Jamaica rated third happiest place in the world

[Za]

So if you examine the data carefully. For example Jamaica vs US
US has a higher life expectancy and its people have a higher life satisfaction level but it also has a higher ecological footprint than Jamaica which is the dividing factor in the formula which drove the US score down.

[Don1]

Against a background of harsh economic times, Jamaica has been rated the third happiest place on earth.

In light of that study, RJR News sought reactions from some Jamaicans:
"I'd like to know how they got that result. Did they just call up a thousand Jamaicans and take a random sample, what were the methods used. But generally I believe we are some warm people, I don't know about happy but maybe we accept things and just mellow out."
"I think we are truly happy but sometimes we mask the sadness because I think small things make us happy."

"It depends on who looks within themselves and determine how they want happiness. If you just get up everyday saying that you don't have this and you don't have that and you get stressed out."

"Yes I was very interested when I saw that report. I wondered if it was only the tourists that they interviewed? I don't know which gully side they went on to do that interview because most of Jamaica I don't think we are happy. We are very frustrated because everyday the cost of living goes up."

"Once you hear music playing or you see a family member or you hear church it is a totally different situation especially once we have a gathering. I believe it."

The UK based New Economics Foundation report says Jamaica is the third greenest and happiest country on the planet.
The Think Tank measures life expectancy, happiness and the environmental impact of different nations.

http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/19519/26/

Another indicator of a failed state. LOL!!!

[Don1]

What finally convinced me not take these results seriously are the other countries listed as the Top 10 Happiest: Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Vietnam, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Brazil, and Honduras!! Was low standard of living by the masses one of the main criteria for happiness?

If you examine the index it doesn't measure what we generally understand as "happiness". The title is a misnomer.

It is seeking to measure a country's impact on the ecology and relating that to some objective measures of living standards such as life expectancy.

The index is skewed towards countries with low environmental impacts and relatively high life expectancy or other positive demographic markers.

Countries with very high income per capita generally are industrial with acutely adverse ecological impacts... leading to low scores on this particular index.... it is totally subjective.... someone's skewed idea of "happiness".

Apart from being subjective the index is also somewhat instructive as rich people and rich countries are often the most miserable and unhappy.... money and materialism often goes hand in hand with stress, selfishness, decadence and alienation. i.e. unhappiness.

Witness rich, successful countries such as Japan and certain Scandanavian countries with tremendously high suicide rates and visibly uninspired or "unhappy" people.

Money often gets in the way of happiness.... that's the salient lesson.


But mi will tek di so called unhappiness of being rich any day ah di week!

[Islandman]

Even so I still think it is flawed.

Haiti has denuded more than 90% of its hillside as a result of coal burning and has horrible mudslides every time a little rain falls. They have a life expectancy of about 60 years, and yet they rank 42nd and the US ranks 114th?

[Historian]

Still Doesn't Add Up

But mi will tek di so called unhappiness of being rich any day ah di week!

LOL. I fully agree with you, boss !
Also, you have presented a very good, certainly logical explanation, except that the picture presented in the report still does not make a lot of sense to me….

Even so I still think it is flawed.

Haiti has denuded more than 90% of its hillside as a result of coal burning and has horrible mudslides every time a little rain falls. They have a life expectancy of about 60 years, and yet they rank 42nd and the US ranks 114th?

Exactly, Islandman! No matter how I look at it, and taking into consideration Don1’s and Za’s very good perspectives above, these results still do not make much sense to me.

[1of1]

You have to make yourself happy in these times, if not we would have given up long time

[Don1]

LOL. I fully agree with you, boss !
Also, you have presented a very good, certainly logical explanation, except that the picture presented in the report still does not make a lot of sense to me….


Exactly, Islandman! No matter how I look at it, and taking into consideration Don1’s and Za’s very good perspectives above, these results still do not make much sense to me.

As I said the index is skewed... maybe fatally so.

It is just some people's idea of how to publicize their pet cause.... the environment.

One can't take it too seriously.

[Sir X]

They should do a study on parties/dances/session per square area.I am sure Jamaica would be number 1 , Or session per seasons , Jamaica number 1 again.

I think the happiness comes fromn the escape from these sessions.

[Jawge]

LOL It's funny to Rhatid; Explain the long lines at the US embassy
in Kgn. Even the so called well to dos in Ja would pass out if their US visas was to be taken away. By these looney's standard the US should be a disgusting place, yet the US is plagued with an immigration problem.

[Sickko]

First in happiest place for me to live

[Willi]

LoL