Seven of the world’s 10 most joyful countries are in Latin America, according to a Gallup poll of 150,000 people worldwide.
MEXICO CITY — The world’s happiest people aren’t in Qatar, the richest country by most measures. They aren’t in Japan, the nation with the highest life expectancy. Canada, with its chart-topping percentage of college graduates, doesn’t make the top 10.
A poll released Wednesday of nearly 150,000 people around the world says seven of the world’s 10 countries with the most upbeat attitudes are in Latin America.
Many of the seven do poorly in traditional measures of well-being, like Guatemala, a country torn by decades of civil war followed by waves of gang-driven criminality that give it one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Guatemala sits just above Iraq on the United Nations’ Human Development Index, a composite of life expectancy, education and per capita income. But it ranks seventh in positive emotions.
“In Guatemala, it’s a culture of friendly people who are always smiling,” said Luz Castillo, a 30-year-old surfing instructor. “Despite all the problems that we’re facing, we’re surrounded by natural beauty that lets us get away from it all.”
Gallup Inc. asked about 1,000 people in each of 148 countries last year if they were well-rested, had been treated with respect, smiled or laughed a lot, learned or did something interesting and felt feelings of enjoyment the previous day.
In Panama and Paraguay, 85 percent of those polled said yes to all five, putting those countries at the top of the list. They were followed closely by El Salvador, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Thailand, Guatemala, the Philippines, Ecuador and Costa Rica.
The people least likely to report positive emotions lived in Singapore, the wealthy and orderly city-state that ranks among the most developed in the world. Other wealthy countries also sat surprisingly low on the list. Germany and France tied with the poor African state of Somaliland for 47th place.
Prosperous nations can be deeply unhappy ones. And poverty-stricken ones are often awash in positivity, or at least a close approximation of it.
It’s a paradox with serious implications for a relatively new and controversial field called happiness economics that seeks to improve government performance by adding people’s perceptions of their satisfaction to traditional metrics such as life expectancy, per capita income and graduation rates.
The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan famously measures policies by their impact on a concept called Gross National Happiness.
British Prime Minister David Cameron announced a national well-being program in 2010 as part of a pledge to improve Britons’ lives in the wake of the global recession. A household survey sent to 200,000 Britons asks questions like “How satisfied are you with your life nowadays?”
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, which unites 34 of the world’s most advanced countries, recently created a Better Life Index allowing the public to compare countries based on quality of life in addition to material well-being.
Some experts say that’s a dangerous path that could allow governments to use positive public perceptions as an excuse to ignore problems. As an example of the risks, some said, the Gallup poll may have been skewed by a Latin American cultural proclivity to avoid negative statements regardless of how one actually feels.
“My immediate reaction is that this influenced by cultural biases,” said Eduardo Lora, who studied the statistical measurement of happiness as the former chief economist of the Inter-American Development Bank
“What the empirical literature says is that some cultures tend to respond to any type of question in a more positive way,” said Lora, a native of Colombia, the 11th most-positive country.
For the nine least positive countries, some were not surprising, like Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Haiti. For others at the bottom, Armenia at the second lowest spot, Georgia and Lithuania, misery is something a little more ephemeral.
“Feeling unhappy is part of the national mentality here,” said Agaron Adibekian, a sociologist in the Armenian capital, Yerevan. “Armenians like being mournful; there have been so many upheavals in the nation’s history. The Americans keep their smiles on and avoid sharing their problems with others. And the Armenians feel ashamed about being successful.”
The United States was No. 33 in positive outlook. Latin America’s biggest economies, Mexico and Brazil, sat more than 20 places further down the list.
Jon Clifton, a partner at Gallup, acknowledged the poll partly measured cultures’ overall tendency to express emotions, positive or negative. But he said skeptics shouldn’t undervalue the expression of positive emotion as an important phenomenon in and of itself.
“Those expressions are a reality, and that’s exactly what we’re trying to quantify,” he said. “I think there is higher positive emotionality in these countries.”
Some Latin Americans said the poll hit something fundamental about their countries: a habit of focusing on positives such as friends, family and religion despite daily lives that can be grindingly difficult.
Carlos Martinez sat around a table with 11 fellow construction workers in a Panama City restaurant sharing a breakfast of corn empanadas, fried chicken and coffee before heading to work on one of the hundreds of new buildings that have sprouted during a yearlong economic boom driven in large part by the success of the Panama Canal. The boom has sent unemployment plunging, but also increased traffic and crime.
Martinez pronounced himself unhappy with rising crime but “happy about my family.”
“Overall, I’m happy because this is a country with many natural resources, a country that plays an important role in the world,” he said. “We’re Caribbean people, we’re people who like to celebrate, to eat well and live as well as we can. There are a lot of possibilities here, you just have to sacrifice a little more.”
Singapore sits 32 places higher than Panama on the Human Development Index, but at the opposite end of the happiness list. And things weren’t looking good Wednesday to Richard Low, a 33-year-old businessman in the prosperous Asian metropolis.
“We work like dogs and get paid peanuts. There’s hardly any time for holidays or just to relax in general because you’re always thinking ahead: when the next deadline or meeting is. There is hardly a fair sense of work-life balance here,” he said.
In Paraguay, tied with Panama as the most-positive country while doing far worse than Panama by objective measures, street vendor Maria Solis said tough economic conditions were no reason to despair.
