Why Finland Is So Happy (and the USA So Depressed)

[Trailblazer]

Oh nice! You should. I hear Sequim is a good place to go for retirement, and it is pretty close to Port Angeles. It's in a rain shadow which means the weather there is a heck of a lot less harsh. I thought about going there too, but I'd miss the clouds and the rain. I want to go somewhere colder. The weather keeps warming up I notice, and I've always been a cold weather person. Maybe I should just go up into Jeuno in Alaska, but I would miss it here. Dunno! I still got time to figure it out.

I also like the clouds and rain and wind, people think I am bonkers. Since I am home all the time when not at work, I like being in the trees and I can see Mt. Rainier when I go out. I used to be able to see the lake right below from the house before all the trees grew up in our view. We also have two rental houses, one on the river here locally and one on the ocean in Moclips; I like water views. We finally got good tenants in the river house here in town but the tenant in the ocean house is way behind on his rent so I could not ask him to leave until he pays most of that rent. I would not mind living in the ocean house but it is so far from any medical services, not good when we get older. So I will probably stay here but this house needs a lot of work.

I would love Alaska but because of the two rental houses it would be difficult to move so far away. Of course I could sell all of them because I am constantly getting offers. I will decide after I retire. I would never go to live in a warm climate. I like snow as long as I do not have to drive in it. Luckily in case it snows we have a city bus that comes out this far because of Yelm.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Finland has a population of 5.3 million.

US has a population of 330, 135,194 million

 

[Twilight Hue]

Is that the same U.N. that has “peace keepers” molesting children?

You mean the same UN as the one here?

The number of human rights violators on the UN Human Rights Council has been revealed

 

[exchemist]

Why Finland Is So Happy (and the USA So Depressed)

For the past two years, the United Nations has ranked Finland as the world's happiest country. The U.S. has never scored in the top 10 since the index was launched in 2011, and in 2019 it plummeted to 19th.

While Finland seems perennially chirpy, the U.S. is seeing growing rates of depression, drug addiction, and suicide. Here are six reasons that residents of Finland (7.1 percent of whom are immigrants, BTW) are so happy when compared to their American counterparts:

1. Finns pay higher taxes but see more results.
2. Finland makes life easier for working parents.
3. Finland mandates generous paid time off.
4. It's easy to do business in Finland.
5. Finland has truly stellar public schools. (and it's bottom up not top down)
6. Finland has younger leaders.

One of the interesting things is that when you visit these two countries, the US is full of in-your-face upbeat bonhomie, while the Finns are by comparison rather reserved, taciturn and apparently a bit gloomy.

I felt, when I lived there, that US culture seemed, in a way, to be built on some kind of unattainable marketing-led myth of life, while the Finns, who I used to visit twice a year for some years, seem far more grounded and just to get on with what they have.

I don't really know if it is true, but if so there may be a kind of parable here.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

One of the interesting things is that when you visit these two countries, the US is full of in-your-face upbeat bonhomie, while the Finns are by comparison rather reserved, taciturn and apparently a bit gloomy.

I felt, when I lived there, that US culture seemed, in a way, to be built on some kind of unattainable marketing-led myth of life, while the Finns, who I used to visit twice a year for some years, seem far more grounded and just to get on with what they have.

I don't really know if it is true, but if so there may be a kind of parable here.

I agree with you that the US has a commercialized culture to an unhealthy degree. Many of the kids I work with are pretty poor, yet are still so so focused on things they can buy. Everything is about the latest trends.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

I'm happy right where I am, thank you very much. I'm within a 3 hour drive of many different state and national parks, there's great fishing and hunting to be had, people are generally down to earth and friendly with each other, and we have some of the best coffee and craft beer in the country.

I don't think the message in the OP is to move to Finland, but to recognize what factors in their lives make them happy, or more correctly, what deficiencies in American culture make Americans less happy. Americans today have a tortured understanding of how socialistic elements of government help them, and so don't enjoy the security and peace of mind that a cradle-to-grave social support system offers.

You are also likely better positioned than most other 36-year old Americans, many of whom are trapped in dead-end jobs that barely cover expenses, leaving them one medical problem or layoff from financial catastrophe. How can one be happy like that? Finns don't have to worry about that. Perhaps you don't either.

