Despite its harsh climate, Denmark regularly ranks as the happiest country in the world. The authorities of the kingdom are trying for the benefit of citizens, and they have to comply …
“Fill your home happiness!” commands an advertisement for a souvenir shop on Ostergade Street (Østergade)in Copenhagen. Red plastic bobbleheads on springs smile from the shop windows. Since the late 1960s, the company has been selling “optimists” for all occasions. There are also Christmas ones, and wedding ones, and in the colors of the national flag, and simple wooden ones. “The mission of an optimist is to bring joy and bring a smile to every face,” says the company’s website. The whole business is built on the sale of these figurines.
– Our optimist gives joy to those who need it most, – says Gustav, a smiling dummy seller. – You can put it on your desk, bring it to a friend to the hospital, to present to someone on their birthday. And everyone will be happy.
Gustav gently pushes the toy with his finger, demonstrating its amusing possibilities, and a whole row of doodles begin to jiggle on their springs, smiling with painted mouths.
The next store recommends me to buy a pair of thick tall candles in glass glasses. On the package it says Lykke – “happiness” in Danish. Boxes with scented candles and diffusers, blankets, books, dishes – everything is sold under the brand of happiness.
The store is full of little things for home and comfort. Inconspicuous colors, pleasant textures of fabrics, unobtrusive smells. There is a section with such goods in any Danish supermarket or hardware store. Even on the label of warm knitted socks I read: lykkesokker – “socks that make you happy.” If the soul is bad, then happiness in the form of a candle or socks can be bought at the nearest store.
— These candles are very hyggeligt, that is, creating comfort, – the sales assistant, whose name is Olaf, interrupts my thoughts. – Hygge – a popular Danish word. It means an atmosphere of comfort and happiness. What you experience when you light candles and wrap yourself in a soft blanket.
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Hygge is a popular Danish word. It means an atmosphere of comfort and happiness
The next store in Estergade sells designer furniture and utensils. Shoppers are greeted by artichoke chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, rows of ergonomic chairs, and high-quality textiles. In the 1930s, Danish design became a state program to improve the quality of life.
The government invested in furniture studios and factories to create an environment that creates a happy citizen. Even school furniture is the development of famous designers. The right chair makes the person who sits on it happy.
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Designers of Happiness
The little things – that's what creates the very hygge. In Norwegian and Danish, the word means “comfort”. But if in Norway it is just comfort, then in Denmark the word has acquired a special meaning: comfort that makes you happy, or happiness in simple things.
In Denmark, there are special hygge tours in parks, coffee shops, shops and streets where you can feel happier. Taking a quick look at the book department, you can count about fifty works, in the titles of which there are the words hygge or lykke. Books teach how to create the right atmosphere at home, raise children, relax, travel, cook in accordance with the concept of hygge — and be happy.
Mike Viking, head of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, compiled the basic tenets of this philosophy in 2016 in The Little Book Hygge. The secret of Danish happiness.
He teaches people to be happy like the Danes. For example, use candles. The Danes burn them in their homes, offices and even schools to make up for the lack of sunlight and raise their happiness levels. According to the European Candle Manufacturers Association, Denmark has the highest per capita consumption of their products in Europe.
A year later, Viking published a new bestseller – The Little Book of Lykke. In search of the secrets of the happiest people. Here is one of the simple recipes from Viking: “If the wind howls outside and everything is not quite good, you need to wrap yourself in a blanket, light a candle and pour yourself a cup of hot cocoa.”
In the northern suburbs of Copenhagen, Charlottenlund is a nice walk in the evening. Here one breathes in a special way, enveloping peace and silence reign. After seven in the evening, life in a respectable area stops, wealthy Danes enjoy the warmth and comfort of their homes. There are no curtains on the windows.
In the bright squares of light, the interiors of the rooms and the life of their inhabitants are visible. A burning fireplace, functional furniture, fresh flowers are an important part of hygge. Hanging windows with blinds or curtains is not accepted. The Danes seem to demonstrate: here we are happy, we have nothing to hide.
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Trust relationships
< p> The phenomenon of Danish happiness has been studied for many years by Christian Bjornskov, a professor at Aarhus University and a colleague of Mike Wiking at the Happiness Research Institute. A cozy knitted sweater, a cup of hot coffee in his hands, a relaxed manner of speech – the professor radiates lykke with his whole appearance.
– According to the polls of the mid-1970s, Denmark was regularly recognized as the happiest of European countries. According to more recent research, the trend continues, – says the doctor of economic sciences. – When people are asked to rate their happiness relative to the ideal, Denmark almost always comes out on top.
