These types of report are complete tripe. Happiness can’t be quantified.
Finns are massive pissheads. But maybe that’s why they’re happy…
I agree that happiness can’t be quantified. Maybe the report should be labeled something else. They assume life satisfaction (my phrase in place of “happiness” though admittedly also problematic) to consist of the following things:
The survey, conducted by Gallup, uses a three-year rolling average of survey responses around six factors: GDP per capita; social support; life expectancy; freedom to make life choices; generosity; and corruption levels. Finland scores well on all factors but particularly strongly on generosity.
I think it’s a worthwhile study. I want all those things, feel they are important, etc., and would consider a country having good amounts of each (or a low amount in the case of corruption) to be a decent place to live.
When Finland, home to some of the most morose people on the planet, gets chosen as the “World’s Happiest Country,” you know something’s wrong with the methodology.
Yes, the name of the study of messed up. Probably a marketing move by management at Gallup.
Very likely. The “clickbait economy” seems to be ruining just about everything.
Taiwan is like number 25th but we cannot report on it because it is referred to as “province of china”. 
Maybe also safety is something I would want in the study.
I wonder what would bring the ranking down. GDP per capita?
I used to drink with two Finnish engineers. They were massive, proper Viking types. They propped up the bar and downed pint and chaser after pint and chaser all night, but never seemed to get drunk.
Why would Taiwan be happy? Do you see many people living interesting and enriched lives?
I see little mice caught up in a rat race from the age of three until the age of 73.
Don’t forget all those working-age Sky Dragon people who have no need to work and spend their time lounging around in cafes and fancy restaurants and illegally parking their luxury sedans and supercars.
Those dickheads aren’t happy. Far too insecure.
True, but probably happier than the office drones.
That’s how I imagine hell to be.
Yup, we did it, we kicked the US to 19!
I think this report is kind of misleading.
Happiness isn’t about GDP, life expectancy or social support. Happiness is about how one feels about their lives and choices.
From all reports I’ve seen in this topic, the one that gets closest to a good happiness index is the Gallup Positive Experience Index, which asked the participants about how happy they felt the day before. But it still may not be good enough.
Taiwan seems pretty happy to outsiders. When home or at dinner with friends then I hear all the problems, and the wish to move away (my experience) and I am the one saying why it’s good here , ahah
I felt like shit!