The silence over Spain this morning won’t have anything to do with their wordless National Anthem…. No, it’ll all be about the National hangover following their World Cup Win. Flamenco shoes and castanets up and down the country will have silencers attached whilst Spaniards host the internal glow of ‘Ouch! …. it’s all worth it though’, suffering through the day with a satisfied grin.
When all is good, everyone is happy and it’s not just the Spanish that can smile. The British obsession with weather has reached a peak with a hot spell to equal many on the continent, the World Cup has brought nations together to talk about parakeets and octopus, and music festivals remind us that we might be getting older but we’re not ready to hang up the headphones yet.
In general, what makes people happy? Surrounded by conflicting factors, an arguable belief is that money brings happiness but, according to World Values Surveys, their survey said it comes down to, basically, freedom of choice. People in countries with good healthcare, a higher GDP per capita, and access to education were much more likely to reply as being happy. And who was the top of this survey? ……Denmark.
The Spanish were the first country to be visited by The Happiness Expedition, three people with grins for a year as they intend to visit 206 countries, where Coca-Cola is sold, to seek out in a more casual manner as to what makes people happy. What did they discover from their trip to the UK? An obsession with the weather, puddings and football. Presumably, by the time they finish in Atlanta, December 31st their freedom will ensure they’ll still be wearing a smile.
(Image credit: Podknox Article credit: Copyright SUF)
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