Gross National Happiness

@athousandyoung said
FINLAND is the happiest place on Earth?!

Isn’t that the place where everyone drinks themselves into depressive suicide?!

The ones who commit suicide can't answer survey questions.

@moonbus said
The Nordic countries are not socialist in the marxist sense, but they are already far too socialist for AverageJoe. They have cradle-to-grave medical care free at the point of consumption, childrens day care free at the point of consumption, and loads of 'free stuff'.

Hey!! I will not be chided!
Seriously, with an open mind, I think you are in effect, implying that living in countries where the citizens are ‘tethered’, to govt is the best way ? Staying a little close to the nannny’s safety net giving a sense of having the oh-so-important coziness and happiness?
Would those citizens may be a little happier with a sense of accomplishment and reliance and independence …self-sufficiency?
You know what I’m saying. Not dependent. That would be AverageJoe. Any one else,,,,or just me?

@athousandyoung said
FINLAND is the happiest place on Earth?!

Isn’t that the place where everyone drinks themselves into depressive suicide?!

They drink to forget how much tax they're paying on alcohol.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/802036/alcohol-excise-duty-rate-in-finland-by-beverage-type/

The infamous 'sin tax' where the goobermint taxes people to reduce something, to punish and deter, to modify behavior, to play with the psyche of citizens, to toy with, shape and mold the civilians.

While at the same time taxing good behavior.

A whole buratcracy computing should the tax for wine (2.8%-5.5% ) be 19.7%, 19.8% or 20.753%, and then another army of clip board toting bureaurats to inspect, bully and threaten; producers, wholesalers, retailers, consumers.

Hey, at least the bullies are happy.

@sh76 said
I don't know what that link has to do with anything, but you do realize that the Nordic countries are not really "socialist," right?

If they were struggling, poverty-stricken countries, conservatives would giddily call them socialist.

@vivify said
If they were struggling, poverty-stricken countries, conservatives would giddily call them socialist.

Then the conservatives would be wrong.

PS: If they were socialist, then they probably would be struggling and poverty-stricken countries.

@sh76 said
Then the conservatives would be wrong.

Which they usually are, like when they call N. Korea or the Nazis "socialist".

PS: If they were socialist, then they probably would be struggling and poverty-stricken countries.

There's never been a truly socialist country, so you have no basis for such a statement.

@vivify said
If they were struggling, poverty-stricken countries, conservatives would giddily call them socialist.

We would call them what they are. We have stipulated that USA has some socialist programs. We are not socialist per se, so we ae still considered capitalist.
If they were struggling because they could not be self-reliant, I have no idea what we would call them. Poor, I guess, since their government, having folded because no one worked, can not take caaaaaaaaarre of them anymore. Now do you get the picture?

@sh76 said
The ones who commit suicide can't answer survey questions.

Good point, sh76, however,
A] the deaths of those who commit suicide will greatly sadden the people in their sphere
B] The reason why many people commit suicide affects people who do not commit suicide, too

both would affect the final outcome.


EDIT: I think that your premise that Finnish people drink to commit suicide is way off base.

@athousandyoung said
FINLAND is the happiest place on Earth?!

Isn’t that the place where everyone drinks themselves into depressive suicide?!

Doesn’t sound that bad.
I mean, compared to listening to the alt-right on this forum!

@vivify said
Afghanistan is at the bottom list. That's not surprising but what's their methodology? Do they ask a woman who can't go to school, hold a job, have to remain covered up in extreme heat or fear either a severe beating and/or losing their lives "Hey....are you happy?"

That part of the world has been at war since before Alexander passed through.

@averagejoe1 said
Hey!! I will not be chided!
Seriously, with an open mind, I think you are in effect, implying that living in countries where the citizens are ‘tethered’, to govt is the best way ? Staying a little close to the nannny’s safety net giving a sense of having the oh-so-important coziness and happiness?
Would those citizens may be a little happier with a sense of acc ...[text shortened]...
You know what I’m saying. Not dependent. That would be AverageJoe. Any one else,,,,or just me?

The thing is that they have confidence in their govt not to squander the taxes levied, and confidence in their fellow citizens not to bilk the system for undeserved ‘free stuff’ as you call it. The system clearly works there. Of course, neither condition is met in the USA. There is a large segment of the population which harbors a visceral distrust of govt., and there is a large segment of the population which is trapped in working-poverty.

@athousandyoung said
FINLAND is the happiest place on Earth?!

Isn’t that the place where everyone drinks themselves into depressive suicide?!

Here’s the list of suicide rates per 100,000:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rate

USA 14.5

Finland 13.4

The ones who drink themselves into depression are the Russians, at 21.6 per 100,000.

Denmark scores well at 7.6.

@wajoma said
They drink to forget how much tax they're paying on alcohol.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/802036/alcohol-excise-duty-rate-in-finland-by-beverage-type/

The infamous 'sin tax' where the goobermint taxes people to reduce something, to punish and deter, to modify behavior, to play with the psyche of citizens, to toy with, shape and mold the civilians.

While at ...[text shortened]... and threaten; producers, wholesalers, retailers, consumers.

Hey, at least the bullies are happy.

You'd much rather they drink themselves blind with low-quality, high-octane alcohol?

@shavixmir said
Doesn’t sound that bad.
I mean, compared to listening to the alt-right on this forum!

Hahahaha, too right.

@averagejoe1 said
We would call them what they are. We have stipulated that USA has some socialist programs. We are not socialist per se, so we ae still considered capitalist.
If they were struggling because they could not be self-reliant, I have no idea what we would call them. Poor, I guess, since their government, having folded because no one worked, can not take caaaaaaaaarre of them anymore. Now do you get the picture?

What you meant to say was "having folded because no one cares", right?

Don't fret about it, Joe, we're almost there, looking at current House members.