Finland holds its position as the world’s most overjoyed nation, while Ireland’s rank slips two steps to 17th, as per an international survey. The Worldwide Happiness Report presents Ireland’s progressive downwards trajectory, ranking them 14th a year ago, 13th in the year before that, and now in the 17th place. In Ireland, those less than 30 years old are the least contented and rank as 21st happiest globally; the most contented group in Ireland are middle-aged individuals (45-59 years) who are the 16th happiest worldwide.
The ten nations with the highest happiness indices comprise of Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Australia. Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the table as the most despondent nation globally, with Lesotho and Lebanon following closely as second and third most disheartened nations respectively.
The published report originates from the Gallup World Poll, which gathers responses from approximately 1,000 individuals in each country, asking for their personal happiness level scale ranging from 0 (most despondent) to 10. Other determining factors such as GDP, life expectancy, social support and freedom for life decisions were considered during the survey.
A visible pattern is of Eastern European nations reaching or even surpassing Western European nations in terms of happiness. Czechia, Lithuania and Slovenia are closely ranked at 18th, 19th and 21st places respectively, while the United States and Germany have fallen to 23rd and 24th places this year from the 15th and 16th spots last year. Happiness levels are now the same throughout Europe for those under 30.
For the over 60 age group, there is a significant reduction in the happiness gap in Europe, half of what it was between 2006 and 2010. The so-called boomers and those born before them (pre-1965) assess their life significantly happier than those born post-1980 (millennials and Gen Z). To evaluate the respondents’ perception of their overall life, an analogy of the ‘ladder’ is used in the Gallup World Poll, where the highest possible quality of life is at ’10’ and the lowest at ‘0’. The older generations’ life evaluations improve with age, unlike the younger generations whose evaluations decrease with age; the in-between generations witness slight age effects.
The survey reveals a high level of discontent amongst young individuals, aged 15 to 24, in various regions including the UK, various European countries, the US, and Australia. The increasingly challenging economic environment is proving difficult for a considerable and increasing number of this population to navigate, particularly those with limited qualifications.
It appears that social media is contributing to diminishing self-esteem and detrimental impacts on the wellbeing of young individuals. But the report suggests the key issues at the root of their dwindling positivity, traditionally seen amongst the gen Z demographic in surveys, are insufficient education, lack of skills training, and the high cost of housing.
The survey findings also highlight a growing similarity in the mindset of young people and their embattled parents, who frequently report feeling overwhelmed and battered by life’s hardships.
According to the report, university no longer assures financial or emotional stability. Those who choose not to pursue higher education face significant restrictions in accessing apprenticeships and additional education prospects that could enhance their societal standing, earnings, and sense of self-worth.
The UK Intergenerational Foundation charity’s response to the report underlines the severe impact of government policies, housing affordability issues, stagnant wages, and high costs of living on young adults. The charity emphasised how these factors have culminated into a toxic mix, with this generation facing unprecedented instances of mental health problems given their bleak future prospects. Source: the Guardian.