Regardless of claiming hundreds of thousands of lives, inflicting financial turmoil and prompting restrictive lockdowns, the pandemic has triggered ‘a surge in benevolence’, in accordance with the newest World Happiness Report.
It means that regardless of the hardships introduced on by Covid, international happiness ranges have remained resilient, with altruism rising.
“For a second 12 months, we see that numerous types of on a regular basis kindness, comparable to serving to a stranger, donating to charity, and volunteering are above pre-pandemic ranges,” famous Prof Lara Aknin, director of the Happiness Lab at Simon Fraser College in Vancouver, Canada.
Measuring international happiness is a notoriously tough enterprise as individuals have totally different definitions of what makes them pleased. Researchers interviewed tens of 1000’s of individuals and tried to establish what contributes to their satisfaction. They discovered that social help, wholesome life expectancy, the financial system, freedom to make life selections and freedom from corruption had been the principle drivers of happiness.
This 12 months’s version as soon as once more ranked Finland the world’s happiest nation, adopted by Denmark and Iceland. It’s the fourth consecutive 12 months during which the UK has dropped down the desk. It now stands nineteenth.
Picture: Andrea Tummons