Denmark: happiest place in the world

T'ai Chi said:
Iceland
Ireland
Luxembourg
Norway
UAE
USA

are countries which the Life Expectancy, gdp per capita, and educational access are all higher than in Denmark, according to the data.
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Well, yes and no. It depends on which data you look at, and what that data breaks down to.

Life expectancy at birth (2006 est.):

US, Total population: 77.85 years
US, Male: 75.02 years
US, Female: 80.82 years

DK, Total population: 77.79 years
DK, Male: 75.49 years
DK, Female: 80.22 years

EIR, Total population: 77.73 years
EIR, Male: 75.11 years
EIR, Female: 80.52 years

UAE, Total population: 75.44 years
UAE, Male: 72.92 years
UAE, Female: 78.08 years
Source: CIA World Fact Book

Danish men can expect to live a little longer (less than 6 months) longer than US men, while US women can expect to live a little longer (a little over 6 months) longer than Danish women. The overall life expectancy difference amounts to something like 22 days.

Irish women can expect to live 11 days longer than Danish women, while Danish men live 4.5 months longer than Irish men.

You are wrong wrt UAE's life expectancy being higher than Denmark's.

Be careful with those sweeping statements, T'ai. Remember what you have just learned in your first statistics class: Check your facts, and be honest.
 
T'ai Chi said:
Iceland
Ireland
Luxembourg
Norway
UAE
USA

are countries which the Life Expectancy, gdp per capita, and educational access are all higher than in Denmark, according to the data.
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Although I'm far from a communist, if ever anything seemed to be a capitalist propaganda conspiracy, it's gdp per capita as some sort of measure of the welfare of a population. Is it really that hard to calculate median income (or product, or the equivalent)?
 
Huntster said:
No doubt. The food Yankees call Mexican food is just an appetizer.

It's a whole different culinary world in southern Mexico.
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Or that of New Mexico (USA), which was northern Mexico prior to 1840.

Stuffed sopapillilas. Mmmm.

I also like Yankee food.

Clam Chowda. Mmmm.

:cool:
 
I've been to Denmark and, well, people didn't seem exactly cheerful. I found them to be modest, shy, nice, and only extroverted when drunk. Generally speaking, of course.

Can anyone really be happy if it's so cold? I'm serious. It's such a downer, as suicide rates show.

I think this could be a personality trait of the Danes that got into the answers - being conformed, calm, generally not the whining kind. It's obvious that wealth, translated into great health, education, welfare, etc, does play a part. That's undeniable.

But it's too cold.
 
Luciana Nery said:
I've been to Denmark and, well, people didn't seem exactly cheerful. I found them to be modest, shy, nice, and only extroverted when drunk. Generally speaking, of course.

Can anyone really be happy if it's so cold? I'm serious. It's such a downer, as suicide rates show.

I think this could be a personality trait of the Danes that got into the answers - being conformed, calm, generally not the whining kind. It's obvious that wealth, translated into great health, education, welfare, etc, does play a part. That's undeniable.

But it's too cold.
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You are not exactly unbiased here. You think 30C is cold. :p
 
Denmark is cold, to anyone's standards. And it remains cold for many months... I'm sure it's a great place to live, but "happiest place on Earth?" I didn't see that on people's faces, sorry.
 
Luciana Nery said:
I've been to Denmark and, well, people didn't seem exactly cheerful. I found them to be modest, shy, nice, and only extroverted when drunk.
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Oooh, most danes are very cheerful, they play the bongo drums, blow annoying whistles, and run around half naked. Just like in South America :)

..But then they move from kindergarden to elementary school :D

Ok, you can hit me now.
But it's too cold.
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We have a heatwave here right now that doesn't exactly makes us happy. If you wanna hear Danes complain, then now is the time :)
 
Thomas said:
We have a heatwave here right now that doesn't exactly makes us happy. If you wanna hear Danes complain, then now is the time :)
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So wealthy... and too cheap to buy air conditioners!!! :p You folks have to check those priorities!

ETA: that goes to you too, Claus!
 
Luciana Nery said:
So wealthy... and too cheap to buy air conditioners!!! :p You folks have to check those priorities!

ETA: that goes to you too, Claus!
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It's common sense, m'deahr: We only need air conditioners for maybe 2 months a year - if we are lucky! The rest of the time, we have to fight off polar bears from the streets...not
 
Norwegians don't use air conditioners, either. Never really a need for them.

But right now, I'd kill for one. I'm sweating like a pig! The heat is killing me! If I didn't believe in global warming before, I do now!

ETA : Of course, this heat that's killing me is 30C/86F. Some people from more southern parts of the world might not be impressed, but it's still killing me.
 
30C is a high temperature anywhere, and I can't take it either. That's why air conditioners are so spread!

We suffer from heat as much as you do, but aside from air con, that sometimes can be too strong and makes us carry coats around, our houses and apartments and furniture allow for freshness. Also, a little humidity helps you to sweat, thus controlling your temperature. It's the burning heat with no sweat that is absolutely unbearable.

We also don't have winters to speak of, but we have coats for when it happens, you know.

I'm serious when I say it does not make sense not to own air conditioners in a wealthy society. Mine has been working frequently for the past 15 years. It is a very useful appliance, well worth its price, that is not high anyway. It's cheaper than most kitchen appliances these days.
 
Luciana Nery said:
I'm serious when I say it does not make sense not to own air conditioners in a wealthy society.
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Norway is one of the richest countries in the world, yet I know no one who owns an air conditioner.

We had them in the barracks down in Bosnia, but then the heat down there was frequently well over 40C/104F.

I remember complaining about the heat in a US Army camp, when someone behind me, with a very southern USA accent said, "Aww, come one. It's not that bad!"

Well, when you're a Norwegian, everything over 20C/68F is HOT!
 
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Perhaps I am being oversimplistic, but surely it's always fallacious to talk about a "society" being happy? Collections of people are not people. The "United States" is not religious: many of its people are.
 
empeake said:
One thing for sure: everywhere you go, the food is truly addictive.
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I have to admit that I, too, am a food addict. I really feel that I need it. If I go without it too long I start to go through withdraw pains. I fear that if I tried to make it through the withdraw before feeding my addiction I might actually die from the withdraw.

It's sad. But I blame my parents. I was brought up in a food addicted household. Both my parents are food addicts. Most of my friends growing up were also food addicts.

*whiper* this has been very hard to admit to all of you

Aaron
 
Ryokan said:
Norway is one of the richest countries in the world, yet I know no one who owns an air conditioner.

Well, when you're a Norwegian, everything over 20C/68F is HOT!
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Air conditioners last a long time and are relatively cheap. I cannot sleep if the temp is over 30C. Can't even begin to entertain the idea! It's too uncomfortable. The worst flu is the one I get during summer - if I turn the air con on, I get congested and can't breathe. But if I don't, the heat won't let me sleep.

Even in the height of summer it's not too bad, because if your body temp is at dangerous levels, all shops will have air con, all offices will have it, and your own home there's air con. Being sweaty and uncomfortable is entirely optional.

Ok, I get it. Norweagians are sadists. :p

Europeans must think - oh, how can those in the south stand that heat? Answer: we're prepared for it!
 
d_goddard said:
Perhaps I am being oversimplistic, but surely it's always fallacious to talk about a "society" being happy? Collections of people are not people. The "United States" is not religious: many of its people are.
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Good luck winning that battle, Quixote.
 
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