The results from the 2020 World Happiness Report are in and there’s finally some good news

·

At times like this when the coronavirus pandemic is sweeping across the globe, we need some happy news. Luckily for us, the World Happiness Report for 2020 has just been released.

The survey ranks 156 countries by how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be and this year, both Greece and Australia have placed 77th and 12th respectively.

The World Happiness Report is released annually.

That’s a huge improvement in the rankings for Greece, having placed 82nd in 2019. Whilst Australia has dropped one place from 11th last year.

For the third year in a row, Finland has topped the list as the happiest country in the world, with Denmark coming in second, followed by Switzerland, which pushed Norway out of the top three this year.

Now, while it seems like a strange time to be evaluating happiness, the editors of the report point out that challenging times can actually increase happiness.

“The global pandemic poses great risks for some of the main supports for well-being, most especially health and income,” the editors explained.

“As revealed by earlier studies of earthquakes, floods, storms, tsunamis and even economic crises, a high trust society quite naturally looks for and finds co-operative ways to work together to repair the damage and rebuild better lives. This has sometimes led to surprising increases in happiness in the wake of what might otherwise seem to be unmitigated disasters.”

The reason why people get happier in the face of disasters?

“People are pleasantly surprised by the willingness of their neighbors and their institutions to work together and help each other,” the editors continued.

“This delivers a heightened sense of belonging and pride in what they have been able to achieve by way of mitigation. These gains are sometimes great enough to compensate for the material losses.”

With the World Happiness Report being released annually, only time will tell if this is true.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Matt Pillios named Kay & Burton’s 2025 Victorian Agent of the Year

Star real estate agent Matt Pillios has reclaimed his place at the top, being named Kay & Burton’s 2025 Victorian Agent of the Year.

Greek astronomer to present at Melbourne seminar on preserving the stars

For millennia, humanity has looked up in awe at the night sky, finding in its silent beauty a profound source of inspiration.

Historic Plaka landmark from iconic Greek film to be restored

The “Kokovikos House,” is named after the fictional couple in Giorgos Tzavellas’ bittersweet classic starring Konstantinou and Kontou.

Melbourne’s Sunday morning strollers walk, talk and keep Greek alive

On a crisp Sunday morning at Merri Creek, a group of walkers from the Sunday Morning Strollers, winds its way along the leafy green trail.

A sweet favourite: Niki Louca’s authentic baklava recipe

Niki Louca from My Greek Kitchen shares her favourite recipe for baklava with The Greek Herald.

You May Also Like

The never-ending lawsuits of AHEPA in NSW

On October 21, 2023, Justice Black in the Supreme Court of NSW issued two judgments in an ongoing series of disputes within the AHEPA.

Steve Karavatakis appointed St George FC head coach

St George FC have announced the departure of Head Coach Jane Talcevski and have appointed Steve Karavatakis as the new manager in charge.

Whittlesea councillor quits “scandal-plagued” area

A local councillor, Ricky Kirkham, has quit scandal-plagued Whittlesea Council, saying he no longer has faith in the council's ability to discharge its duties...