“Life is short and there are no reasons to be sad because even if we were rich, there would still be problems,” she said while selling herbs used for making tea. “We have to laugh at ourselves.”
What has happened and why is it significant? Who are the key players involved or what are the key factors in what is happening?
A poll was taken last year to find out how happy people are in each country. While seven out of the top ten countries with the most positive attitudes are in Latin America, Singapore ranked one of the last in the list. This brings up the question ‘why are Singaporeans so unhappy despite being one of the world’s most developed countries, with great wealth, safety and organization?’ Perhaps, wealth does not guarantee happiness.
On the contrary, countries with lower Human Development Index (HDI) tended to live happier lives. This is a rising phenomenon as the world continues to develop and more countries seek economic growth rather than what truly matters – taking joy in the things they do.
Consider the issue from multiple perspectives. How have the events had an impact on the various parties involved?
For developed countries, it is depressing to realise that all the striving and hard work equate to greater stress, anxiety and unhappiness. While people usually strive to attain positive feelings and to be emotionally healthier, it is untrue especially for Singapore. The more the country wants to achieve greater economic growth, the longer the working hours and the harder work gets. In such countries, people start experiencing this turmoil as young as when they are in kindergarten. This striving for nothingness only gets worse as they grow older. Eventually there is no chance for them to enjoy the fruits of their labour. So what do we actually strive for at the end of the day? Perhaps, it is time to reconsider and learn from the less-developed countries to achieve true success.
Yet for the less-developed nations, contentment comes easily for them. Less is more – knowing and having more makes people want more, bringing discontentment. Like the people living in Guatemala, they achieve joy just by living day to day with their close ones. There is no desire to compete and forsake happiness to achieve a supposed ‘greater’ achievement.
In the long run, the information and communication revolution brought about by globalisation would inevitably expose Latin America to the culture of consumerism that is inherent in the western-influenced world today. Till that day comes, ignorance is bliss.
Discussion Questions
1. From the perspective of the leaders of Singapore, how should you proceed given these findings? Are there feasible options available to you as the head of a developed economy? Can/should you simply abandon economic growth for the sake of happiness?
2. Drawing from your own experience as a Singaporean, if they were given the chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of this developed country, to go be “happy” in a less-developed country, would the average Singaporean go? Why or why not?
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If Singaporeans were given the chance to sacrifice the modernity of their city-state for simplicity in less developed countries, the results would be very mixed. Singapore has made it so far and yet many of us are not content. There is a new generation, who unlike their forefathers, do not just want to make money and provide for themselves and their family. They want to develop their whole being, find happiness that money cannot buy. Yes many Singaporeans would thoroughly enjoy themselves in developing nations. However a great many would not go because they will have to forsake security, basic amenities and other luxuries of modern living. Here lies the problem with Singaporeans. Yes life here is highly competitive. But this is not the only problem. If only it was. The other problem is that Singapore has delivered such consistently high standards of living that the average Singaporeans takes it all for granted. Food everywhere, clothes abundant, etc. Singaporeans truly have a lot be unhappy AND happy about. It is a pity we are so used to modern living’s benefits that we choose to focus on the bad things.
2. Drawing from your own experience as a Singaporean, if they were given the chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of this developed country, to go be “happy” in a less-developed country, would the average Singaporean go? Why or why not?
I believe that the average Singaporean would not choose to go and be “happy” in a less developed country if they had the choice to leave the comfort, convenience, and wealth of Singapore. The 5 C’s of Singapore – Cash, Car, Credit card, Condominium and Country Club – highlight a society that values material wealth, valuing very much the wealth and comfort they experience in Singapore. They think that by possessing these things, they will gain happiness, as such, if given the choice, the average Singaporean; in my opinion; would definitely choose to stay in Singapore, their “comfort zone”. They will likely view the shift to a less-developed country as impractical, and unrealistic, because of how they might not be able to enjoy such material wealth there, concluding that they would not be able to be “happy”.
2) I agree with Megan. An average Singaporean would not want to leave their comfort zones and move to a less developed country. This is because they would not want to leave the comfort of their homes or even the safety and convenience of our country. Nowadays, people are more materialistic with globalization especially with the possession of technological trendy items. Hence leaving all these luxuries would prove to be an uphill task for many and moving to these countries would be very unrealistic.
1. From the perspective of the leaders of Singapore, how should you proceed given these findings? Are there feasible options available to you as the head of a developed economy? Can/should you simply abandon economic growth for the sake of happiness?
Before we start to discuss the relevance of these findings to the development of our nation, we have to define what it means to be happy. In the context of Singapore, happiness is presumed to have been attained when there is economic growth accompanied with the improvement in quality of living. In contrast, these results show us that happiness is not yet attained due to a deterioration of the quality of living with the rise of economic growth in recent years. Also, voices to call about equals between growth and quality of living have been loud in the latest General Election. Therefore, there is a need to discuss whether these voices are practical and realistic and government should change their goals towards gearing for strong economic growth at any expense.
