Every year, thousands of people from all over the world are sent a survey with one question- “How happy are you on a scale of 0 to 10?”
And every year, for the past 7 years, Finland and Denmark have been topping this list, with more than 70% of its respondents saying they are the happiest people on earth.
But what does it mean to be the happiest country in the world? How do you even calculate such a thing?
I can give a lot of philosophical statements about happiness. But for today, I wanted to understand “happiness” from the point of view of a report made by a reputable group of people who like to measure things. (aka Gallup)
It is one thing for a person to say he is the happiest in the world. But for an entire country to say they are the happiest in the world is quite bold and intriguing.
Surely, these Scandinavian countries are onto something that the rest of us don’t know about.
And so, after scouring a dozen documentaries and blogs, here are 7 Unconventional Lessons from the Happiest Country in the World:
1. Pay higher taxes.
Personal taxes in Scandinavian countries are among the highest in the world. But despite this, they are also the most willing to pay it.
But why?
Education is free, health care is free. A parent is even paid a day’s wage to stay home with a sick child.
Everybody is paid a decent wage, and 9 out of 10 people in Denmark say they happily pay their taxes.
Looking at the figures below, we might start asking ourselves if we should start raising our taxes.
Personal tax rates:
Finland- 56.95%
Denmark- 56%
Norway- 47%
There is such a thing as “flex security,” where many essential living expenses are free even if you’re unemployed, but employers are also free to lay off anyone.
The burden of the economy is not borne on the shoulders of employers or on the unemployed. It is borne by each member of society. Part of the taxes are spent to finance unemployment benefits.
A person in Denmark can lose his job several times a year, but it’s ok. He will still eat well, live in a warm home, and the government has set up measures to make sure he rejoins the workforce quickly.
Trust is the essence of Danish culture, and you will hardly hear people complaining about giving away more than half of what they earn to pay taxes.
More than 80% of Danes are happy with their judiciary system, health care and the education system.
The Danish believe that if you trust the people around you, they tend to behave better. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. And in Denmark, the government certainly mirrors this trust.
2. Look after each other. "One for all, all for one."
Whether it’s politics, education or domestic life, Danes believe very strongly in equality, and tend to treat any form of 'elite' with suspicion and contempt.
Equality is a keyword in Danish culture. The vast majority of people belong to the middle class, and the percentage of poor people is low.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with having big dreams and striving to achieve more in life to become better than your neighbour.
However, if you are in a group and are stronger than the others in that group, many Danes believe it is your job to stop what you are doing and focus on the weaker members of the group, so that everyone can be equal.
Danes don't feel the need to strive for everything. They have modest goals and don't see the need to achieve more, especially if it requires them to work more.
The Danes don't see the need to be the best at everything.
For as long as they do what they like and not what pays the most, then they consider themselves successful.
3. The fewer hours you work, the better for the economy.
Denmark is one of the richest countries in the world with a GDP of $400 billion (source), and they do this by working fewer hours.
Denmark has one of the shortest working hours in Europe (33 hours per week) and also the most flexible.
Danish employers trust workers to do their jobs and do them well.
They understand the quality of an employee’s output is more important than the time spent on a job, and that longer office hours don’t necessarily mean more work gets done.
Without a culture of presenteeism, Danes don’t feel guilty about leaving the office at 4pm because it is understood that their colleagues will all be doing the same.
It is customary for men and women to leave work early so you can pick up the kids at daycare and prepare a home-cooked meal.
On top of this, parents often get 12 months of paternity and maternity leave.
Every area of Danish life is tailored to make sure you do well with your family while having a career.
4. No exams and no grades make students eager to learn.
In folk boarding schools in Denmark, teachers are not allowed to do examinations and are not allowed to give grades.
Children are taught to play first before they can spell their names. (Source)
In Danish kindergarten, children are encouraged to explore and learn the key skills of cooperation. This is achieved by making sure the kids are outdoors all the time, that they run and play with other kids, or by drawing and coloring indoors when the weather is too cold.
Beyond this very unique education system, college is free in Denmark and kids get $1000 per month if they go to university.
There is no Danish parent lying awake at night worrying about whether they can send their kids to college.
And it’s not just free for Danish people, it’s free for all students coming from the EU/EEA area and Switzerland, as well as for students participating in an exchange program.
5. Your identity is not tied to how you earn a living.
Living among Danes requires a different pace of life and different priorities.
We may have been sold a narrow definition of happiness where we are never sad, or never have difficult conversations.
Tough things can happen for anyone and in this respect, Danes are good at embracing discomfort for long term gain.
For many people of our generation, the idea of defining ourselves and our self-worth based on our achievements has been drummed into us from an early age. This is not healthy for anyone.
Of course, people want to have an interesting career and to do something that aligns with their purpose everyday.
But also, we want to be good fathers and mothers, or just simply be somebody else who is not identified with what we do to earn a living.
“I will be happy when…” is a dialogue that many of us have in our heads at some point. But any way you slice it, it's a terrible way to live your life.
There is no accomplishment that is going to quiet the voice at the back of your mind saying, “Once I get to that, then I’ll be happy.”.
6. You can trust strangers.
Because equality is a big thing in Danish culture, and striving to become rich is not something people aspire for, the crime rate is also low in Denmark.
Apart from being happiest, Denmark is also ranked among the safest countries in the world.
And maybe it is partly because of this that Denmark is considered the second- happiest country in the world.
Bikes are parked everywhere with no locks, women walk alone at night in the dark with their headphones on and people leave their babies sleeping outside in carriages.
This feeling of being safe and being able to trust the people around you creates a happier society.
Samfunds, or community-mindedness is really big in Danish society, and there seems to be an unwritten contract that they are all in it together and will always help each other.
7. “Hygge”- the Danish Secret Sauce
Hygge is a Danish word that illuminates the Danish soul.
In essence, hygge means creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people.
Hygge reflects the values of Danish society: equality and the well-being of everybody. A spirit of consensus is expected from each member of society.
Danish don’t like to argue about trivial matters and no subject is too important to spend time squabbling over.
People in very cold countries tend to gather together by the hearth of a warm fire, drink wine, talk and laugh with no agenda, while a hot stew is boiling. It’s hard to put into words, but this is hygge.
In conclusion, understanding Danish happiness requires a bit of a perspectival shift.
It’s not the kind of happiness that is hot, fiery or loud and prominent.
It’s a much calmer, subdued kind of happiness, and not one that is necessarily based on winning the rat race.
Danish happiness is an everyday kind of happiness that encourages self-discovery and cooperation.
It’s the feeling of being part of a community, simply hanging out with friends for a drink and getting warm by the fire, the feeling of being safe and secure in taking risks and trusting the people who run the government.
And that is what it means to be the happiest country in the world.