World Happiness Report: A tale of inaccuracies, delusions, and assumptions

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As happiness surveys often rely on self-reported data, they may be influenced by cultural factors, personal biases, and momentary emotions. This makes them highly subjective for any assessment

Representational image. Image: Wikimedia Commons/UK Department for International Development

Until 2023, the World Happiness Report was a publication of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, a global initiative of the United Nations, and from 2024 onwards, it is a publication of the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford. At first glance, it looks like the work of a genius—a report compiled after in-depth research and collated by the world's most esteemed institutions.

However, once you start noticing the details, their inaccuracies and biases inadvertently start jumping at you like a bunch of Bernie Sanders fans squeaking about wealth redistribution at a corporate dinner.

Our first stop on this merry-go-round of analysis is the cultural carnival of the survey questions. Picture this: a questionnaire designed with all the cultural sensitivity of a bull in a china shop, asking respondents if they smiled or laughed yesterday as if happiness were a universal language spoken with a grin. It's as if the report believes the entire world shares the same sense of humour as a dad joke enthusiast at an open mic night. Job security? Income inequality? Access to education and healthcare? Who needs those when you can simply ask if someone had a good laugh yesterday? Speaking from personal experience, I am not sure about yesterday, but I did laugh a lot today, and that was when I looked at the World Happiness Report 2024.

Another flaw that the report indulges in is interpreting "aspirations" as unhappiness. Individuals from developing countries might be a lot more aspirational or ambitious; it does not necessarily make them unhappy with their lives. In fact, the opposite can still be argued. Someone who draws meaning from their everyday struggle, one who wants to turn their start-up into a billion-dollar venture, might be extremely content with their life, wishing to take it to another level. Imagine hustling day and night, dreaming of a better future, only to be termed "depressed" by some reports that mistake ambition for anguish and growth for gloom.

This year's World Happiness Report isn't the only one under scrutiny; the entire notion of happiness surveys seems flawed as it effectively ends up conveying nothing. Take the UN report averaging self-reported happiness scores from 2014 to 2016, for example. It claims that the happiest countries on Earth that year were, in order, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Finland, the Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, and, tied for ninth, Australia and Sweden. It's like trying to rank the world's best pizza toppings; everyone has their own opinion, and nobody can agree on the supreme winner. Also, imagine claiming that any two countries are exactly equal in happiness.

In a Pew survey conducted in 2014 across 43 countries, Mexico, Israel, and Venezuela emerged as the unlikely champions, securing the top three spots, while the US made it into the top 10, barely beating Vietnam and Colombia. If that is not confusing enough, here are the countries that scored better than Japan: Argentina, Peru, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Africa, and Nicaragua.

If any survey ranks Pakistan higher than Japan in happiness, then we might as well start measuring happiness through tarot cards instead of surveys. These surveys mostly rely on subjective self-reporting, overlooking cultural nuances in the process. In Japan, for example, there exists a cultural reluctance to boast about one's good fortune, while in Scandinavia, there's an overwhelming societal expectation to proclaim one's happiness to the world.

Coming back to the World Happiness Report 2024, India is ranked 126th out of 143 nations. It is not disputable that India is a third-world country with very low per capita income and miles to achieve in alleviating poverty, infant mortality, women's safety issues, and corruption. There is no denying the fact that the law and order situation in India can get a thousand times better, and the ease of doing business needs to improve a lot more. That being said, India securing a lower spot than Libya, Iraq, Palestine, Ukraine, and Pakistan does seem like a bit of a stretch. It is not being argued that an average person in these countries cannot be happy with their lives or that India has achieved the absolute pinnacle of happiness as compared to these countries, but war-torn countries like Libya, Iraq, Ukraine, Palestine, and debt-ridden, terrorism-infested countries like Pakistan faring better than India is bound to raise some eyebrows. Even people under the military dictatorship of Myanmar are apparently happier than in India; the less said about this, the better.

Iran's positioning above Tunisia may seem perplexing too, considering the stark contrast in women's rights and personal freedoms between the two nations. While Iranian women continue to face stringent dress codes and limitations on their autonomy, Tunisian women enjoy relatively more liberal rights, including the freedom to marry outside their religion. Meanwhile, the US finds itself nestled among the top-ranking nations, basking in the glow of its American Dream. Yet, beneath the stars and stripes lies a nation grappling with political polarisation, income inequality, and a healthcare system that seems to operate on the principle of "survival of the richest".

Canada's ranking higher than the UAE also appears misleading when considering the UAE's rapid economic development, modern infrastructure, and focus on luxury and convenience. Fueled by its oil reserves and strategic investments, the UAE enjoys considerable wealth and prosperity, leading to a high standard of living for many residents. Moreover, the UAE's attraction of skilled expatriates through enticing job opportunities and tax-free incomes likely contributes to heightened overall satisfaction levels among its populace. In contrast, while Canada boasts a high quality of life, social welfare programmes, and scenic landscapes, it contends with challenges such as harsh weather conditions in certain regions, relatively higher taxes, and slower economic growth compared to the UAE. Despite its vast territory and abundant natural resources, Canada's economy may not match the UAE's rapid expansion, impacting factors like job creation and income growth.

These examples further show that measuring happiness across borders might be a futile exercise to begin with. Even within countries, measuring happiness over time might not be completely accurate. China, according to the new World Happiness Report, is less happy today than it was in 1990. So, apparently, as China ascended from a peasant nation to the second-largest economy in the world, with a GDP growth of 500 percent, it became more miserable as a society.

As happiness surveys often rely on self-reported data, they may be influenced by cultural factors, personal biases, and momentary emotions. In contrast, objective measures such as GDP per capita, human development indices, and inequality metrics offer more concrete and quantifiable indicators of a country's overall well-being. By examining factors like income distribution, access to healthcare and education, and environmental sustainability, these methods provide a more comprehensive understanding of the factors that contribute to citizens' quality of life. Additionally, objective measures are less susceptible to fluctuations and can provide policymakers with reliable data to assess long-term trends and formulate effective policies to address societal challenges.

In conclusion, while happiness surveys might sometimes feel as accurate as trying to forecast the weather with a broken umbrella, they do serve a purpose in highlighting the whimsical nature of human contentment. Perhaps, as we navigate the maze of statistics and subjective feelings, we can take solace in the fact that happiness, much like the perfect cup of coffee or the quest for the ultimate meme, is a journey rather than a final destination. So, let's raise a toast to the quirks of happiness surveys, the absurdity of statistical rankings, and the delightful chaos of being human. After all, if laughter is the best medicine, then a good chuckle about happiness rankings might just be the cure for our existential woes.

The writer takes special interest in history, culture and geopolitics. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.