Placing economic growth as the core of policies is unsustainable in driving economic development in our nation. Overtime, the quality of living is traded off and this is detrimental because happiness is still ultimately the spur for productivity and growth. Lack of the presence of happiness compromises on the motivation to work and this then affects productivity at work. Although it is not the only contributor towards the growth in productivity, it is still significant as Singapore depends largely on human resources to develop her economy. In recent years, Singapore has seen an outflow of local talents to overseas firms. As a result, the lack of motivation undermines incentives and sees to an issue of brain drain. In the long run, productivity is compromised by a slowing and even limited workforce. Therefore, this shows that happiness and emotional well-being is still the primary engine for economic growth and thus, there must be a positive relationship between the development of economy and happiness in the society.
On the other hand, the promotion on happiness should not compromise on economic growth; there should be moderations of both and, working together. It is possible to promote happiness without the expense on economic growth by adopting a flexible and conducive working environment, which gives workers the freedom to exercise their man hours according to their will and thus produce better results even within the stipulated deadline. An example is when workers should be given the freedom to work from home when their houses are more comfortable, suitable and conducive. Likewise, they should have the freedom to fix their working hours according to their needs. An example is when they can have the freedom to choose whether they want to engage in leisure activities in between working hours as some people need a burst of energy in between mundane activities to keep their productivity going. In all, they should be given the freedom to adjust their working schedules according to their needs; and not be accustomed to one fixed schedule designed for all. Therefore, a simple adjustment of working environment can promote more happiness without economic growth being compromised. Hence, it is possible for the coexistence of happiness and economic growth and the government should focus more on bringing about a flexible working environment.
Ultimately, the improvement on society’s quality of living can only be achieved when the workers speak out for themselves; as governments can only help to encourage to a certain limit. Instead of complaining about the inflexible working environment on forums, workers should take the initiatives to bring about the suggestion of a flexible working environment to their bosses. This can be supported by the government by encouraging bosses of firms to adopt a more positive view about flexible working environment and be more willing to cooperate with workers. In addition, workers should make a wise decision to choose firms with cultures suitable to them and conduct researches on firms before joining them. Hence, workers have the ability to reinforce better working environments and bring about a change in quality of living, reinforcing our attainment of economic development.
It is certainly unrealistic for Singaporeans to opt for an environment that’s of lower standards to their existing ones. Not to much mention how much determination it takes for someone to willingly detach themselves from their comfort zones. I cant say that there are no people out there who would do that, but majority would not. As we delve deeper into the issue of materialistic happiness and the otherwise, we tend to overlook reasons why people in these poor countries are enjoying happiness more than developed countries. This is not due to the amount of wealth. it is not equivalent to saying that money and progress brings about unhappiness. Money is the key in this materialistic world and it provides us the means to attain survival and even more, comfort and privileges. However, it is the notion of wanting more when you get more, and the never-ending desire for greater comfort that we lose track of the simple joys in life. this is in contrast to the uneducated citizens in the less developed countries who gets to understand life in a simplistic manner. Their environment allows them to appreciate the greater beauty in life and it is them focusing on such simple joys in life that keeps them going.
I agree with Tessa’s point. Especially for ‘home-grown’ Singaporeans, we live in a highly advanced society where everything is up to the most recent technology, we cannot live without the conveniences it has brought to us, or at least most of us cannot. Hence going to a lesser developed country would not make us any happier but instead cause us even more distress. Furthermore, Singaporeans are unable to cross the materialistic barrier. Our country’s strong economy has raised the purchasing power of Singaporeans, our lives have changed for the better in terms of our physical welfare. To leave everything behind and travel to a place unfamiliar place where people are rumoured to be more blissful would not be plausible based on the practical nature of Singaporeans. These worries and stress of going to a more rural country to ‘enjoy’ life keeps Singaporeans at the bay of entering a place that may be filled with more intangible wealth, happiness.
2. Drawing from your own experience as a Singaporean, if they were given the chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of this developed country, to go be “happy” in a less-developed country, would the average Singaporean go? Why or why not?
I think that a majority of the Singaporeans will remain in Singapore / developed country because they are already used to the “extravagant” lifestyle in the city as compared to the simple life in the developing countries. To me, the frequent complains of the sandwiched class Singaporeans about the high cost of living in Singapore actually reflects their desire to strive for a better lifestyle in this competitive city state. They may be complaining this moment just to relieve some of their stresses and displeasure. Then, they are motivated to work harder so as to earn a higher income to achieve a better quality of life and this quality often refers to the amount of luxury they can enjoy and the quality of lifestyle. Since the mindset of enjoying a better quality of life is deeply rooted in many of the Singaporeans’ heart, I do not think that they will give up their current lifestyle just to go be “happy” in the developing countries, though they may frequently travel to these places to take a break from the stressful lifestyle of the city-state.
I agree with what charlotte has said that many singaporeans have the mindset of enjoying a better quality of life. They have work so hard to attain this level of comfort and would not give it all up just to be “happy”. As a pragmatic society, Singaporeans value things that can give them comfort, feed and clothes them. Happiness is secondary. It does not fill one stomach, nor does it give one a roof over his head. As a Singaporean, if I cant find happiness in this well to do country, I may not find happiness even in a more impoverish country. We are so used to the material comfort that we enjoy in Singapore that we often can’t see beyond material happiness. With the thought of losing this material happiness in a less developed country, I don’t think many Singaporeans will want to give up all they have to be “happy” in a more backward country.
