www.le.ac.uk/pc/aw57/world/sample.html
"In the second century of the Christian era, the Empire of Rome comprehended the fairest part of the earth, and the most civilized portion of mankind."
"...During a happy period (A.D. 98-180) of more than fourscore years, the public administration was conducted by the virtue and abilities of Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and the two Antonines...."
Edward Gibbon, 'The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.'
Life is full of mysteries and ironies. For instance, to Gibbon human civilization was at its apex in the late 1st century. Don't tell this to left-wing revisionists who are repulsed by the idea of Empire. Their world view seems to find solace in the Book of Revelations. According to the apocalyptic book, the Romans will be on the side of the dark forces in the final battle.
More ironies? Sure, why not? Canada is ranked 10th (the U.S. is 23rd). Yet, yet the nation is fractured along linquistic and regional lines. Go figure. Not a day doesn't go by with some part of the country complaining about the Feds. This in the most decentralized Federal state in the world. Some people can't be pleased. Who knew that whining is bliss?
Seems a bit dicey to rank 'happiness' on "what most people reported." Looks completely arbitrary to me. Except, perhaps, that countries without wars at or within their borders tend to be happier.
ReplyDeleteI had a sociology professor state that during summer both icecream sales and rapes increase significantly. You could incorrectly infer that icecream causes rape. How could one possibly isolate 'happiness factors'?