Hygge: What Does it Mean to be Happy?

 rmqphilosophy.blogspot.com

December 26, 2022

HYGGE: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE HAPPY?

by Ronald Michael Quijano

Have you ever wondered why babies cry after birth? From their peaceful little habitat to a world without satisfaction, these creatures may not even want to be born. How awful would that be? People forcefully imply the necessity of gratitude for simply being born. It’s as if all people have the same fortune as they do. What reason is there to be happy when you were born in a miserable environment? Slums full of drug addicts; rural areas with limited to almost no opportunities, and third-world countries without access to basic necessities. For most people, happiness is quantifiable. For some, happiness is abstract. Happiness seems to be an endless journey that we can never arrive at. There are inconsistent definitions and multiple versions - it’s almost contextualized. Filipino people are happy people, but not in general. They may be humorous and hospitable, but not happy. The Philippines' Happiness Index scored 5.46 points on average between 2013 and 2021, with a low of 4.99 points in 2013 and a maximum of 5.9 points in 2021. The most recent figure is 5.9 points from 2021. In contrast, the 5.57-point global average in 2021 is based on 141 nations. So what does it take to be genuinely happy?

Let’s try to look at the happiest place on earth for reference. No, not Disney World - it’s Finland. Finland ranked number 1 on the Happiness Index for 4 consecutive years, from 2018 to 2022. Other Nordic countries acquired the top spot for the same happiness score. Finland has a high level of prosperity, but it is not the richest country in the world. Does it mean we should not associate money with happiness? No. Money contributes to happiness, but not entirely. People in Finland do not aim to become the super-rich people they can be. Instead, they aim for a good balance of life. Their work-life balance is so great, they even have shorter work hours than the rest of the world. Yet here we are, thinking that burning a candle at both ends will solve all our misery in life.

I’ve been a fan of Finland because of its school system. Their unorthodox and experimental strategies that explore different facets of the student's capabilities made me do the same in my 5 years career of teaching. It might seem contradictory, but their shorter class time contributes to the productivity of the students. The same principle applies to shorter working hours. In a shorter week, many workers become intensely motivated and more productive. Because they are aware that they will have more time to accomplish their goals on their day off, they focus more on their work and take fewer breaks: less stress, and more efficiency. 

The concept of "gross national happiness" suggests that sustainable development should take a holistic approach to notions of progress and give equal weight to non-economic aspects of well-being. The phrase "gross national happiness" was first coined by the 4th King of Bhutan, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, in 1972, when he declared, "Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross Domestic Product."

Since then, the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) has shaped Bhutan's economic and social policies as well as those far beyond its borders. The Gross National Happiness Index was developed by Bhutan in an effort to develop a tool for policymaking and to establish incentives for the country's enterprises, NGOs, and government to raise GNH.

I happened to encounter a book called “The Nordic Theory of Everything,” authored by a Finnish journalist named Any Partanen. The book was so brilliantly formed, it provides an understanding of the factors that contribute to Finland’s happiness. Partenan shows that Finland is not “socialist” at all. They are more free-capitalist than America. The only difference is that the generated wealth is not used for “welfare states” but for “well-being states.”

One more thing that separates the Philippines from Finland is their tolerance for individual freedom and choices. The Philippines is like living in the past, in which they cannot move on and progress when facing the modern requirements of the world. They suppress the voices of workers protesting their rights and fighting social constraints. One of the common replies of these people is that we should stop complaining about the government’s lapses and focus on individual progress. Nordic countries tend to be much more generous than the rest of the world when it comes to family and parental leave, pensions, and other forms of financial assistance. Child development and investing in the future generation are major concerns. When kids grow into well-adjusted, successful, and independent adults, the investment is amply repaid. Family-friendly policies also increase the appeal of having kids, thereby reducing low birth rates and strengthening economies to the extent that those kids grow up to be successful people.

In the Philippines, education never seems to be the priority. The view that critical and socially active youth perceives as communists and even traitors of the nation led to the government's effort to reduce focus on education. The past Duterte administration even focuses on the development of the military and police force rather than education. In Nordic countries, schooling is critical. Unlike in the Philippines where, Nordic parents don’t have to worry about which schools their child will get into, feeling sure of good schooling. The strategy of the Philippine Department of Education with regard to local budgeting inevitably magnifies the disadvantages of the poor. 

So yes, the government contributes to the happiness of the nation. Their effect is so massive, we should never ignore their lapses. By observing the Nordic countries, GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, social support, generosity, and absence of corruption is the formula to the nation’s happiness. Finnish even pays more taxes than us, yet they love to pay those taxes because more services are being provided. The government’s support and provision for basic needs give them time to think about other matters like passion, dreams, friendship, relationships, etc,. In Nordic countries, excessive wealth and excessive poverty are discouraged. Because for them, it is not really how much you make. They draw a clear line between satisfaction for happiness and satisfaction for success. Some family cultures are not even allowed to talk bout money. Talking about how much you make seems to be bragging. For them, a generous society makes society happy.

In Nordic nations, the economy and education are closely linked. Children, for instance, receive quality education and equitable opportunity, ensuring that no talent is ever lost. You put these skills to work, and that's what distinguishes a competitive country. Shortsighted lawmakers would view this as an expensive onset for the state, where the only way to enact such decrees is by raising taxes. The talent you lose with such a flawed and divided educational system, meanwhile, is more expensive. And almost everyone in the area completes high school. In Finland, public schools are attended by 99% of the population. The country as a whole must transition from capitalism to talentism, and equal access to opportunities and high-quality education is a key driving factor behind this. You don't get to spend more money than other nations by nourishing talents and skills; instead, you use it strategically. Only 1% of the population in Sweden works more than 50 hours per week. Additionally, people are entitled to take a tjänstledighet, or unpaid leave of absence, of up to six months to launch their own business. If things don't go as planned, they can return back to their previous job.

I personally have been looking to philosophy every time I approach vague concepts such as happiness. But the tangibility of this concept, particularly the way how things around us contribute to its presence must not be ignored. Maybe we have our own preferences, maybe we are deep, or maybe we are shallow. But that doesn’t mean we should never think of people and their happiness in general. Filipinos are happy in nature, but that doesn’t make them happy in general. The people and the government still have so much to do. Recognizing the flaws in our country and taking action about it is a simple celebration of our values, freedom of speech, democracy, and openness.