I think after reading this article, it really shows how choosing to live life positively or negatively is a choice. And one of the major factors that affect this choice is the people around us, as pointed in the article that culture is what really draws the country towards being behaving positively or negatively. I think personally i would choose to leave Singapore to go be “happy” in a less-developed country because i think that it will make my life feel more purposeful and i would be able to treasure things around me more. I feel that experiences that i am able to gain from these are definitely worth more than just the comfort of Singapore. Also, having such a sheltered life living in Singapore where everything is so safe, i think going to these less-developed countries helps to open my eyes to a lot of hidden sufferings that i fail to experience or see in Singapore. And I believe that it also helps to change one’s mind set as we realise that the problems that we face become less insignificant than we think of it to be. Thus I believe that having a positive attitude is something that we can always aim to equip and influence people around us to adopt as well.
1. From the perspective of the leaders of Singapore, how should you proceed given these findings? Are there feasible options available to you as the head of a developed economy? Can/should you simply abandon economic growth for the sake of happiness?
I think the leaders of Singapore should not disregarded this matter completely. As superficial as it may sound, a happier worker can be a much more productive and efficient worker. Raising the labour productivity of the country can definitely boost the countries economy even further. Ofcourse there are feasible policies that can be adopted. However, the government must be careful when adopting such policies as it may not be effective in certain contexts. You dont necessarily have to abandon economice growth for happiness as i mentioned eralier, happiness can actually lead to further economic growth.
2. Drawing from your own experience as a Singaporean, if they were given the chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of this developed country, to go be “happy” in a less-developed country, would the average Singaporean go? Why or why not?
I feel that most Singaporeans will not be willing to give up living in Singapore simply to be happy somewhere else. This is because a country like Singapore provides something very crucial in our daily lives and that is safety and security. Crime rates in Singapore are really low compared to the Latin American countries mentioned in the article. The Singaporeans who complain about the hectic lifestyle are simply forgetting what Singapore can offer to us that many countries cannot. They have simply taken safety and security for granted.
I don’t have much to say about the questions given, so I’ll just speak my mind.
I would theorise that the reason why people in developed countries feel less happy is because they simply expect more. With living standards already so high, how much higher can they go? In contrast, people in developing countries are simply happy to have a job and live a somewhat comfortable life because expectations are lower. Like what Amanda said earlier, being happy is a choice. You can choose to be happy about whatever you have in Singapore, or choose to be dissatisfied and upset. Of course, Singaporeans’ complaints about poor work life balance and the general hell that is Singaporean life are valid, and there are practical ways to make Singapore a more “happy” society, but part of it simply boils down to a mindset and a lifestyle choice.
1. I don’t think there’s anything the government can do, but it’s up to the personal choices of the people. I think with simplicity comes contentment and with that, comes happiness. As we continue to strive for pecuniary satisfaction or more fame or more influence we start to lose sight of what we have and focus on these dreams instead of what we have, and that makes us feel inadequate and depressed. While we get too lost in our wants, we drown out our happiness. I’m not saying that we should not have dreams and should be happy with whatever that falls on our laps, but I think we should focus on dreams that promise to feed and encourage our enthusiasm and passion, something that makes us feel that life is fulfilling. Thus perhaps, revamping people’s standards and values to redirect them towards the pursuit of a meaningful life whether it is comfy or convenient or not is what we need as a nation. Parents need to stop thinking that being lawyers and doctors are the best careers or that academic excellence which “guarantees” a stable income is the way to go. Maybe all we should encourage our children to do is to live simply with enough food in their stomachs but have excess passion in their hearts. (that was so cheesy. But yeah, I think that would be nice…)
2. Although we often claim that we want to move to a Third World country and be a farmer or shepherd and live an easier life, I do not think that Singaporeans would actually take that step. For one Singapore already affords many luxuries that Singaporeans simply cannot live without. Continuous electricity supply, clean and accessible tap water, a rather efficient public transport system, higher education systems, strong defence measure etc. Most Singaporeans also cannot live without the internet which powers our smartphones and computers.
In leaving for a ‘happier’ country with a slower pace of life and less stressful conditions, Singaporeans may actually be putting on even more stress on themselves. Complaints will arise as soon as something we used to have and enjoy in abundance is amazingly scarce in that country. Also as happiness can be an intangible asset, Singaporeans may not be able to appreciate it as they have been so used to material wealth like the 5 Cs.
Hence although many claim to want to move out, they would still stay as life is truly better in many aspects as compared to a Third World country. Perhaps if we learnt to appreciate the benefits of living in Singapore and be thankful for them, maybe we could become a happier lot.
2. Drawing from your own experience as a Singaporean, if they were given the chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of this developed country, to go be “happy” in a less-developed country, would the average Singaporean go? Why or why not?
I think majority of the singaporeans would choose to remain in their comfort zone, instead of being “happy” in a less developed country. It is possible that people in less developed countries are happier than those in developed countries is because they never had the taste of being wealthy hence they do not have that much greed and desire as compared to those in developed countries. I believe to most Singaporeans, happiness is about gaining, not losing. The reason why singaporeans appear to be less happy is probably because of the high standard of living which raises their expectation. With high expectation, people are less likely to be satisfied. In singapore, earning just enough money to survive is definitely not enough as people tend to want more than what they have. Hence it is not quite possible for Singaporeans to be truly “happy” in a less developed country as they would neither be satisfied with less than what they once had nor appreciate the simplicity of living in a less developed country.