I felt, when I lived there, that US culture seemed, in a way, to be built on some kind of unattainable marketing-led myth of life

What more sure-fire way is there to be dissatisfied than to set the unachievable goals for happiness characteristic of consumerism.

Americans are also being made unhappier by the divisive demagoguery that facilitates fear and resentment.

Many if not most Americans are of the opinion that America is the greatest country on earth, offers the most freedom and opportunity, and that everybody that doesn't live there wishes he or she could. They are unwilling to consider any other model in any other country as having anything to offer them. Who remembers Michael Moore's "Where to Invade Next"?

From Wiki "In the film Moore visits a number of countries and examines aspects of their social policies that he suggests the United States could adopt. He visits Italy, France, Finland, Slovenia, Germany, Portugal, Norway, Tunisia, and Iceland; respectively, the subjects covered are worker benefits, school lunches, early education, college education, worker inclusion, decriminalized drugs, low recidivism, women's health care, and women's inclusion and leadership role in society."

Conservative Americans fight these things, facilitating their own unhappiness as well as that of their liberal neighbors. They make America a less desirable place to be.

As I have mentioned before, our lives became much better when we expatriated from the States to Mexico about a decade ago upon retiring. We traded an angry, divided culture that had weaponized religion and embraced a gun culture with attendant continual mass shootings, worsening extreme weather, and widespread and growing racism for something more consistent with our preferred lifestyle.

And we enjoy all of the same freedoms we exercised in the States as well as a few more. I especially like that most drugs available only by prescription in the States are over-the-counter here, not to mention that these medications are much less expensive (as is almost everything else), which increases our economic freedom. These people are happier than Americans as well, and if we weren't also happier here, we wouldn't be here. We'd still be in the States.

 

[Left Coast]

Why Finland Is So Happy (and the USA So Depressed)

For the past two years, the United Nations has ranked Finland as the world's happiest country. The U.S. has never scored in the top 10 since the index was launched in 2011, and in 2019 it plummeted to 19th.

While Finland seems perennially chirpy, the U.S. is seeing growing rates of depression, drug addiction, and suicide. Here are six reasons that residents of Finland (7.1 percent of whom are immigrants, BTW) are so happy when compared to their American counterparts:

1. Finns pay higher taxes but see more results.
2. Finland makes life easier for working parents.
3. Finland mandates generous paid time off.
4. It's easy to do business in Finland.
5. Finland has truly stellar public schools. (and it's bottom up not top down)
6. Finland has younger leaders.

It's also a pretty godless/secular country, despite the majority of the population being technically Lutheran on paper.

 

[Trailblazer]

You are also likely better positioned than most other 36-year old Americans, many of whom are trapped in dead-end jobs that barely cover expenses, leaving them one medical problem or layoff from financial catastrophe. How can one be happy like that? Finns don't have to worry about that. Perhaps you don't either.

And that is the point, isn't it? Some people in the U.S. are happy and well-positioned, don't I know it since I have been in cushy government jobs working with them for 42 years. But what about the rest of the people who are not so fortunate? As a Baha'i, I am a proponent for social and economic justice for everyone in the world. I cannot just think of myself and the fact that I am very well off financially, when other people are suffering.

As I have mentioned before, our lives became much better when we expatriated from the States to Mexico about a decade ago upon retiring. We traded an angry, divided culture that had weaponized religion and embraced a gun culture with attendant continual mass shootings, worsening extreme weather, and widespread and growing racism for something more consistent with our preferred lifestyle.

I won't ask you where in Mexico you relocated to but you can tell me if you want to.

I wonder because I have considered retiring outside of the United States and I have been trying to retire for a couple of years now. It looks like it will be next year. Unfortunately we own three houses so I could not move south unless I sold them and that would be a huge decision. I am financially well-positioned so I would not leave the U.S. for economic reasons, but rather because this society has gone downhill. What bothers me most is the materialism but all those things you mentioned also bother me. People seem to be getting angrier and angrier and they are so accustomed to the demise of this society that they do not even notice it anymore. They just reach for more and more entertainment and material things to numb their feelings. Many people in the U.S. (I recall the statistic is about 60%) continue to wait for Jesus to return and I see this as part of the problem, because they have a fairy tale idea that Jesus will make everything right. That way they will not have to do anything. I consider this immoral.

