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Shouldn’t America Be Happier?

Tom Purcell on

Despite the many blessings of living in America, why aren’t more Americans happy?

According to World Population Review, the 2021 World Happiness Report ranks America as the 19th happiest out of 146 countries.

The report bases happiness on six categories, including gross domestic product (GDP), social support, life expectancy, generosity, perceptions of each country’s corruption levels, and the freedom for citizens to make their own life choices.

GDP is a general estimate of the total value of finished goods and services that a country has produced within a specific period of time, usually measured in a year.

America has the highest GDP in the world, yet that isn’t producing the highest happiness ranking in the world.

To be sure, money isn’t everything where happiness is concerned, according to Time.

 

Several studies show that once your basic financial needs are met and you have enough money to enjoy a few niceties, more money does not necessarily equate to more happiness.

Though, as my Uncle Bert has wisely noted, if you’re going to be miserable anyway, you might as well be rich!

America’s life expectancy ranking is awfully disappointing. Out of 227 countries, we rank 46th. Other advanced economies are doing much better than we are. Our neighbor Canada is ranked sixth.

Understanding why we aren’t living longer requires deep examination, but a report by the National Institute of Health explains why it would negatively impact our happiness ranking.

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Copyright 2021 Tom Purcell, All Rights Reserved. Credit: Cagle.com

 

 

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