Costa Rica Happiest country on Earth ( Pura Vida)

[perry]

I have read this very interesting report about the worlds happiest countries and Costa Rica came first with 9 central and South American countries in the top 10 .

This is the top 10 below and click the link for full report. The USA and most western European countries had very low scores of happiness. Do you agree with this report?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/2009/07/map_of_the_week_why_costa_rica.html

C

 

[RichG]

That IS interesting, can we now give ourselves a pat on the back for heading south?

'Some have mocked the high levels of reported life satisfaction in Latin American countries as belying a lack of knowledge of anything better (i.e. Western lifestyles). On the contrary, Latin America is perhaps more exposed to North American culture than anywhere else in the developing world. Yet somehow it has been more resistant to idolising this lifestyle, or at least more able to be happy with its own way of life despite this influence.'

Disclaimer: The BBC is not responsible for this depressing survey and wishes to apologise to license payers for the UK's poor performance.

 

[tangobob]

I suspect the first three are all happy because of all the ganga.
"don't worry, be happy"

 

[criswkh]

Funny Tangobob..

Where does Argentina rank on the list? The US is probably low considering most everyone lives paycheck to paycheck.

 

[RichG]

Don't the countries in the 'happy top 10' live paycheck to paycheck?

That is the point isn't it? It's NOT about the money.

It's about realising that living from paycheck to paycheck is actually ok.

'Pura vida' pure simple values such as friends, love, family, wine , steak, empanadas, dulce de leche, tango and internet forums.

I don't think it's a surprise survey, life is hard in Latin America but people enjoy the simple things in life and a lot of us from the northern hemi have forgotten how to do that.

But maybe we are here learning to do it again?

 

[criswkh]

True RichG, but the US forgets those things. Not the whole country but some places.
I have learned by living in BA that life goes on and you need to enjoy everyday. When I head back to the states to visit family, they can't believe my lack/rush to hurry things in life. Es asi.

 

[RichG]

Funny you should mention that....

I was down by the river on Sunday sat watching the people walking past......very slowly.

If this process of trying move away from the 'northern vida' was like AA walking slowly would be the first step!

If you are walking too quickly, you need to slow down. Once you start to walk slowly you should never go back to walking quickly because the next thing you know you're dashing around everywhere.

 

[desertrose]

Argentina 15., of the EU countries Netherlands rank highest at 43, UK at 74, USA rank 114 (among 143 countries in total) Here's the full report:
http://www.happyplanetindex.org/public-data/files/happy-planet-index-2-0.pdf

 

[RWS]

These things are so subjective! A comparable report earlier this year put Denmark first, other northwestern European countries in most of the remaining top-ten places, and omitted all Latin American until (if I remember correctly) place forty or so.

In short: go where it pleases you. These reports are mere curiosities.

 

[RWS]

Argentina 15., of the EU countries Netherlands rank highest at 43, UK at 74, USA rank 114 (among 143 countries in total) Here's the full report:
http://www.happyplanetindex.org/public-data/files/happy-planet-index-2-0.pdf

Interesting. Mexico's put at 23rd-best. Pretty clear, then, that the ten or twenty million Mexicans in the United States illegally are not impelled by lust for "the good life" but by simple greed -- or so this report would have us believe.