honest altruism.

[prayin4rain]

38. That is so weird... I was in Copenhagen last year

and the people did not seem happy at all to me. They actually seemed bleak. We also went to Stockholm... the Swedes seemed very happy and friendly. Of course, I may have just had a bad experience in Copenhagen but they did not seem like joyful people.

[Diclotican]

46. prayin4rain

prayin4rain

Then you have had just an bad experience.. The danish people are friendly and good natures.. It is the SWEDISH who are not "found" of everything I guess;).. They are called the "scandinavian germans" because of how they are;) Specially in the upper classes... In the working class to middle class, it is better, but in the upper classes.. Yes, in both Denmark and Sweden they still have this silly nobles.. Just in Norway we got rid of it for a long time since..

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language.

[Lorien]

51. I dated a Swede, and I second the sentiment

statements like "I'm really happy" and "oh, I'm so miserable" sounded exactly the same coming from him, lol!

[Diclotican]

58. Lorien

Lorien

TRUE, and you would find the same habit all over scandinavia.. In some way or another.But Finland is little diferent... another culture, more russian in their actions.. But still distinct very from Finland..

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language.

[prayin4rain]

69. we went to oslo too

But we didn't spend much time there ... really just went to the sculpture park.... didn't really get to interact with any Norwegians. I have seen Datarock live and I like them a lot :)

That is so weird ... we were in Stockholm about 10 days and just loved the people. They talked and talked to us.

:shrug:

I did like the city of Copenhagen though so I would give it another try :)

[Diclotican]

71. prayin4rain

prayin4rain

Well I guess you do not lost to much anyway. Vigaland Parken is nice, (where the sculpture park are) And is definitely wort a visit. But Oslo is not exactly the most beautifully city you can visit.. Even that the city do have a special sharm to it.. But you could not except some grand buildings as in Copenhagen and in Stockholm.. Oslo is like the poor cousin from the country, who are not used to the big City... Even that Oslo the last couple of decades are working hard to build up an "big city" image we are not like our nabors capital city's and would never been either I guess.. But if the new building who are been planed in the inner city is been build as planned it would transform much of the City as been showed from the Oslo Fjord..

If you ever was to wist Oslo again, you should wake up Karl Johan. It starts at Oslo S (Oslo main train station) and are going all the way up to the residence of our King. (Slottet). It is the "Main street" in Oslo, and our Parliament is situated there (Stortinget) and other important offices and our National Theater is there too (Nasjonalteateret) It is best to visit Oslo in the summer.. When you visit Oslo in the winter you just got an cold city.. But if you visit Oslo in the summer, you can also visit all our museums at Bygdoy, You can visit by taking boats who are criss crossing the inner fjord, it could not cost that much and you would alo be seeing a beautiful fjord where many have their cottages, or is sailing ships.. The trip in itself is also wort a trip I guess;). And you can if you do take a beer at Aker brygge, but be not surprised over the price. It is cost. ca 80 kr for a .4 glass of beer.. Not for the faint hearted;).. And you can also visit Akershus Slott, (Akershus fortress and castle) The fortress itself are from the 1300s and the Fortress is still a military area. But are open for public between 7 in the morning to 6 in the evening. The Castle is open in the weekends, if it is not an State visit of sorts then.. It is an Castle fro the 1300s as told before, but the current buildings are from the 1600s because of a large amount of rebuilding by the kings who wa living there. And because Akershus Fortess was been rubbling under their feet in the 1500s because nobody want, or had the money to rebuild and keep into order what was the buildings there.. Norway was indeed a very poor country in the 1500s.. In the Castle you can also se the mausoleum of our kings.. From our last Viking King,to Olav V of Norway. Our King Harald V is the son of Olav V.. And it is many other museums there. One are the Military Museum, and the other is "home front museum" who are telling how it was when Norway was occupied by the germans between 1940 and 1945.. It is interesting, but it is little dated. I guess it have not changed a lot since I was in school.. But still interesting then..