Bjornskov explains the general Danish happiness by factors such as high prosperity, democracy, and strong social support from the state. True, other Western European countries also meet these criteria. But Denmark has something that, according to the professor, its neighbors lack. This is a high level of trust.
If you drive from Copenhagen to Aarhus, where the professor lives, you can see buckets of apples and pears for sale along the roads in the countryside. Nearby is a box for money and a saucer with change, which you need to count yourself. The seller will come in the evening to collect the proceeds and the remaining goods.
In big cities, people also trust each other. Important documents are sent by regular mail. And the postman will leave the valuable parcel just in front of the door. It would never occur to anyone to pick up the box, even if the owners are not at home. Trust is built on the fact that all citizens strictly observe the rules by which society lives. For example, most Danish pedestrians will wait until 3:00 a.m. for the green light to turn on, and motorists to stop in front of an empty pedestrian crossing.
In Aarhus, the second largest city in Denmark, traffic is controlled by the Vikings. Instead of standard little men at traffic lights in the city center, green and red figures in helmets and with weapons at the ready light up. Christian Bjornskov has never crossed a red light in his life. Like several million of his compatriots, the professor remains law-abiding, even if there is not a single car at the intersection, and not a single policeman is in sight. — 700 crowns (more than 7000 rubles). And if a motorist does not let a pedestrian pass at the crossing, then he will be fined 2000 kroons. But it's not even about high fines.
“It is important for the Danes to fulfill their civic duty, to maintain the accepted order of things,” explains Christian Bjornskov.
Just like each other, the Danes trust their government, judges, officials, police. At the same time, the Danish tax system is one of the most stringent in the world – a progressive income tax reaches 58.5%. You have to pay for happiness. By giving the majority of their income to the state, Danes know that their money will benefit society. For medicine, education, student scholarships, pensions, social benefits and benefits, developments in technology and design, road repairs and agricultural development.
Strong support from the state makes people in Denmark generally happier than in the rest of the world. Each inhabitant of the country appreciates personal happiness only if others are happy.
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Unhappiness Prevention
In the high-tech headquarters of the United Nations, built in the shape of an eight-pointed star on an artificial island in Copenhagen, the concept of “happiness” is given a lot of attention. In 2011, a resolution was adopted here calling on countries to evaluate the happiness of their people and use it as a benchmark in state policy. Each year, the UN publishes a report called the World Happiness Report. Denmark is consistently in the top three (in the 2022 report, the list is topped by Finland, Denmark and Iceland. — Note by Vokrugsveta.ru).
It is beneficial for the state that its citizens feel happy. Unhappy people cost the economy dearly. The damage to the budget from citizens with poor mental health is estimated at 55 billion Danish kroner per year (approximately 7.4 billion euros). Therefore, the prevention of misfortune has become a state program in Denmark.
– My husband works only 37 hours a week, gets to the office by bike in 15 minutes, can take day off once a week. He often adds a free day to the weekend to relax or go on a trip,” says Susan Swan, a housewife from Copenhagen. Her husband Alexander is an employee of the largest Danish company Maersk, specializing in maritime freight transportation and servicing port terminals. — A year ago we moved to Copenhagen from England and were surprised to note that Alexander leaves the office before dark, although it gets dark early in Denmark.
The Danes do not have habits of sitting up at work and devoting more time to personal affairs and communication with family. In traffic jams on the way to work and back, too, do not stand. Street Nørrebrogadein Copenhagen they call it the “Danish Cycling Corridor” – two-wheeled traffic is busier here than car traffic in the city center.
– At work, a relaxed homely atmosphere: the dress code is very relaxed, the furniture is comfortable, the style of communication is free. Every month, a symbolic amount is deducted from wages and buffet lunches are served right in the office. Cakes on Wednesdays, breakfasts with hot cinnamon buns on Thursdays, a free bar with alcohol on Fridays, a fireplace and candles are lit in the office. Employees are granted six weeks of paid leave. It seems that the authorities are ready for anything, if only we were happy in Denmark, – says Susan.
Danish word arbejdsglaedetranslated as “job satisfaction”. The term is widely used by headhunters when looking for applicants. Future employees are convinced: with us you will become even happier, you will have even more benefits and free time for yourself. The Danes do not strive for career growth and high salaries. Their main task is not to be successful, but to be happy. The efforts of employers and the state are aimed at this.