2. As a Singaporean, I personally feel that most people would choose to migrate to a Third World country in an attempt to live an easier stress-free life. However, after a period of time, they would realize that it is not worth giving up all the luxuries that they are so accustomed to living with and return to Singapore. Happiness is a intangible thing, such that it differs from person to person and cannot be fully defined. Perhaps, when most Singaporeans gripe about their current lifestyle and announce that they wish to migrate, it is more of wanting to take a vacation from their own hectic lifestyle for a period of time, rather then to leave it forever.
1. As the leaders of Singapore, I believe that for Singapore to become a happier society, it shouldn’t just include the tangible happiness like leisure hours and time with family etc. but the intangible happiness of life like having a cause and purpose to live for and doing the things that make you happy. Definitely, intangible happiness is not easy to implement but it could be done through establishing a culture of happiness in Singapore and changing the way we look at excellence. By directly intervening and modifying Singapore would not work but for happiness to start, it has to begin with our people. It could start from our schools, where we could train teachers in an environment where they learn to be happy in their work and know that they are not simply teaching to earn a living but teaching to influence and impact the next generation. The teachers could then inculcate this happiness into the students in their teaching and mould these students into people that are happy and do the things that they love. Excellence in Singapore could be looked at as a value in our life when we do work. Excellence could be seen as a habit and lifestyle instead of a goal in our lives.
On another note, while suggesting these policies, it doesn’t mean that we should pursue happiness at the expense of economic growth. I’m suggesting a reform in the way we see excellence and success as we shouldn’t just see them as attainable goals but we should see them as a lifestyle and choice we live by. When the people are happy, productivity in the country would increase and we would see greater economic growth. Therefore, by making our society a happier one not at the expense of economic growth, we could be a more productive society and achieve economic growth.
2. I think the idea of moving to a less developed country to experience happiness is impractical and illusory. As idealistic it sounds, Singaporeans might still be unhappy if they move to a less developed country. Thus, happiness is a choice and lifestyle. It is up to Singaporeans to be happy. In less developed countries, people are not happy because of not being exposed to the culture of consumerism, having ‘ ignorance bliss ‘ but because they choose to do the things that they love and they have passion for whatever they do. I believe that’s a learning point that we could take away from the less developed countries is that we have passion and fire in things we love doing, and not doing things just for the sake of getting it done. If we could have such a mentality, I believe that Singapore would be a much happier society.
2. The idea of abandoning a life of comfort for a simpler life with less emphasis on material wealth will definitely not be welcomed. SIngaporeans have already been exposed and accustomed to affluence, and hence having them settle for less is improbable. In fact, having them settle at all is difficult since everyone is fighting to reach higher and further, resulting in the highly competitive, uniquely SIngapore. Bluntly put, we have naturally become greedy and the saying that ‘ignorance is bliss’ is particularly apt in explaining why poorer countries with greater struggles seem to be more happy and content with the little that they have.
2. I believe most people would choose to continue living in Singapore and continue sacrificing happiness for material success and wealth. Yet, more people would be receptive to idea of choosing to live somewhere else for the pursuit of that otherwise elusive happiness, especially average retirees. In such a competitive and fast-paced society, retirees should be willing to give up citizenship in our country for there is little joy in being a retired elderly in Singapore. The rising cost of living and non-existent empty space or scenery reinforces this notion. For others, moving out of our comfort zones is more difficult. But then again, surely there would be some people, although unwilling to give up the wealth and opportunities they enjoy in Singapore, who would become pioneers of living in less developed countries. No country would stay under-developed right? If you can’t succeed in Singapore and find your own happiness, perhaps you can find it somewhere else.
1.Every country have their own primary aim and ours(Singapore), is definitely to achieve a higher economic growth, Therefore, these findings in my opinion are not of much use as it does not provide any methods to improve our economy, which is our main focus nowadays. But they might come in handy for the social and welfare development of Singapore which is kind of a secondary aim to us. Observations and trends can be done on these findings to find out why the Latin Americans are so happy and if they are feasible, we might use them. The trade-off of economic growth and higher incomes is happiness in most cases. However, we should never abandon economic growth for happiness as I do not think it is possible to starve and still be happy at the same time. As the head of the economy, I believe the situation can be improved by implementing labour welfare policies and events such as company outings and parties to help workers take a break from work.
2. I believe most of the sane Singaporeans would not want to abandon their wealth for a happier lifestyle in this Singaporean culture of materialism. In our society, having a favorable income, a car, a house and a family are considered to be essentials. This mindset has been instilled in Singaporeans since they were young and and thus, we will not be able to live without all these things, .
2.I believe most Singaporeans will choose to continue to live in Singapore. In the world, there are so many definitions of happiness. In Latin America for example, their definition of happiness might be a roof over their heads, a decent living that can support their families etc. But in Singapore, happiness might be defined as the commonly used 5Cs: Credit Card, Condominium, Car, Cash, and a Country Club Membership. Hence, with all those gone if they choose to live in a third world country, they will probably come crawling back after a few days. Hence, with our pampered lifestyles and high standard of living, Singaporeans will continue to live in Singapore where their comforts and luxuries can be provided for.
