Comments on: And The Happiest Place On Earth Is...

Morley Safer On Why The Danes Are Considered The Happiest People On Earth

[chime1212]

I believe these people in Denmark are happier than in America. Danes have great human rights....free healthcare, free university education, free daycare, and free eldercare. Danes look less stressed than Americans as a result. Danes can be happy with themselves; are not forced to be competative like here...Eventhough they pay 50 percent in taxes, I bet though there minimum wage is higher than ours--maybe $15.00 an hour...Morley please tell us what the minimum wage is in Denmark. I had the lucky chance to live in Switzerland who has similar socialized programs...which has made me very depressed that my fellow Amercians do not have these great programs;.Americans are being shortchanged of a good, healthy life...

[memerider]

This research result is a sign of something, yet I''m not convinced it''s "happiness." There are happy and unhappy people everywhere. There are people who are easily satisfied and also materialists everywhere.

But U.S. bashing is quite popular because of Bush and his attack on Iraq (Saddam had put a hit out on his daddy''s life, in case people didn''t know). The U.S. also has a limitation based on all the religious extremists who moved here to escape persecution in Europe. Despite our founders'' best efforts, they keep trying to take over the government, and Bush (and candidate Huckabee) is their boy that has pushed us closer to a theocracy.

But our democratic-republic has the potential to self-calibrate, and that will likely occur in the next election. I think we are a pretty happy bunch, and I could probably "prove" my bias, too.

[gangsterper]

"Happy is defined differently by different people so, lets can the anti-America nonsense people"
I agree, BUT lets can the smack talking of danish people too:
"I guess the cold weather has a numbing effect on one''''s brain as well."
+
"The Danes have degenerated by getting married with their neighbors and which has resulted a mentally retarded society"

[revrick2]

I must strenuously object to this segment, not for its facts, but for its presupposition: that happiness is some sort of pleasant mental state. Ancient philosophers would be spinning in their graves at so shallow a definition of happiness. If happiness is only a feeling, then Hitler must have been exceedingly so over sending countless Jews to their deaths. See the problem?
Far better is to say that happiness means not only getting what you want, but also wanting only what you ought to want. There is a huge moral component to happiness that this segment omits... and that''s wrong.

[denn034]

Happy is defined differently by different people so, lets can the anti-America nonsense people.

[pupeta-2009]

In the US there is freedom of speech, this is why the federal government runs a concentration camp in guantanamo and why any broadcaster that says anything against bush is censored. Notice that the US never had a member of another race or a woman as a president, that tells you what equality means over there.

[pupeta-2009]

Below my comment we have many unhappy americans. Sitting at home with their favorite gun in their hand, scared of terrorists, illegal immigrants, blacks, and everybody including their neighbor. Eating burgers from macdonalds, fat, all processed food. The vegetables have no taste, (if you ever traveled abroad you will agree with me), all the meat is loaded with hormones. Their sports people are a bunch of cheats who use steroids and drugs, so their successes are all fake. This is the american dream....

[gangsterper]

"The Danes have degenerated by getting married with their neighbors and which has resulted a mentally retarded society"
What kind of BS are you talking about? How can you degenerate by marrying your neighbour?! As long as my neighbour isn''t related to me, why should that person be off limits?
"Socialism."
We''re a social-liberal country. We''ve got the free market and freedom of speech (The Muhammad cartoons are a direct result of someone practicing our freedom of speech). We do get a lot of help from our government with medicare etc. but why is that such a problem? I have a much bigger problem with people making money off of other people''s health (Health insurance companies). I love that I can go to the doctor and don''t have to worry about that doctor trying to squeeze more money out of me (that happened when I lived in the states) or having to worry if my medical will cover my expenses..
Yes we pay a high price for it (taxes) and trust me; It''s always a hot topic for debate, but it works for us and I think that people in DK would rather pay 50% and get what we get than pay 10% and get very little.

Bottomline is that this whole thing is based on different values. We''re more about the greater good and family values, whereas people in the US are more materilistic (the american dream) and that''s perfectly fine. So don''t start talking smack about danes (calling us mentally retarded and cattle) just because we have different values and different ways of persuing our dreams

[meeshly]

Most interesting to note in this story is the apparent superior attitude of their citizens to almost every other country, especially those unhappy, agressive natured Americans.They may work very hard because the majority of their income goes to pay for that free education, vacations, health care etc. My mother always cautioned me, "nothing in life is free", apparently the Danes relaxed attitude doesn''t allow for thinking about paying a minimum of 50% or more taxes to their government for all the freebies.
I guess the cold weather has a numbing effect on one''s brain as well.

