America is richest country in the world-but definitively not the happiest-Statistics

[Atras]

A question to you guys who live in America or know about america. The supposed goal in America is to become rich. People think that wealthiness leads to a better life which leads to hapiness. As it is, the USA is the richest country in the world, no doubt. However when measured by hapiness here are the different study's: Happy Planet Index Rating: 114th place (measured by hapiness and ecological footprint which offsets the data considering we have a huge egological footprint) Happiness Net Statistics: 13th place World Database of hapiness: 17th place TimeNewsFeed: 12th place So why then, if we are the richest and most powerful country in the world, do we not in any study rank below 10th place in happiness statistics? Ask yourselves that.

[khh]

The US is not the richest country if you measure in GDP per capita. Also most of the money in the US is owned by only a few very rich people. That might have something to do with it.

[Atras]

The US is not the richest country if you measure in GDP per capita. Also most of the money in the US is owned by only a few very rich people. That might have something to do with it. There are lots of different measures of wealth, GDP per capita is just one. But in a majority of the measures, the USA is the richest. Edit: And I believe that answer is part of it, but not all of it. Even though the rich hold most of the wealth, the standard of living in the US is still extremely high. The rich, no matter in what country, will always hold most of the wealth. So the question is why with such a high standard of living and so much money and power, are we much lower down than we "should be" (according to capitalistic thought)

[Xei]

There are lots of different measures of wealth, GDP per capita is just one. But in a majority of the measures, the USA is the richest. GDP per capita is patently the relevant one.

[Atras]

Ok theres no need to get into the ditchotomy's between the different indicators of wealth. Overall the general consensus is that the US is the richest country in the world. The question was why if it is the richest is it it low in happiness comparatively.

[Xei]

I'm not dichotomising anything, I'm using the correct measure. Size of the country is irrelevant. The US's GDP per capita is 9th. That's not so different from 12th or 13th on the happiness scale. So what's your point?

[Ne-yo]

Yea it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that American's average income is arguably the highest in the world. No nation in history has ever collected as much wealth and power as the U.S. If the poverty line is a mere $20,000 a year, it's still a lot more than what most people could dream of making in other countries. As far as happiness in this country is probably because money actually does buy happiness and only roughly 7% of the American population can afford that kind of bliss. (American's dream BIG extremely BIG) and those big dreams cost some big money, millions upon millions of dollars kind of money. As in the infamous words of the comedian Daniel Tosh. "have you ever seen an unhappy person on a waverunner?, these people are smiling when they hit the pier."

[Atras]

Yea it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that American's average income is arguably the highest in the world. No nation in history has ever collected as much wealth and power as the U.S. If the poverty line is a mere $20,000 a year, it's still a lot more than what most people could dream of making in other countries. As far as happiness in this country is probably because money actually does buy happiness and only roughly 7% of the American population can afford that kind of bliss. (American's dream BIG extremely BIG) and those big dreams cost some big money, millions upon millions of dollars kind of money. As in the infamous words of the comedian Daniel Tosh. "have you ever seen an unhappy person on a waverunner?, these people are smiling when they hit the pier." Actually money doesn't buy hapiness, thats why we are much lower on the hapiness scale than we should be. IMO.

[ThePreserver]

Materialism does not necessarily equal happiness? Learn to love what you have, instead of wanting what you do not? EDIT: GDP increases during hurricanes, earthquakes, oil spills, etc. People spend money (purchase supplies) to repair. GDP is not a measure of wealth, it's a measure of how much wealth is transferred through goods and services consumption. Debt is not wealth.

[Atras]

GDP per capita is just ONE MEASURE. There are more measures and on most of them the USA is the richest. And its just general knowledge that the USA is the richest, I don't need to go into detail why. PLEASE dreamviews, for once can you just answer a question instead of claiming that the question was asked wrong or the poll is bad or whatever! If you don't agree with the question then dont answer it.