In my opinion, if Singaporeans were given the chance to leave this place and go to somewhere else devoid of such comforts to be happy, one wouldn’t attempt it.
True Singaporeans have grown to become a bunch of impatient, unhappy and mundane of people, however, we have become a nation who chases after materialism, finding material joy. We find joy in buying a new car though its expensive. And it is precisely because it is expensive that people use cars as a symbol of wealth. We delight in property. We enjoy expensive meals. We complain yet we enjoy the government’s steps to bring amenities to our doorstep.
Frankly, if such a population is offered joy over these things, a humorless life will win hands down.
If given a chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of our country, most Singaporeans will not be willing to go. This is due to the fact that many Singaporeans are born with a silver spoon in their mouth. To them, happiness comes in the form of money. As long as they are rich, they are happy. Less wealthy Singaporeans from lower income group deem their source of unhappiness to be the lack of wealth. As a result of our culture, many Singaporeans are materialistic people. They desire for branded clothes from the latest fashion, dining at the most exotic restaurants and living in landed property. Hence, being in a less-developed would mean being deprived of all these luxuries and their happiness as well.
2. Drawing from your own experience as a Singaporean, if they were given the chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of this developed country, to go be “happy” in a less-developed country, would the average Singaporean go? Why or why not?
Even though we always complain about how stressful our lives are and how we should all be farmers, if given the choice, I highly doubt that Singaporeans will forgo their comfortable lives to go to a third world country. There are two things of being ‘happy’ about, our material and non-material well being. Singaporeans are happy about our material well being as most of us experience relatively high standards of living with proper housing and education. Yet we are highly displeased about the non-material aspect of lives since this fast-paced society constantly pushes us to give more than our best, barely cutting us any slack. As such we always compare our lives to people living in less developed countries. However, most of us are used to leading a luxurious and comfortable life in Singapore and would not give up this to live in less developed countries where finding a proper roof over your head might very well be a problem.
Singapore should continue their pursuit of economic growth and expansion of their economy. As Singapore is a small country, it lacks the natural resources to sustain ourselves, hence we have to depend on other countries for raw materials. Also, due to our geographical location we do not have very scenic views of nature comparable to magnificent landmarks such as the Niagara falls. However, with our rapid economic growth, Singapore creates beautiful infrastructure such as Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands. Even though they may not be natural, they are as good looking as natural scenes. As Singapore is the head of a developed economy, it is natural for Singapore to be “at the opposite end of the happiness list” due to busy work and school life in order to meet the high demands of the society. There are not much options available in order to improve the happiness index, however with great economic growth, the people will get a higher standard of living and hence achieve happiness as they can enjoy greater benefits. Economic growth should not be abandoned for the sake of happiness. It is essential for a country to grow and develop in order to sustain itself. Should the country not be able to sustain itself and instead live in poverty where there are shortages of food and clean drinking water, happiness would not be achieved as their health will be affected.
The average Singaporean would choose to stay in the developed country. We have become dependent on how doing things are so convenient in the country. For example getting from one place to another only requires a short traveling time, however by forgoing efficient transport systems like buses and trains, it will take hours to get from one place to another. The average Singaporean gets access to clean drinking water right from the taps of their homes which would not be possible in the less-developed country. I feel that “happiness” is defined in different ways by different people, and I feel that living in Singapore is a Singaporean’s way of defining happiness.
Economic growth and happiness are not mutually exclusive and in the first place, isn’t economic growth supposed to allow us to live more comfortably and be happier? From the perspective of the leaders in Singapore, something should be done to the negative relationship between economic vibrancy and happiness. Firstly, policies which promote a happy work environment should be implemented. We can incentivise companies which implement shorter working hours or work-at-home schemes. Also, other welfare policies should be put in place, such as longer paternity leave.
Yes. I too believe that economic growth is supposed to allow us to live more comfortably and become happier people. Many developing countries industrialise and encourage foreign investments so as to boost their economic growth. Having a stable and growing economy translates to greater job opportunities, higher literacy rate( because people have greater access to education) and many more. with education and employment opportunities, the people can break free from the much dreaded poverty cycle and work their way upwards as they begin to be able to afford basic things to lead a comfortable life. So, they should be happier…by right. However, the problem is that as people start to become more informed and affluent, so do their expectations for the future. They begin to demand and complain more, and take life for granted. On the other hand, people from the less well to do countries know how to count their blessing and look forward to everyday without any complicated thought and worries. This explains why they are obviously the happier ones. 🙂
1. From the perspective of the leaders of Singapore, how should you proceed given these findings? Are there feasible options available to you as the head of a developed economy? Can/should you simply abandon economic growth for the sake of happiness?
In my opinion, if i were one of the leaders of singapore, i would take some time to look into this situation and implement some policies to solve this. It is saddening to see the country grow at the expense of the people’s happiness. This is because singapore is a fast-paced society, everyone is too focused on doing their job well, so as to earn a living and support their family. Our mindsets are shifted towards “money means happiness”. However, the emphasis on earning money has led to the degradation of one’s happiness. The government should implement some policies that focuses on enjoying your work while you are at it instead of just focusing on “money-making” Also, advertisements and posters should be put up to serve as a reminder for people to keep their smile and take things slowly occasionally. This way, i believe that singaporeans will be much more happier.
