The coronavirus crisis is bringing opportunities for positive change that the whole world can’t afford to squander, say the smiley people involved in the eighth annual World Happiness Report.
The report ranks countries according to their happiness quota and looks at crucial clues to well-being.
“These will help in the weeks and months of the coronavirus crisis to come,” says Prof Richard Layard, co-director of the Wellbeing programme at the LSE’s Centre for Economic Performance.
Finland remains at number one for the third year running, while the UK has edged up the table, from 15 to 13.
The report – put together by a group of independent experts and produced by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network – uses six variables to measure the quality of life in more than 150 countries: GDP per capita; social support; healthy life expectancy; freedom; generosity and lack of corruption…
STORY TO MAKE YOU SMILE 1.
I was driving into Waitrose car park when a bloke decided to walk down the middle of the road in front of me pushing his trolley, I waited a bit – not long I admit – and tapped my horn at him – without even looking round he flicked a ‘V’ at me! So, I got out to remonstrate with him, which I know you shouldn’t do, but sometimes you simply have to … as I explained what I considered to be the error of his ways to him another bloke came up to me and said “Err, excuse me mate, your car (It’s automatic) is headed for those parked cars and it’s going to hit them…” well, that was a bit embarrassing when you are in mid-remonstration but it was even worse when I had to give chase to my car .,.. I managed to open the door and jump in and slam the brakes on — it was then I remembered that my missus was in the passengers seat … so I asked her, very politely under the circumstances “Why didn’t you stop the car!!!?” She looked a bit dumbfounded and replied “Sorry, I didn’t notice, i was texting!” …. well sometimes you just don’t know what to say!
Historic research shows that co-operation and social support are fundamental to happiness.
Prof Layard believes the coronavirus crisis will speed up changes that he and others have advocated for decades. “To get through this we’re going to have to develop a much higher level of social responsibility.
“Some people are going to have to stay in quarantine, and others are going to have to support them to do that. My hope is that it will encourage a move from an atomised society to a much more caring one.”
Vanessa King, lead psychologist for Action for Happiness, the UK part of the World Happiness Report, said: “What we know is that social factors and trust are at least as important as income and being healthy. In this crisis, the more we can create social trust and support and connect with others, despite being isolated, the better we will be – and the rosier a future we’ll build.
“You might think you’re doing it for others but you’re also doing it for yourself: it’s win-win.” Setting up a neighbourhood group to ensure isolated people get help with the shopping, looking out for others and being outward-facing were some of the most psychologically healthy ways forward.
“This is a worldwide epidemic; it’s not us against them, it’s all of us against this virus. It’s a moment when we have to say: ‘we, as a world, are fighting this’.” Costa Rica and the U.K. Noting a “sudden decline” in happiness among young people in 2012, psychologist Jean Twenge suggested the growing role of digital media in leisure time may be linked to the downward trend.
The two unhappiest countries on the list are Trump’s America which comes in one above the Czech Republic.
STORY TO MAKE YOU SMILE 2.
I had a budgie that would get quite hysterical if we locked it in its cage. We also had a cat and a dog and all three would chase each other round the house so, we started to lock the budgie in the bedroom out of harm’s way when we went out.
Anyway one day I came home and found it dead. It had flown into the window and broken its neck. So I wrapped it in toilet paper and flushed it down the loo. Only thing was it floated and as I looked down I saw bubbles coming from its beak.
I grabbed it, pulled the paper off its feathers and began to give it the kiss of life – then i dashed off to give it a teaspoon of brandy. Well, if it wasn’t dead in the water it was dead now. I never really knew what killed it though – smashing into the window, the kiss of life or alcoholism!
