Damn Right--We're Not Happy!
US Ranks #24 in Happiness
The World Happiness Report is the foremost publication on global wellbeing and how to improve it.
The United States ranked #24 in the 2025 report behind #18 Canada, and #10 Mexico. At the top in HAPPINESS:
#1 Finland,
#2 Denmark,
#3 Iceland.
The Question
Please imagine a ladder with steps numbered from 0 at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life for you. On which step of the ladder would you say you personally feel you stand at this time?
The Influence of Life Satisfaction and Trust on Ideology
Question 1. Ate you satisfied with your life in general? 0=very dissatisfied, 10=very satisfied
Question 2. In general, would you say that most people can be trusted
or that one can never be too careful when dealing with others? (Measuring interpersonal trust)
Framework: The population of each country is split into high trust versus low trust groups and into high life satisfaction versus low life satisfaction.
Political Values
The main takeaway of this first finding is the anti-system political attitudes of citizens with the lowest level of life satisfaction.
Those who are dissatisfied with their lives may feel that the system has failed them and consider that the democratic system and legal institutions have not protected them against life risks.
Trusting Others—How unhappiness and social distrust explain populism
The decline in happiness and social trust in the US explains a large share of the rise in political polarization and anti-system votes.
Unhappy people are attracted by extremes of the political spectrum. Low-trust people are found more often on the far right, whereas high-trust people are more inclined to vote for the far left.
Let me know in the COMMENTS how you’d score Questions 1 & 2.
Clearly, we are not happy in the US.
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Three times, I tried writing an answer to this, and deleted! I tend to be a yes, but personality these days. Catastrophizing about when the other shoe will drop, etc. However, like Michelle, I choose to be happy in my bubble--a safe, small town, a monthly check that meets our needs (so far!), good health in spite of my age and laziness, life skills that will get us through whatever craziness there is, faith in a Power that guides us toward the good, and friends-though many have left the area to be with their families. So far, no fires, floods, earthquakes... I no longer have the energy to be an activist, and the current energies are exhausting. Yes, I can whine about this and that, but comparing my life to those who are suffering so, seems to be a sacrilege. So I'll stop there and be generous where I can. As far as being happy with the the world?! OMG. I withdraw into my little space here. I cheer when I read about the protests and pushbacks. I weep and worry about those whose lives are being ignored and threatened. I can only do so much and it has to be right here in my community. And my vote. And trust that others are taking care of those who are in their own constellations. I know, as an old lady, that the pendulum will swing back eventually. We have to take care of ourselves and each other in the meantime. It's swinging pretty dang far right now!
Interesting...
For me: Q1 I'd say 7. (Things are going well on a personal level, I'm knocking off 3 points bc I am very nervous and concerned about our country)
Q2: I'd say 5