Finns Call Themselves ‘Moody’ & Yet Finland is Happiest Country 6 Yrs in a Row: What’s Their Secret?

For the sixth year running, Finland was recently named the world’s happiest country in an annual UN-sponsored index Monday. With thousands of lakes and near endless forests, the Nordic country is known for its extensive welfare system, high trust in authorities and low levels of inequality among its 5.5 million inhabitants, as per a report by AFP.

Finland also has around three million saunas — more than the number of registered cars — a comfort in a country where temperatures fall below freezing for nearly half the year.

Nonetheless, the happiness report raised some eyebrows when Finland first came out on top of the ranking in 2018, AFP reported, as ‘many Finns describe themselves as taciturn and prone to melancholy, and admit to eyeing public displays of joyfulness with suspicion.’

So, what makes Finland the happiest country? Let’s take a look:

How is happiness measured in the report?

As per UN, the World Happiness Report is based on Gallup World Poll surveys conducted, this time from 2020 to 2022. They are based on responses to the poll’s main life evaluation question. The Cantril ladder asks respondents to imagine a ladder, with a 10 representing the best conceivable existence and a 0 representing the worst possible life. They are then asked to rank their current lives on a scale of 0 to 10. The rankings are based on nationally representative samples for 2020-2022.

So, what makes Finland so happy?

According to reports, ‘happy’ may be a bit of a stretch, say some Finns. The psychological state of mind is also often dependent on its surroundings, so let’s take a look at some of the more foundational aspects of the country.

When Finland ranked at the top of the Happiness list in 2018, a report in the Economist argued that it was because ‘happy cultures have supportive social systems and institutions that make it more difficult for people to fall through the gaps. They are also more open to accepting and integrating migrants.’

A similar emotion is echoed even now. A New York Times report, in which Finns describe their own ideas of happiness, give hints to the socialist structure of the country behind them being to able to lead a comparatively worry-free life. “Finns derive satisfaction from leading sustainable lives and perceive financial success as being able to identify and meet basic needs,” Arto O. Salonen, a professor at the University of Eastern Finland told the publication, adding that “when you know what is enough, you are happy.”

She said the country’s happiness was deeply rooted in its strong welfare system.

Nature and Arts

Many of the people that the New York Times talked to highlighted nature’s richness as critical to Finnish happiness: Almost 75% of Finland is covered with forest, and it is completely open to the public according to a statute known as “jokamiehen oikeudet,” or “everyman’s right,” which allows anyone to travel freely across any natural areas, whether on public or privately held territory.

Individual artist grants, as well as public financing for education and the arts, allow people to pursue their creative inclinations, including music, which is supposed to be an essential thing for the public dealing with a long dreary winter each season.

The Three Reason Guide

Frank Martela, a psychology expert in Finland, talked about what distinguishes the country from others, and could be possible reasons behind its happiness, or foundational ‘satisfaction’.

In a CNBC report, Martela gave her first reasoning as the Finns’ lack of a jealous, competitive spirit, or more simply put, ‘not comparing oneself with their neighbour.’ A famous Finnish poet once said, “Kell’ onni on, se onnen kätkeköön,” Martela explained, which roughly translates to, ‘Don’t compare or boast about your happiness.’

“I once met one of Finland’s wealthiest men. He was pushing a pram with his child towards the tram station. He might have purchased a costly car or hired a driver, but he chose public transportation. That’s what success looks like in Finland: just like everyone else,” she wrote.

She also placed importance in Finns’ love for nature. According to a 2021 survey, 87% of Finns value nature because it offers them with peace of mind, vitality, and relaxation.

And last but not least, she says country’s degree of trust can also be one of the reasons behind its happiness.

In 2022, 192 wallets were dropped in 16 locations around the world as part of a “lost wallet” experiment to test citizens’ honesty. In Helsinki, 11 of 12 wallets were returned to their rightful owners, the report said.

With inputs from AFP

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