Canada might be another option for retirement because I do not mind cold weather and I love mountains and scenery. I have also considered moving to Central or South America, but the main stumbling block, as for living in Mexico, is that I no longer know the Spanish language. I used to know it because it was my first major in college but I have forgotten it since that was a very long time ago.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

I won't ask you where in Mexico you relocated to but you can tell me if you want to. I wonder because I have considered retiring outside of the United States and I have been trying to retire for a couple of years now. It looks like it will be next year.

I'd be happy to share that information with you. This is our community. If you'd like more information, let me know.

Here are some comments I made to somebody else asking the same after seeing the video linked to below that was posted on another thread: He posted, "I live in the US and I feel just like her... We are both 66 now and I have been threatening to leave for many years. My wife is very much against it, but I keep searching.I was seriously considering Ecuador, high in the mountains, but it seemed like there would be too little to do."

I answered what I did here in this thread, and he requested more information. My comments included the following:

The ubiquitous sense of dread, fear, anger and resentment that characterizes American life is a thing of the past. We live among happy people now. What's that worth?

As I indicated, our life is very good, and we feel quite safe.. We walked to the plaza this morning, where we met two other couples for breakfast (we could have brought our dogs if we liked), spent under $10 for two (eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast, and coffee), then bought carrots and a small watermelon for about $2, (all locally grown).

Last night, we walked to dinner with another couple. I had chili and the wife had red curry - just over $10. The night before, we walked to dinner at a third restaurant. Vegetarian stir fry in peanut sauce for me, Thai shrimp for the wife, a frozen strawberry margarita each - about $16 USD.

Shorts and short sleeves in every case, no coats necessary even in February.

Regarding the climate, we live a mile high in the Sierra Nevada on Mexico's largest lake, Lake Chapala. We neither have nor need central heat or air, although last year, we put in a mini-split wall unit in the bedroom, which we haven't used in months. It's 78 degrees right now at about 5:15 PM.

Ajijic & Lake Chapala Weather: Second Best Climate in the World
​

The following links refer to the the people that we paid to show us the area for about five days back in 2005. We bought a home before we left. They're still in this business. We celebrate Christmas every year with them and several other of their alumni.

Ajijic - Retire Lake Chapala area of Mexico

Expat Entrepreneurs in Mexico: Lake Chapala Promoter - Expats In Mexico

If you come down here to look around, please let me know. I would love to meet you. Good luck selling your real estate. I recall reading how bad the experience of being a landlord has been for you. Your cats are as welcome here as you are.

 

[Trailblazer]

I'd be happy to share that information with you. This is our community. If you'd like more information, let me know.

Here are some comments I made to somebody else asking the same after seeing the video linked to below that was posted on another thread: He posted, "I live in the US and I feel just like her... We are both 66 now and I have been threatening to leave for many years. My wife is very much against it, but I keep searching.I was seriously considering Ecuador, high in the mountains, but it seemed like there would be too little to do."

I answered what I did here in this thread, and he requested more information. My comments included the following:

The ubiquitous sense of dread, fear, anger and resentment that characterizes American life is a thing of the past. We live among happy people now. What's that worth?

As I indicated, our life is very good, and we feel quite safe.. We walked to the plaza this morning, where we met two other couples for breakfast (we could have brought our dogs if we liked), spent under $10 for two (eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast, and coffee), then bought carrots and a small watermelon for about $2, (all locally grown).

Last night, we walked to dinner with another couple. I had chili and the wife had red curry - just over $10. The night before, we walked to dinner at a third restaurant. Vegetarian stir fry in peanut sauce for me, Thai shrimp for the wife, a frozen strawberry margarita each - about $16 USD.

Shorts and short sleeves in every case, no coats necessary even in February.