2. Drawing from your own experience as a Singaporean, if they were given the chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of this developed country, to go be “happy” in a less-developed country, would the average Singaporean go? Why or why not?
I believe that most Singaporeans will not leave.As a Singaporean, the way we determine if we are happt or not is whether our family can be provided for and whether our lifestyles are good, such as amount of working hours and quilaty time we have for ourselves. Leaving the comfort, convenience and wealth of Singapore definitely will not guarantee that we would be better off, especially with the mindset that money can buy happiness.
2. Drawing from your own experience as a Singaporean, if they were given the chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of this developed country, to go be “happy” in a less-developed country, would the average Singaporean go? Why or why not?
Based on my own experiences, living in a developed country where we have all the resources to live comfortably and the ability to purchase anything we want, material well-being is much more highly regarded than non-material well-being. Although living in a developed country where stress of having to do our best in everything may seem like a repelling factor, however, SIngaporeans are willing to sacrifice their relaxation time to work and earn more money as they are materialistic and believe that with money comes power and happiness. Hence, few people would be willing to give up their wealth to go to a place that is less stressful but lacks the basic neccessities and the material goods that they are willing to get at any cost.
2. Drawing from your own experience as a Singaporean, if they were given the chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of this developed country, to go be “happy” in a less-developed country, would the average Singaporean go? Why or why not?
I feel that an average Singaporean would not give up comfort, convenience and wealth to live in a happier, less developed country. No matter how much “happiness” the less developed country can bring, the comfort given would be a huge loss for them. Singaporeans are “pampered” with having efficient, easy lifestyles, where any inconvenience to them are taken greatly into account. Take for example the breakdown of MRT trains. A few breakdowns and Singaporeans complained about the ineffiency and wastage of time it brings. In less developed countries, there are less efficient, less comfortable trains to sit in. Would a Singaporean give up “comfort” for “happiness”? I dont think so. Another example was the opening of the JEM shopping mall. When the opening was delayed, Singaporeans made a lot of noise about it and were very unhappy about it, even though it was for an important reason. Such “incovenience” to them are already such a big deal. How can they cope with the much less “hassle-free” ,less developed countries? Even if there are Singaporeans who are willing to do so, it would be a minority.
2. Drawing from your own experience as a Singaporean, if they were given the chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of this developed country, to go be “happy” in a less-developed country, would the average Singaporean go? Why or why not?
I feel that an average Singaporean will no leave their comfort zone if they are given a chance to be happy. Singaporeans are living in a very comfortable lifestyle compared to other countries such as India, china. However, many of them are not happy because because of hectic work life or fast paced way of life. Personally, I feel that many Singaporeans have the mindset that money can buy everything. They can buy the things which make them happy. If all of a sudden they were to leave their comfort zone, they would suffer for sure and do not feel happy.
Drawing from your own experience as a Singaporean, if they were given the chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of this developed country, to go be “happy” in a less-developed country, would the average Singaporean go? Why or why not?
Although the answer without any thought would be yes, I do believe it would be a no for many Singaporeans. Although Singaporeans lament about how unhappy they are with Singapore, especially the rigorous education system, the rising cost of living and even the issue of influx of foreign talent, and would simply give a passing remark saying they would not mind moving to a less developed country if they could, I do believe that it is unlikely that they will do so. Having lived in such a developed and fast paced society for most their lives, it will be difficult for most Singaporeans to adapt and live in a country less developed. Singaporean youths are said to be unable to undergo suffering and I doubt many of them would be willing to sacrifice the comfort of home where they can call and text anytime they want, use the internet anytime they want to live in a less developed country where potentially the communication systems are not developed, sanitary conditions are hygenic.
1. From the perspective of the leaders of Singapore, how should you proceed given these findings? Are there feasible options available to you as the head of a developed economy? Can/should you simply abandon economic growth for the sake of happiness?
It is impossible to forgo economic growth for the sake of happiness. Given the high standard of living and quality of life in Singapore, they are all resultants from economic growth. Without a desirable national income, it will be difficult to maintain all the current technologies that we have such as proper sanitation of water (eg. through desalination processes), which is actually part of our standard of living. On the other hand, given the education that Singaporeans are provided with, it creates a competitive society that causes high level of stress and pressure. In addition, Singaporeans themselves are the ones who refuse to give themselves a break because of the fear of losing out. This is the root cause that Singapore has to deal with instead of abandoning economic growth. Only if Singaporeans learn to handle stress effectively, happiness will then be achieved in Singapore.
2. Drawing from your own experience as a Singaporean, if they were given the chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of this developed country, to go be “happy” in a less-developed country, would the average Singaporean go? Why or why not?
No, I do not think that Singaporeans will be willing to step out of their comfort zone if it was to be forever. Singaporeans are brought up in an environment where they are given the best in all aspects. Perhaps stepping out of their comfort zones will be fine for some people but it will not last long. Taking overseas cip trips as an example, the volunteers often reflect that they are happier in the poorer countries because of the slow-paced lifestyles but how long does this set of thoughts stay with them? To survive without a smartphone and a computer/laptop might only be possible for the older generation because they have been through that before but it is certainly impossible for the younger generation.
