The World is Kinder than we Think
[Read on Ethical Revolution]
The recently published 2025 World Happiness Report (the 13th edition of the report) has focussed on the impact of caring and sharing on people’s happiness.
Drawing on a study by Oxford University’s Wellbeing Research Centre showing that people are a lot kinder than we might otherwise expect, the research also shows that the more we believe in the kindness of others the happier we will be ourselves.
So do we find ourselves in an unnecessary viscous circle here? And how can we break free? It would appear that the 24 hour news cycle keeps many of us locked in a state of negativity and can harbour the sort of overstated mistrust referred to in the report. A small shift in habit – in the way we consume the information – can make it possible to escape this endless negative cycle whilst remaining connected with world events.
Who is Happiest?
For the eighth successive year Finland has topped the list of the ‘happiest countries’. The UK is 23rd and the USA is 24th – both dropping from previous years.
The director of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, who is also professor of economics at the University of Oxford, and an editor of the World Happiness Report, said:
“This year’s report pushes us to look beyond traditional determinants like health and wealth. It turns out that sharing meals and trusting others are even stronger predictors of wellbeing than expected. In this era of social isolation and political polarisation we need to find ways to bring people around the table again — doing so is critical for our individual and collective wellbeing.”
[Via Ethical Revolution]