The Pursuit of the Blissful

i think anything can make us happy,and indeed we don't have to be ambitous coz once we failed from achieving something, that makes us unhappy.a lighter heart also can make us happy,no burdens and no worries,prayer i think is the best key to it!

Live and let Live I say. The most conservative and the most liberal country are happiest. I find that the majority of people (everywhere) live and let live. They are busy 'doing' and HELPING others to 'do' and have little time to be petty. People on the right and the left have too much time for resentment and spend a lot of time dwelling in hate. That very small minority in every country drags all of the rest that chose to be happy :)

Live and let Live I say. The most conservative and the most liberal. There is no fixed way to happiness since happiness can also be in the eye,mind,heart of the beholder. I notice that haters are everywhere and although I have experienced a lot of hardship due to my ethnic background it has given me an insight that most people that don't move out side their comfort zone will never have. Conclusion we are all Equal.

this book should have a theme song, how's shiny happy people by REM?

Its important to realize that our Constitution for the U.S. says we have the right to pursue happiness. It is not something that just comes with living here. We built our whole country around the fact that we AREN'T happy and it's something you pursue on your own. Unfortunately, too many people think they are entitled to happiness and it's something you get automatically. No matter what country you're in, you can be happy. it's a personal choice, be it relgious or not, monetary-based or not, sex and drugs-based or not. Maybe a more scientific venue would be to analyze Depression and Suicide cases, as many have said previous to this comment..

True happiness is from with in yourself. If you can not find peace with yourself, then where ever you go there is unhappiness.

It just goes to prove, no matter where you are you're still there.

It goes to prove no matter where you are you're still there.

I never believe statistics such as this one. Unless researchers has been to every city in every country, and viewed a generation from conception to death, than any research about this subject is null and void. Period.

This article is not very informative for the general readers. A much better story appeared in the magazine, New Scientist, part of which appeared on BBC, and is reproduced below, which shows the extent of variation. Imagine, Nigeria, one of the poorest and most corrupt country in the world, houses the "Happiest people on Earth" !


Nigeria tops happiness survey

A new study of more than 65 countries published in the UK's New Scientist magazine suggests that the happiest people in the world live in Nigeria - and the least happy, in Romania.
The survey confirms money does not buy happiness
People in Latin America, Western Europe and North America are happier than their counterparts in Eastern Europe and Russia.

Nigeria has the highest percentage of happy people followed by Mexico, Venezuela, El Salvador and Puerto Rico, while Russia, Armenia and Romania have the fewest.
But factors that make people happy may vary from one country to the next with personal success and self-expression being seen as the most important in the US, while in Japan, fulfilling the expectations of family and society is valued more highly.
The survey appears to confirm the old adage that money cannot buy happiness.

The researchers for World Values Survey described the desire for material goods as "a happiness suppressant".
They say happiness levels have remained virtually the same in industrialized countries since World War II, although incomes have risen considerably.
The exception is Denmark, where people have become more satisfied with life over the last three decades.
The study was carried out in 1999-2001 and published for the first time by New Scientist, recently.
Consumerism
Researchers believe the unchanging trend is linked to consumerism.
"New Zealand ranked 15 for overall satisfaction, the US 16th, Australia 20th and Britain 24th - although Australia beats the other three for day-to-day happiness," New Scientist says.
The survey is a worldwide investigation of socio-cultural and political change conducted about every four years by an international network of social scientists.
It includes questions about how happy people are and how satisfied they are with their lives.
The survey further states that, although such surveys are not new, they are being increasingly taken into account by policy makers. Following are the important conclusions:

HAPPINESS AROUND THE WORLD:
The happiest Countries
Nigeria
Mexico
Venezuela
El Salvador
Puerto Rico

The least happy countries
Russia
Armenia
Romania
Source: New Scientist




PATH TO HAPPINESS
Genetic propensity to happiness
Marriage
Make friends and value them
Desire less
Do someone a good turn
Have faith (religious or not)
Stop comparing your looks with others
Earn more money
Grow old gracefully
Don't worry if you're not a genius

I AM HAPPY TO BE AN AMERICAN !

whatever eric dude

however wrote the the religious paragraph, did you you ever ask god's grandkids...jesus' sons...to make you happier.... dont make everything religious. for the writer, u have no idea what life is all about. i'm happy everywhere i go..thank god. for my health, wealth and wellbeing.. so good luck genereting money by what u write.i would get in to a different business if i were you.....weiner!!!!

what a disappointing article. this is all common knowledge. a list of the happiest places would have been much more interesting. but, no big deal, i'm still happy.

A disappointing article. This is all commopn knowledge. I wanted a list of the happiest places.