HAPPIEST COUNTRIES 2023-GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity and freedom from corruption!

@deadgerbil Yes it is definitely the land of opportunity for all. What I love about America is that you can get a good education. In Scandinavian countries it is very hard to major in something that the country has no need of, like teaching if there are enough teachers, or nurses, etc. In the USA you can become anything you want. Anyone can get a student loan and become rich. JUst go to school. Universities will help you!

@Carazaa if it's the land of opportunity for all, why isn't it at the top of the list?

@deadgerbil Why are people not saying they are as happy? Well there is a lot of influence from leaders. Are leaders positive or negative? Are cities clean or full of trash and homeless people? If we care for the homeless then they wont be trashing down the parks, and people can enjoy them more like they do in Europe. If the towns are walkable and no cars are allowed in towns then they will be quiet and we get more exercise. etc. Are there busses on every block or do people have to buy a car to get to work, or go shopping? It has to do with city planning and taking care of people less fortunate than us. People really care about homelessness in Europe and they don't mind paying for an apartment for the alcoholic, and mentally ill. There is no legalized marijuana or drug use there (the USA also allow drug use like marijuana that is so bad for the brain and create more addictions and homelessness.)

@deadgerbil It's not like these findings are empirical -- it likely has a lot to do with what the survey sponsor wanted to find. "When it comes to social science research, truth is where the funding comes from." 🤨

@Carazaa College in the US is a scam. Students are fooled into taking out outrageous loans that take years to pay back, for useless degrees.

@LeopoldBloom Degrees aren't useless. Degrees can make it possible to make a lot of money! I am happy for my degrees. I have one from a State University, and one from a private University. The loan is not much compare what I'm making. I can buy a house and have a nice retirement. Graduate schools cost a lot in every country. Only bachelor degrees are paid by the governments in Europe. not graduate degrees.🙂

@Carazaa I wouldn't have my job either if I hadn't gone to college. I'm just commenting on all of the people who owe on huge student loans who don't have high-paying jobs. Savannah is full of SCAD graduates who are working as baristas.

If we're not going to have free public college, we need to get away from the idea that everyone should automatically have a college degree to be taken seriously. That being said, I would support a basic liberal arts background for everyone where they are taught basic scientific concepts and an overview of history, the arts, and political science. Ideally that could be done in high school.