The Army museum is on the other hand larger, and are also given a larger view of how Norway have been between the 1200s and over to our current time.. Even that for the most part, the museum is ending with the WW2 and what happened in that war.. But some inter sting it is then..

Or if you got to know some Norwegian, and have the time they might show you other parts of Oslo. And you would be impressed by all the nature we have.. In fact you can take the tram from down town Oslo. and walk out of and into Nordmarka in less than 20 minutes

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language.

[prayin4rain]

78. thanks for the advice :) n/t

[Indenturedebtor]

39. Sigh - Socialism isn't such a bad thing is it?

"A paradise like Fiji comes in more than 50 spots below Iceland in happiness rankings."

Fiji happens to be one of the least happy places I've ever visited. The first week you're there it seems really happy and friendly but if you're not giving people money (and lots of it) they hate you to death. Don't go there.

[undergroundpanther]

81. Socialism is bad only to greedy people

who want something for nothing and to dominate others and deny them access to what they need.

[Dragonbreathp9d]

40. I thought it was Thumper's you know what

anyone get that literature reference?

[codjh9]

43. Hey - cold is OK - just live in hotter-n-hell TX for a while and say that all you want

are warm sunny beaches. :^) (I particularly hate the summers here after living in NM & CO for 7.5 years... so i'm going to have to leave again...).

[SammyWinstonJack]

53. Summers here suck and are getting longer. I so wish I could leave for cooler climates.

16 yrs and I've had enough of the heat and humidity to last a lifetime.

[fascisthunter]

54. When Workers are Rewarded, the become more Productive

and the economy flourishes. Imagine that....

Unfortunately we have too many Republicans in this country who believe people shouldn't be rewarded, but instead, they should be treated like shit, and give the wealthy tax breaks after the GOP while creating a National Debt.

[riverdeep]

55. Happiness studies are fascinating.

I heard of this study earlier this year, 60 minutes even did a piece on it a couple months ago.

I always wonder about the people who are screaming about socialism right now as inherently bad, do they even know what terms like communism and socialism and democratic socialism and fascism actually mean? I think they don't.

I like the last paragraph talking about trust. Trust is seen as something very wussy. It's not a tangible good, you can't buy and trade it on the market, so therefor, it has no value. Or least it isn't worth talking about in the same level as serious subjects like 'opportunity cost' or 'maximizing productivity'. Yet, trust affects so much of the real world. Our national defense budget, is because of lack of trust. Whenever you buy a retail item, the price is higher because of shoplifting/security costs that have been passed on to the consumer.

The fundamental difference between their society and ours, seems to be atomization. We believe people are like discrete little atoms floating around and that everyone can and should be 'free' to do whatever they like. Other people's choices will have little impact on anyone but themselves. And to think about yourself is the greatest good, anyway. Everything else will work out via 'the invisible hand'. They view society as a network, where people are intrinsically linked, whether they want to be or not.

[Irish Girl]

56. To all Danes, I say "skål!"

Denmark is such a lovely country and the entire Danish culture encompasses 'hygge sig'. A direct translation of hygge sig might be 'to cosy up' (which usually equates to good friends, candlelight, a great home-cooked meal and schnaps). The Danes are ridiculously happy because they live with that impish glint in their eyes and have nearly zero expectations. Their way of life is extremely laid-back and non-materialistic.

I remember one time taking a bus from Amager to Christianshavn in Copenhagen, and a negligent Dane threw a plastic bag outside his car window. He was immediately reprimanded by many onlookers on bikes and in nearby cars. Danes are extremely conscientious of the environment.

[Lorien]

75. Sounds like heaven to me

getting people together for almost any activity outside of movies and a quick meal at a restaurant IS like herding cats here. I remember going over to different people's homes as a kid and having dinner, then just hanging out for hours. I know very few people who ever do that outside of holidays anymore. We're incredibly disconnected as a society.