Regarding the climate, we live a mile high in the Sierra Nevada on Mexico's largest lake, Lake Chapala. We neither have nor need central heat or air, although last year, we put in a mini-split wall unit in the bedroom, which we haven't used in months. It's 78 degrees right now at about 5:15 PM.

Ajijic & Lake Chapala Weather: Second Best Climate in the World
​

The following links refer to the the people that we paid to show us the area for about five days back in 2005. We bought a home before we left. They're still in this business. We celebrate Christmas every year with them and several other of their alumni.

Ajijic - Retire Lake Chapala area of Mexico

Expat Entrepreneurs in Mexico: Lake Chapala Promoter - Expats In Mexico

If you come down here to look around, please let me know. I would love to meet you. Good luck selling your real estate. I recall reading how bad the experience of being a landlord has been for you. Your cats are as welcome here as you are.

Thanks! I saves your post into a Word document to refer back to it later. I certainly would want to go on that tour before making any major decisions. As for my houses, I could easily sell them because I am constantly getting postcards from people who want to buy them since they are all quite unique.

I love mountains and lakes so this sounds perfect, and Mexico is not as much of a move as would be Central of South America.

I would mostly be concerned about health care and veterinary care and the ability to do what I need to do without knowing Spanish. Also, I do not like cars and traffic, one reason I would want to move, so I would not want to live where I could not get around without a car.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

Thanks! I saves your post into a Word document to refer back to it later. I certainly would want to go on that tour before making any major decisions. As for my houses, I could easily sell them because I am constantly getting postcards from people who want to buy them since they are all quite unique.

I love mountains and lakes so this sounds perfect, and Mexico is not as much of a move as would be Central of South America.

I would mostly be concerned about health care and veterinary care and the ability to do what I need to do without knowing Spanish. Also, I do not like cars and traffic, one reason I would want to move, so I would not want to live where I could not get around without a car.

We were landlords as well until last summer, when we sold our rental property. Since we get between 6.5-8% interest on our government insured deposits, we are earning about as much as we did liquidating the property and depositing it as we did when renting, with much less heartache.

Our health care is as good as I've ever had. Of course, there are people and places to avoid, but that is true everywhere. I've had three surgeries and two endoscopic procedures since I arrived, and all were successful.

We also have competent veterinary care, but once again, let the buyer beware. One needs to know who to go to, and keep your own parallel set of records. Our aging black lab was evaluated lat year for fatigue and vomiting. Heart failure was discovered following an echocardiogram and bloodwork, an inotrope-vasodilator prescribed, and she is doing better.

She also had spinal problems and has received two series of three hyaluronic acid injections that have improved her mobility and comfort.

We are a village, not a large city, but we are beginning to experience traffic problems anyway because of the large infusion of Canadians trying to avoid the cold and American trying to avoid what we have been discussing.

If you are relatively healthy and live relatively centrally, you won't use your car much, as just about everything is in walking distance from the Ajijic village. We have put less than 5000 miles on our vehicle in the last ten years. But people also live in more remote areas for the inexpensive lake views and less expensive real estate, so they must drive to get to restaurants and markets.

 

[gnomon]

Why Finland Is So Happy (and the USA So Depressed)

For the past two years, the United Nations has ranked Finland as the world's happiest country. The U.S. has never scored in the top 10 since the index was launched in 2011, and in 2019 it plummeted to 19th.

While Finland seems perennially chirpy, the U.S. is seeing growing rates of depression, drug addiction, and suicide. Here are six reasons that residents of Finland (7.1 percent of whom are immigrants, BTW) are so happy when compared to their American counterparts:

1. Finns pay higher taxes but see more results.
2. Finland makes life easier for working parents.
3. Finland mandates generous paid time off.
4. It's easy to do business in Finland.
5. Finland has truly stellar public schools. (and it's bottom up not top down)
6. Finland has younger leaders.

So a nation with a population equaling a single city in the United States that is largely homogenous in culture, language, religion, etc. compared to a nation sixty times as large in population, a far more varied culture and much more variation in economics.....

I'm not saying that the Finn's and the associated Nordic model are bad but the absolute ignorance in regards to history and cultural development of the United States compared to the Nordic nations.....

Actually make an argument rather than just running off numbers.