[unclecom1]

The Danes seem to be treated more like children than adults. Their every desire and need is fulfilled for them by their parent-government.

They say their education, health care, etc. is free. This is, of course, an absurdity. The people proving these services are not working for free.

[claspur]

Dittos with Imzens(*6 @bottom).....however, me suspects they''ve had this Dane''s piece of "FARK" in the can for God knows how long to cover-up what''s truely going-on over there.
Some of those interviews, the people acted like characters out of The Stepford Wives.(the latest one)
*I drove to a Religion of Peace rally last week, and wound-up having to walk home(run) home....they pushed my Audi into their "Carbeque." :o(

[rashid821]

The measure of happiness can only be gauged for people corresponding to their population. If you make your survey, it should be based on the population. Nonetheless, why don''t you check the mental institutions as I''m sure people there are the happiest on earth.

[half-dane-2009]

It is wrong to say "the happiest PLACE", when it is actually a question of the people, and not the place. During the history the danes have degenerated by getting married with their neighbors and which has resulted a mentally retarded society, which is run by very few people. As the war in Iraq continues, Maersk makes money as they transport all the US Military goods to Iraq. They alone stand for 15% of the total Danish national bruttoincome. Thanks for USA! As the statistics say that the Danes should be happy, the primeminister told the population to eat some psychopharmatic pills, if they did not feel happy otherwise...

[vchiles]

Its interesting that the Danes attribute happiness to low expectations. Expectations or desire for more is one of the biggest obstacles in the pursuit of happiness. Thomas Jefferson felt happiness was the result of a life well lived, not one dictated by the pursuit of property. For a simple guide to finding happiness in everyday life get Happiness in Five Minutes a Day at www.happinessinfive.com

[miss_mijau]

To all of you, who claim socialism equals lazy people. Do remember, that Denmark has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world. Denmark are importing workers from around the world in order to keep up, with the need for workers. In addition the Danes tend to work hard, when they''re at work - they are also extremely efficient workers. That''s why many companies all over the world (America included) import danish employees.
That said - I respect the differences between both our countries. Born and raised in Denmark, I''m not blind for the fact that Denmark''s not perfect - not at all. And America has it''s benifits - no doubt.
All in all - you just can''t compare 5.5 mio people Denmark to huge and differentiated USA.
Bottom line. I love both countries, and can''t wait until next time I''ll be back to visit my american friends. Differences aside. :0)

[ozonmojo]

News reports such as this are usually meant for entertainment and should not be taken seriously as a piece of scientific truth.Polls are the most discredited form of disinformation.If in doubt ,just take a look at those relating to the U.S Presidential primaries.

[mom_o_truth]

The northern European mentality is deep social democratic, especially the Scandinavians. The Danes in particular are sweet and not aggressive. Mainly because most of their food is sweet. The salad is served with sugar. The soup is usually cold and sweet. The bread is sweet and they love cheese and chocolate. There is no greed nor envy. People help each other through the 50% tax contribution to the common pot that is redistributed as social services. It is a social democratic paradise for those who like to work to live and not for those who like to live to work and gain control, power and money. I grew up in northern Europe and escaped the damp humid cold weather to the California desert.

[michela8]

I wonder if the Danes are a very generous people, since the government provides everything I am sure their free time is spent innovating and volunteering?

[jd5502]

I saw the program. What a bunch of pathetic slugs those four kids are. I''ve seen cattle that are content too, but I wouldn''t trade places with them. While it is true that if you don''t expect anything, you aren''t disapointed when nothing happens, if you don''t have dreams, you''re like cattle waiting for slaughter. I may not be Bill Gates, but as far as those kids are concerned, screw them! Get off your butts and LIVE! Grab life by the throat and make your own happiness.

[eulophia]

As far as I am concerned, it is the safe environment that consoles Danes an acute sensitivity to the subtle common requirments of surrounding people so they would get up from his/her aisle seat on the bus for you as you are fatting your bags. Given there is no such safe circumstances in Danmark, people setting aisde you might jump out of the bus window or just kill you at the first hand, since he/she might think you have a bomb in your bag when you ratting your bag, as what happens in the Crash.