DZ Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 I was surprised to read the results of a study issued today by the New Economics Foundation, a London-based research and environmental campaign organisation. They have compiled the "Happy Planet Index" (http://www.happyplanetindex.org/), which covers 178 countries and tries to rate their "happiness" by multiplying life expectancy by life satisfaction, and dividing it by environmental impact in each country, including carbon emissions. According to the study, Vanuatu, a group of South Pacific islands populated by fisherman and farmers, is the world's happiest place. Surprisingly, countries like the UK and France are among the world's least happy countries because of their consumer-driven economies, with UK on 108th place and France trailing behind on 129th – can this be true?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 How can I put this without causing offence? Complete b****cks.'Happy Planet Index' says it all. Who on earth funds these people to produce so-called 'research' like this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgina Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I may have superglued my rose tinted specs on to my face but after nearly a year here I find that the French are much happier people than in the UK. Nearly everyone has a smile for you. Of course there are the odd misery guts but nothing compared to where we used to live. So yes I think it's b....cks too. I know I read in another post about everyone in France being on antidepressants, well I found that in the UK.Georgina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davidball Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 B*u*g*g*e*r! I did the Quiz . . .seems I have to live till 90! - longer if I give up driving!Gonna have to review my pension provision ;)David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 What a load of cobblers. I come out as Mr Happy from Happytown, I'm going to save the planet and I'm going to live forever. But I should still do more, apparently. For example, look at these fatuous results:Your personal Happy Planet Index (HPI) is 80.8, which is above that forany country, including top-placed Vanuatu. Congratulations! However, itis still below the reasonable ideal we have set, of 83, so you canstill do more to improve your health and well-being, or reduce yourenvironmental impact. Your score is above that of your country, 36.4.I think I need more drugs before I can hit the 'reasonable ideal'.Hurray! Your life expectancy is well above average for your gender andcountry. Probably, you're doing all the major things right - eatingwell, not smoking, getting regular exercise, and you're lucky enough tohave the right genes. Are there any more ways you could make adifference? Some factors that improve your life expectancy are moresurprising than others. For example, giving up your car, avoidingliving alone, moving out of the city and shrugging off stress.I already told them I live with my wife in a village so I'm not sure how to follow their valuable advice. I'll just go out and scrap the car and try not to feel too stressed about it when I have to walk 5 miles to the nearest big town and bring the shopping back in a wheelbarrow. [Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Riff-Raff Element Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 It's not something to do with L. Ron Hubbard is it? It has that kind of odour about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Some equally cooky group, anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DZ Posted July 14, 2006 Author Share Posted July 14, 2006 Well, I am happy that this survey has kept you amused for a while, even if it is b******. How did you get your personal index so high?! Mine is in the low 50-ties. Have to work on my happiness levels, obviously (going to get myself a glass of wine RIGHT NOW).By the way, I don't think the report was prepared by some weirdos (unless you consider Friends of the Earth to be in that category). It's a registered charity and they sound fairly normal, judging by their website: http://www.instituteforphilanthropy.org.uk/re5.htmlAnyhow, people - I hope you are happy, wherever you live! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Don't feel too bad - I tried filling it in while imagining myself as I was just before I moved here, when I still commuted every day from Bromley to London, and came out in the 40's! So moving here and various associated changes like packing in the smoking and taking more exercise have bumped me up 40 points or thereabouts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Redman Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 [quote user="Jon D"]It's not something to do with L. Ron Hubbard is it? It has that kind of odour about it...[/quote]I used to really upset the girls by going clear in TCR - LL all you had to do was remember you responses to the first thirty questions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Anton - can you translate your last post for us mere mortals, please?[8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 [quote user="davieszak"]Well, I am happy that this survey has kept you amused for a while, even if it is b******. How did you get your personal index so high?! Mine is in the low 50-ties. Have to work on my happiness levels, obviously (going to get myself a glass of wine RIGHT NOW).By the way, I don't think the report was prepared by some weirdos (unless you consider Friends of the Earth to be in that category). It's a registered charity and they sound fairly normal, judging by their website: http://www.instituteforphilanthropy.org.uk/re5.htmlAnyhow, people - I hope you are happy, wherever you live![/quote]Davieszak ..............Don't they always say that you decide on whether you're going to employ someone in the first 30 seconds of an interview? Similarly, don't we all decide that a particular thread is a piece of nonsense within the first 5 secs of reading it? That's not a shot at you by the way - merely the so-called 'study'.The 'Institute for Philanthropy' eh? Sounds very dodgy to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Shame on your cynicism, Ian. The aims of the Institutefortotalphlaffff also known as NEF are admirable:CURRENT ACTIVITIES NEF has made six main areas a priority: 1. Building corporate accountability 2. Reshaping the global economy - campaigning towards a new agenda in the rules and institutions thatgovern the global markets 3. A more civil society - redefining the third sector. NEF aims to redesign the third sector so that it connects people's vision, voices and energy to real change in society 4. Small is bankable - growing community finance 5. People at the centre - participation. NEF has collected 21 participation techniques 6. Telling it like it is - NEF analyses the current situation, campaigns for change and takes practical action. Reports, pamphlets, a newspaper and NEF's web-site disseminate information and ideasI HOPE THAT IS ALL CLEAR NOW.[8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 I knew you were Happy Mister Happy Cassis, it's in your jeans ! [geek] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Thanks Cassis. It's all crystal clear now.I'll mention it to Sonia in the Presse tomorrow morning - she who could kill a man at thirty paces with one of her 'daggers looks'. "Sonia ........, are you interested in the redesign of the third sector so that it connects people's vision, voices and energy to real change in society?"Love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 [quote user="Cassis"]What a load of cobblers. I come out as Mr Happy from Happytown, I'm going to save the planet and I'm going to live forever. But I should still do more, apparently. For example, look at these fatuous results:Your personal Happy Planet Index (HPI) is 80.8, which is above that for any country, including top-placed Vanuatu. Congratulations! However, it is still below the reasonable ideal we have set, of 83, so you can still do more to improve your health and well-being, or reduce your environmental impact. Your score is above that of your country, 36.4.I think I need more drugs before I can hit the 'reasonable ideal'.Hurray! Your life expectancy is well above average for your gender and country. Probably, you're doing all the major things right - eating well, not smoking, getting regular exercise, and you're lucky enough to have the right genes. Are there any more ways you could make a difference? Some factors that improve your life expectancy are more surprising than others. For example, giving up your car, avoiding living alone, moving out of the city and shrugging off stress.I already told them I live with my wife in a village so I'm not sure how to follow their valuable advice. I'll just go out and scrap the car and try not to feel too stressed about it when I have to walk 5 miles to the nearest big town and bring the shopping back in a wheelbarrow. [Www][/quote]OK, couldn't resist it. Did the soppy survey and got a mere 61.4, which apparently puts me in with the Saudi's and Vietnamese.It also said that if I could bring myself to be a bit less grumpy and cynical, I'd score higher in their crappy survey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DZ Posted July 15, 2006 Author Share Posted July 15, 2006 Can't beat you on the score, Ian. Whatever I do, I still come up with 50.2 (I am with Nepal then). Even switching from wine to vodka didn't help. Anyway, that's about it for this subject.Hope you have a happy day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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