Where do you find these things from Dave?

The warning bells are (at least) (1) "Adrian White, an *analytic* social psychologist" (my emphasis on "analytic") (2) "based on the findings of over *100* different studies around the world, which *questioned* *80,000* people worldwide" (again my emphasis) and (3) "Whilst collecting data on subjective well-being is not an exact science, the measures used are very reliable in predicting health and welfare outcomes"

- What can analytical psychology tell us about happiness? (It reminds me of the story that psychology can tell us a lot about love by indicating that every person will experience on average 3.7 romances in their lives - for a good account of this see John MacQuarrie "An Existentialist Theology").

- I don't want to diminish the importance of health and welfare, but why should these be indicators of happiness (maybe because they are the only reliable ones, but then it is *analytical* psychology.)

- 80,000 people!!! I wish I'd been interviewed because that would have put England at the top of the list, but then if Dave had done it, England would have gone down again - maybe even further than I had put it up. Similar remarks could be said for 100 surveys.

Now analytical psychologists are not normally seen as fluffy bunny as you say - but really, like the difference between super intelligence and madness, is there much difference.

Reading this reminds me of a study I did many decades ago on the classical Greek etymology of the English word Happy. Hapizo was related to our English haphazard and that is how they saw happiness – it’s what the Gods had, and if they got a bit too much, then it would overflow and spill into the world. While I don't want to suggest that etymology is a guide to meaning, it is still interesting to see how they saw happiness. Maybe it isn't as simple as just living in the right country and maybe it isn't something we can really seek at all.

But then looking at the countries listed, one can see what is important to those undertaking the survey - you have to be rich and healthy to be happy - too bad for those who get sick. But then this was done by questionnaires (another of my highlighted words) and we all know about questionnaire problems. But then I'm happier living in England for the moment than I probably could if I was living in Zimbabwe (but then some Zimbabwe people I have met will certainly disagree) - but notice how NZ is higher than the UK - that can't be possible.

By the way Dave - how do you get bold on the content, I notice you have been able to - its better than doing "*"

I'm prepared to believe that the English are happy Peter. Whether they should be given their actions in 1281 when they killed the last true Prince of Wales and started on a path of imperial conquest is another matter. The Scots on the other hand volunteered to join the English in 1707 so they must be happy. Of course the Welsh with the Tudors and the Scots with the Stuarts got their own back.

Bold is possible in the main entry with text but it does not appear to work in comments.

And finding things is easy - when you are avoiding writing and surfing the web. Also people send you things (I have Farshad to thanks for this one)