The annual World Happiness Report has again ranked Finland and other Scandinavian countries the most cheerful nations on Earth. Costa Rica and Kuwait entered the top 20 in place of the United States and Germany.
Finland has remained the happiest country in the world for the seventh year a row with nordic neighbors Sweden, Denmark and Iceland also retaining their places in the top 10, according to the annual World Happiness Report published on Wednesday.
But rising unhapiness especially among young people has seen other Western countries drop down the UN-sponsored index, with the United States and Germany dropping out of the top 20 for the first time since the report’s first edition more than a decade ago.
Taking their place were Costa Rica and Kuwait at 12 and 13 respectively, while Eastern European countries Serbia, Bulgaria and Latvia reported the biggest increases in happiness.
Afghanistan, plagued by a humanitarian catastrophe since the Taliban regained control in 2020, remained in last place.
People have been talking about the loss of privacy for decades.
This Peanuts character first appeared in 1963. He’s a little boy named ‘5’ whose father changed the family’s names to numbers after doing his income tax and being forced to provide tax payer ID, Social Security number, Zip Code, bank account number, and phone number.
https://peanuts.fandom.com/wiki/555_95472
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When did anyone have privacy?
Back in the day, traveling shows would have someone hit the next town a week or so ahead of the rest. The peddler/tramp/salesman would spend a day or two casing the town and then report back. When the show arrived, people would go to the fortune teller and be amazed that someone who’d never been in town knew all their secrets. Many times, the spy didn’t even have to talk to people; they knew how to read who was doing well by what wash was on the clothesline or who had the nicest horse or had just painted their barn.
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Anyone could write a letter to the local Mayor, or pastor, or the town banker, or sheriff, and get an answer.
Dear Mr. Mayor. Hack has applied for a job as a cuspidor inspector. We would like to know what you think of his character and intellect.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Edgar_Hoover
Hoover could get records in less than a day.
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Where did I say it was okay?
I’m just pointing out the reality; there was a brief period from about 1945 to maybe 1975 where a person could travel across the country easily without a photo ID or a bank card. Before that we were spied on by the neighbors and after that computers took over. You’ve probably never been safe.