[Xei]

PLEASE dreamviews, for once can you just answer a question instead of claiming that the question was asked wrong or the poll is bad or whatever! If you don't agree with the question then dont answer it. Why are you so hostile to learning and discussion? Your original post is asking people to explain an incorrect statement. How on Earth is it not relevant to the thread to point this out? You're telling me you'd rather you and everybody else remained ignorant and wasted time on totally futile speculation? Grow up and learn how to be rational. Nobody should ever be hostile to learning they were mistaken, or hearing a dissenting voice for the sole reason that it is one. And never in a million years should you presume you have the prerogative to tell somebody to shut up and go away for this.

[Descensus]

Realization that a large percentage of the U.S.'s wealth is largely artificial might have something to do with it.

[ThePreserver]

Realization that a large percentage of the U.S.'s wealth is largely artificial might have something to do with it. No better feeling than having hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt, a house you can't afford, and 5 credit cards that all rack up interest every month because you can't make enough money to satisfy your lust for... more stuff. Now THAT'S happiness. Even better when your central bank prints out 16 trillion dollars in a 4 year period to pay off failing banks... decreasing the value of every dollar you have!

[Atras]

I am saying that GDP is only one measure of wealth but most measures of wealth indicate the us is the richest. That is a fact, not an incorrect statement. Why I am hostile is because I see all the time on dv people doing nothing but debating things that arent even what the thread asked. I am trying to discuss why the USA is unhappy if it is the richest, and your coming here and arguing that it's not the richest, therefore my thread is incorrect and invalid. Look at the facts, whether or not it is the richest is not the topic of this thread. And the facts say that it is. I am open to different opinions when they're on topic, not telling me that my thread is wrong. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...y_GDP_(nominal) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...es_by_GDP_(PPP) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...PPP)_estimates http://www.aneki.com/richest.html http://www.worldsrichestcountries.com/ Look at the facts. And honestly my initial statement was a generallity. IN general, the US is the richest country in the world. I don't care if one measure says that it's not. That's not the point of the thread. I don't mean to be hostile or to discourage "rational thought" or opposition to my opinions. I just wish people would actually answer my question. IF I said something completely false that would be one thing, but I didn't.

[Xei]

I am saying that GDP is only one measure of wealth but most measures of wealth indicate the us is the richest. That is a fact, not an incorrect statement. The facts say that it is. Well, could you provide some other measures of wealth? Why I am hostile is because I see all the time on dv people doing nothing but debating things that arent even what the thread asked. I am trying to discuss why the USA is unhappy if it is the richest, and your coming here and arguing that it's not the richest, therefore my thread is incorrect and invalid. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. Does nobody else find this ridiculous? If I made a thread for discussing the implications of England's recent nuking of Jamaica, and told everybody who suggested I might have made a mistake in my research to fuck off, you think that'd be pretty cool?

[Atras]

Well, could you provide some other measures of wealth? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. Does nobody else find this ridiculous? If I made a thread for discussing the implications of England's recent nuking of Jamaica, and told everybody who suggested I might have made a mistake in my research to fuck off, you think that'd be pretty cool? Really? Did you really just use that example. It is obvious that england never nuked jamaica. That is a complete fabrication. It is not a complete fabrication that the us is the richest country in the world. Not at all. Some people may disagree whether it is number 1 or number 2 or even number 7. Its irrelevant. The fact is that the US is still suprisingly low on the hapiness index and I am asking why is that. And looka above, I just provided other indicators in my previous post.

[snoop]

Really? Did you really just use that example. It is obvious that england never nuked jamaica. That is a complete fabrication. It is not a complete fabrication that the us is the richest country in the world. Not at all. Some people may disagree whether it is number 1 or number 2 or even number 7. Its irrelevant. The fact is that the US is still suprisingly low on the hapiness index and I am asking why is that. And looka above, I just provided other indicators in my previous post. He never claimed it wasn't a fabrication? And if you look at the GDP per capita, it may shed some light on why people aren't happy.

[Spartiate]

If the USA is the richest country in the world, then where is all the money? Maybe Americans are unhappy because their own personal lives don't reflect the commonly perceived national identity of being the best in the world. Americans have a superiority complex thrust upon them from birth.