[DeSwiss]

57. Wonderful article!!!

And it should be noted here as well, that the Danes have the highest population percentage of atheists in the world.

- When we get rid of the gods, peace breaks out.

K&R!!!

[SammyWinstonJack]

59. Love it!

"When we get rid of the gods, peace breaks out." :thumbsup:

[Joe Chi Minh]

63. Have you got a link for that DeSwiss?

[DeSwiss]

88. My mistake...

...it was http://www.atheisttoolbox.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3976">Norway.

- But that's almost Denmark, init???

[Arugula Latte]

65. There you go. Great educational system --> Less religious insanity.

It must be nice to live in a place where rational thought is revered above "Faith" in stupid, backwards mythologies.

[bluesmail]

64. I've noticed people from scandinavian countries ALL look

healthy. And content. Something I would give 70% taxation for. Being content and healthy.

[ThoughtCriminal]

66. I always assumed they were happy because...

Grand-dad left.

[yardwork]

67. I've been hearing this for a number of years - everyone says move to Denmark.

[undergroundpanther]

80. I don't know

If I'd even be eligible. I have nothing to buy my way over there,with I don't make money or have marketable skills or speak dane, or anything like that.I do have intelligence,creativity and a uniqueness and artistic ability and a few other things too. But if all the miserable people here go over there,I will be among the last they'd want in because there are far more skilled people with desirable stuff than I have to offer , I fear.

[yardwork]

83. Well, yeah. I doubt Denmark would let me in either. My skills aren't needed in a socialist society

[entanglement]

70. Contrary to all the Europhilic stereotypes, Danes are about as closed-minded as your average Freeper

How do you expect open-mindedness from a people who believe they are the best(culturally, racially, intellectually), have the best system in everything and need hear of nothing better? It is a highly ethnocentric society, in a state of stasis and absolutely resistant to change. The 8 out of 10 and 9 out of 10 responses should not be taken as genuine indicators of happiness in a country whose citizens care overmuch about their perceived image abroad.

I wonder if all the interviewees were native Danes or if they bothered to ask a few questions of some of Denmark's minorities? They would undoubtedly have received less rosy responses.

So take this article with a pinch of salt.

[SammyWinstonJack]

72. Sounds like a lot of Americans. And not just Freepers

How do you expect open-mindedness from a people who believe they are the best(culturally, racially, intellectually), have the best system in everything and need hear of nothing better? :shrug:

[MrScorpio]

77. The world of Star Trek is an example of post-consumerism

Denmark is the closest thing we have on this planet to what's depicted on the show.

[Lorien]

82. True, and I always believed that two of the most appealing

aspects of that show is that it depicts a post consumerist society where (at least aboard the Starfleet ships) there's no sexism or racism, It was never *just* about space exploration.

[undergroundpanther]

79. I wanna move to DENMARK

Shit. Why oh Why was I born HERE!!!??
Living in this fucking greedy, vain,competitive,callous,hierarchy obsessed,Unfriendly, asshole filled psychopath behaving,greed driven culture where poor,non-white,female,gay,trans,non-conformist,not thin,not'good looking, not'normal' people are hated and rich selfish bullies and ruthless assholes are adored. FUCK that.
I wanna go to Denmark because I want to know what happiness feels like. I want to know what it is like to have friends nearby that I care for who care for me too,I want to have fun, to feel like my life isn't one pile of shit after another,and won't be that way until I die,I want to live like a DANE.
But here in this fucked up country,with so many fucked up people with too much money and power to fuck up others lives ,I don't think I'll ever feel happy or like I even belong here.
I have felt this way all my life. Like an outsider.Like I was a relic from the past before money and domination and the ruthless ones came to dominate, work,pressure,frighten,alienate ,social engineer and rob happiness out of people here.

[Blue_Tires]

87. i remember that story when it aired

anyone hiring in Denmark??