Interpreting the Happy Planet Index - What is your opinion about the happiness of Americans compared to people in other countries like Brazil, France, UK, Germany, India or China?

Most people are happy or unhappy due to their standers. In the western world a lot of people aim to getting the best stuff rather than being happy, ten years ago you would have been happy with a camera phone that took in todays eyes poor quality images, but our standers have gone up we expect maybe too much, we would maybe be unhappy getting this phone today, even though we would have been fine with it ten years ago.

This is just what I think, there is also a great video on TED talking about more choice makes us unhappy.

The TED talk by Barry Schwartz deals specifically with this issue, at least as it pertains to American consumer-based culture. (Good call Myndecho)

That wouldn’t explain other parts of the globe, but I don’t see a lot of information on what criteria was used to determine the rankings. This is an interesting line under the criticisms portion:
“That the HPI completely ignores issues like political freedom, human rights and labor rights”

i have to think that environmental impact is a big factor in the HPI, else why are so many third world people (top of index ratings) moving to western countries? i would apply same thought to USA versus Britain, France, etc.

and reviewing the llist, “happiness” begins in the americas (predominately) and ends in africa (exclusively), european happiness begins in scandinavia…i’d have to dig harder, but just reading the wikipedia entry, it may not be worth the effort.

@fireside and @Myndecho – Wonderful speech. I just ordered Barry Schwartz’s book.

@avalmez – I would call it the quality of life.

no, i dug further and it’s neither. it’s supposed to be a measure of life satisfaction (subjective) and expectancy versus ecological footprint. its developers address issues that seem clear with any such measure and take steps to smooth out the overwhelming impact eco footprint can have on the result.

the basic formula is:

hpi = (satisfaction + expectancy) / (eco footprint + a) * b

you can get a description of their methodology from their website, but based on the above and despite their efforts to smooth out excesses particularly in terms of footprint, it remains evident to me that the number is interesting at best, a guess with science thrown at it.

and its clear that lower results are foot print driven and so i feel comfortable with my original statement that eco impact has to account for usa “happiness”/“quality of life” being low, when actually i don’t think the result is really meaningful.

I’m happy with what I’ve done in my life, but not with our “lifestyle”. I think our lives in America are very stressful ones. I’m not surprised at the map at all. We work way too much in this country. Whereas, in other countries, people might not have HD tv’s and personal chefs, but they only work a few hours a week preparing food, clothing, and other necessities, then they’re free to do what they please. Even in Europe work is not the main event in the average person’s lifestyle.

@ubersiren it’s true. life in america is tough and focused on success and materialism. but the majority of americans would not trade their current situation for one in, say, Guatemala or Honduras. I’ve been to both countries and they’re beautiful, their people pleasant and sincere, and economies so deep in the dumps, they’d gladly exchange their current situation for one in the usa, and many do, legally and otherwise.

and where developed countries are concerned versus the usa, for most americans, nice places to visit, but it’s always nice to come home. genuinely, that is how i think the vast majority of americans feel based on those i know that have traveled abroad and that’s a considerable number of people.

nonetheless, the question of quality of life in america versus other countries, in particular european countries, is an interesting one. I just don’t think the hpi is a useful context in which to discuss that question.

the purpose of the hpi is to demonstrate a satisfactory quality of life does not have to be attained at the (excessive) expense of the environment (a premise that is arguable in and of itself, hence my parenthetical qualification, excessive).

their attempt to do so, however, omits too many not just important but essential “happiness”/“quality of life” factors from consideration. in my view, that eliminates the hpi as an honest basis for such a discussion.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!