As a singaporean, I would think that most singaporeans would not leave our comfortable wealthy lives to be happy in countries like latin america. This is because singaporeans have been spoilt and sheltered from birth. Even if they do leave this stressful country to go to a humble happy country, theywill not be happy becaude tjey are aalready used to the comfort of technology and being in such countries will just cause them to be uncomfortable. Also,many refer to luxury as happiness. Thus, they would rather work really hard and enjoy wealth when they age. As a singaporean, I would personally say that I would rathee cry in a Mercedes than on a park bench. Also, singaporeans may not be entirely unhappy. We dont have to be the happiest country.
1. From the perspective of the leaders of Singapore, how should you proceed given these findings? Are there feasible options available to you as the head of a developed economy? Can/should you simply abandon economic growth for the sake of happiness?
I think that economic growth and happiness are not two mutually exclusive aims. I believe that in the Singaporean context especially, economic growth is imperative to achieve a continuously improving standard of living. However, other indicators of standard of living must be considered, such as working hours and leisure time. Hence, the government needs to find a way to achieve economic growth while still ensuring people live a balanced, happy lifestyle. For inspiration, the government can refer to Sweden.
Singapore is a country of ungracious, disgruntled and often impolite people. Being forced to smile is not something that agrees with the nature of our people. Starhub, for example, has been running an ad demonstrating the open mindedness of our people in a sequence of staged and filmed scenes. We are a nation with no path back, as it seems to stand to reason that the people who expect the least are happiest. Perhaps after the crash of our economy, in a few generations, we could be on the way, but not with government campaigns.
1. The leaders of Singapore should know that Singapore can afford to cut back on their drive towards economic growth. Things like extending day off’s and fostering corporate camaraderie is another way in improving happiness and atmosphere in the workplace. With happier workers, Singapore may even be able to be more productive! Even if productivity would drop, the advantage of improving happiness in the workplace far outweighs the disadvantages.
With low happiness in Singapore, we will just be known as a factory of hard workers. This is not a environment that we should establish in Singapore as it can give rise to even ailments such as depression and other social problems (fights, divorce). Hence the government should work towards a happy population of good workers rather than always chasing economic growth.
2. No. Although Singapore may be ranked as the most unhappy country in the world, happiness in Singapore is not completely dead. Singaporeans still find happiness from their friends and families. I follow likewise. Maybe its because i have not gone out to work yet, but at a narrow perspective of a student, I find the current living conditions livable. Stress from studying is still rather livable as I know that hard work now will pay off in the future. And so do what my peers think as well….
firstly i would like to point out that this poll has no strict criteria for “happiness”. essentially, different people will have different benchmarks for happiness. theoretically, poorer countries would have lower benchmarks and would thus be arbitrarily “happier”. the point still stands that no matter which country one is from, your happiness depends on your own benchmark, so such a poll doesn’t accurately reflect “happiness standards” worldwide. the lesson i draw from this is, cliche as it might sound, that we should be grateful for what we have and not take them for granted. of course, Singaporeans already have an inherent benchmark they have set, so shifting to a less developed country will definitely not make them “happy.
2. Drawing from your own experience as a Singaporean, if they were given the chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of this developed country, to go be “happy” in a less-developed country, would the average Singaporean go? Why or why not?
Stereotypically, an average Singaporean would usually define material happiness through the 5Cs-Car,Cash,Credit card, Country club membership and Condominiums. I believed that an average Singaporean who are striving for these in their working age would rather stay in Singapore since the country has one of the highest GDP per capita growth rate in the world. Having a strong base in the economy compared to many other less-developed countries, I think the country provides enough economic opportunities for many Singaporeans to strive towards these goals. However, this speculation may be dampened by our widening income inequity. With the influx of foreign immigrants, many Singaporeans, perhaps even the less-income locals will not have a fair share of the ‘comfort, convenience and wealth’ of this developed country. Therefore in the long run, should the government not tackle the problem of the influx of foreign talent, there might be a brain drain as many Singaporeans begin to move out in search for a country that could provide them with better wages and standard of living that’s worth their hard effort.
It is also possible that the average Singaporean will leave the country if given the chance upon retirement. This is because Singapore truthfully does not provide a suitable environment that caters to the emotional welfare of the people. With the high stress levels and emphasis on working productivity, upon retirement, an average Singaporean would prefer migrating to neighbour countries that are of less-developed such as Malaysia and Indonesia, which provide environments that are at least ‘family-friendly’ and a more laid-back culture compared to Singapore, therefore catering to their emotional well-being better.
2. Drawing from your own experience as a Singaporean, if they were given the chance to leave the comfort, convenience and wealth of this developed country, to go be “happy” in a less-developed country, would the average Singaporean go? Why or why not?
In my own opinion, Singaporeans will not want to go to a less developed country to enjoy happiness. Today’s modern world whereby the education is advancing, job opportunities and to get better wealth is more prevailing. There are more paper chasing from bachelors, PhD, masters, doctorate in order to get recognised and being seen as a member of the upper class. These continuous pursuit may seem to be normal and being able to conform to society expectation is easier.
However, there is some people who are really in search of happiness due to psychological reasons like depression. Maybe these Singaporeans have attain the highest education qualification and can’t advance further or they find no meaning in being the richest of the richest.
Singapore is used to a country that has advance to a better standard of living, downgrading their living to countries like India might not be comfortable maybe its due to how pampered we are in living the good conditions in Singapore.