[Xei]

Thank you snoop. Some people may disagree whether it is number 1 or number 2 or even number 7. Its irrelevant. The fact is that the US is still suprisingly low on the hapiness index and I am asking why is that. But it isn't! If its GDP per head is 9th and its happiness is 12th, that's not statistically interesting all! And looka above, I just provided other indicators in my previous post. They were all national figures! None of them were per head! If the US decided to split up into 50 countries tomorrow, would the resultant populations be 50 times poorer? Would we expect them to be 50 times unhappier? The relevant figure is per capita. This is not a matter that can be sensibly debated.

[Atras]

But it isn't! If its GDP per head is 9th and its happiness is 12th, that's not statistically interesting all! They were all national figures! None of them were per head! If the US decided to split up into 50 countries tomorrow, would the resultant populations be 50 times poorer? Would we expect them to be 50 times unhappier? The relevant figure is per capita. This is not a matter that can be sensibly debated. 12th is the lowest number. I also listed 13th, 17th, and 114th. If you don't find my question statistically interesting than don't comment. this thread has already been ruined. ANd when I say richest I am talking about it nationally, not per head.

[snoop]

I am saying that GDP is only one measure of wealth but most measures of wealth indicate the us is the richest. That is a fact, not an incorrect statement. Why I am hostile is because I see all the time on dv people doing nothing but debating things that arent even what the thread asked. I am trying to discuss why the USA is unhappy if it is the richest, and your coming here and arguing that it's not the richest, therefore my thread is incorrect and invalid. Look at the facts, whether or not it is the richest is not the topic of this thread. And the facts say that it is. I am open to different opinions when they're on topic, not telling me that my thread is wrong. No one is claiming that it isn't just one measure of wealth. What everyone is saying is that it is the most relevant, unless you aren't asking why the individuals in America aren't happy but rather America the country is unhappy. The latter makes no sense at all so most people assume you're asking why the individuals are not happy, thus making the GDP per capita the most relevant measure of wealth. Why would the fact that America as a whole is rich make somebody happy if they themselves are not rich? Common sense isn't all that bad, give it a try.

[Atras]

No one is claiming that it isn't just one measure of wealth. What everyone is saying is that it is the most relevant, unless you aren't asking why the individuals in America aren't happy but rather America the country is unhappy. The latter makes no sense at all so most people assume you're asking why the individuals are not happy, thus making the GDP per capita the most relevant measure of wealth. Why would the fact that America as a whole is rich make somebody happy if they themselves are not rich? Common sense isn't all that bad, give it a try. That's not even what I was saying.

[snoop]

That's not even what I was saying. What exactly were you saying? You keep saying that America is the richest, but when someone mentions that the measure of wealth per person indicates that we are not the richest (meaning almost no one but a few people in America are rich), you said that they are wrong and America is the richest. So if individual Americans are not the richest, you must be talking about the nation as a whole. It makes no sense to ask why not rich people would be not happy even if the nation as a whole is rich and to also claim that money cannot buy happiness (while also implying that more money = less happiness, with this fact that America is richest as your evidence). It makes a lot of sense to ask why not rich people would not be happy if they, as individuals, are not rich, however. It isn't that hard of a concept to understand.

[Atras]

What exactly were you saying? You keep saying that America is the richest, but when someone mentions that the measure of wealth per person indicates that we are not the richest (meaning almost no one but a few people in America are rich), you said that they are wrong and America is the richest. So if individual Americans are not the richest, you must be talking about the nation as a whole. It makes no sense to ask why not rich people would be not happy even if the nation as a whole is rich and to also claim that money cannot buy happiness (while also implying that more money = less happiness). It makes a lot of sense to ask why not rich people would not be happy if they, as individuals, are not rich, however. It isn't that hard of a concept to understand. I am saying that america in general is the richest country. But why Its frusturating isnt because he doesnt agree, its because that wasn't even what the thread was about. The thread was about why are we unhappy when we are so rich IN GENERAL.

[Supernova]

What you described initially is not a bad summary of the attitude about life held by mainstream thought in the US, and it is precisely this that sucks the life out of people. Think of the last scene from that movie Accepted.