SECRETS OF HAPPINESS
Happy because…
All the authors of numerous books about hygge and lucca are united by a common desire: to find and sell readers a recipe for Danish happiness. Writer Malin Rydal formulated the basic principles of a happy Danish society
1. I trust my neighbor.
2. I don't consider myself better than others.
3. I have my place in society.
4. I am free from the opinions of my parents and can find my own way in life.
5. I can become whoever I want, because education in the country is free.
6. I like to buy simple things and do not strive to stand out.
7. I am indifferent to money.
8. I feel good when others are doing well.
9. I can choose my own social role, as men and women are equal in their rights.
10. I have a lot of hygge in my life.
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Sense of duty
Kore Christensen, head of the research department at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense, believes that low ambitions play a large role in the self-consciousness of the Danes:
– The modesty inherent in Danish culture is one of the fundamental qualities of our mentality. It is not customary for us to brag, but it is not customary to complain either. The Danes are naturally optimistic, their glass is always half full. But if something bad happens, they usually keep quiet about it.
It's hard to feel sad, blues or longing in a society where everyone should be happy. It is even more difficult to talk about it & nbsp; – they simply will not understand. To console themselves after a setback or during times of stress, the Danes say pyt, which can be translated as “never mind”. In 2018 pytwas chosen as the favorite word of the Danes and became a whole cultural concept of dealing with stress. Although not yet as popular outside of Denmark as hygge.
Buzzword wall stickers are sold online, and Pyt buttons can be purchased in gift shops >, which beeps when pressed. If everything goes wrong or your nerves can't stand the strain, then you press the toy button and restart your happiness.
“In the Scandinavian countries, people are generally happier than in the rest of the world, but a large percentage of Danes describe themselves as suffering,” says psychologist Marie Helweg-Larsen. The Dane moved to the United States, where she heads the department of social sciences at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. – Just because, according to statistics, we are the happiest, does not mean that everything is perfect with us. The Danes do not have very high average life expectancy, are not particularly satisfied with their health and housing. In fact, researchers measure not so much the level of happiness as the level of satisfaction with the processes in the country. No one directly asks if you're happy.
Experts note that the mental health of the nation in Denmark has deteriorated. The level of alcohol consumption is quite high, as is the suicide rate – 10 per 100,000 people. 13.5% of people consider themselves unhappy, 18.3% suffer from mental illness. Denmark ranks fifth in the world in terms of consumption of antidepressants. Approximately one in ten people in the country take pills, the joking name of which is lykkepiller – “pills of happiness.”
– A visit to a psychologist is covered by health insurance, – says Susan Swan. – Psychotherapy is a fairly common practice, as is the treatment of stress in clinics. There are a lot of signs in our areaNerveklinik and Stressklinik. When we moved, we noticed that Danish colleagues prefer not to discuss their problems with others. Communication is more formal, conversations are conducted on neutral topics: weather, politics, cultural events. Personal experiences are shared here with a psychologist.
“Pills are prescribed for those who are anxious, tired or stressed,” says Christian Bjornskov. “This tradition has developed among Danish psychiatrists. There is nothing similar in other Scandinavian countries. What is now diagnosed as stress was not considered a reason to go to the doctor 20 years ago.
Despite state support for the unfortunate, the number of suicides in the country is growing. Mike Wiking does not write about this in his happy books, but in speeches he talks openly about the other side of universal happiness. For example, that every year in five million Denmark, suicide causes the death of more than 500 people. This is about three times more than those who die in road accidents. It is not easy to be unhappy in a country of universal happiness…
Modern Danes, who were not helped by cozy advice to bring home a blanket and a candle, rush to the pharmacy for “happy pills”. After all, a happy person is a full-fledged member of society. He can enjoy life and make others happy, just like a symbol of the country, a smiling hoptimist, a dummy on a spring.
LOCATION ORIENTATION
Denmark
Area (excluding Greenland) 43,094 km² (130th in the world)
Population ~ 5 928 000 people (114th)
Population density 138 inhabitants/km²
SIGHTSEEING Nyhavn (canal area), Strøget pedestrian street, Rosenborg castles and Christiansborg, Tivoli Amusement Park; in Aarhus: open-air museum “Old Aarhus”, Women's Museum, Viking Museum.
TRADITIONAL DISHESsmørrebrød (sandwiches with various fillings), fleskestai (fried pork with a crispy crust), ellebrød (rye bread porridge soaked in beer and whipped cream).
TRADITIONAL DRINKS Gammel Dansk (strong tincture of herbs, spices and fruits), glögg is an analogue of mulled wine.
SOUVENIRS interior wooden toys, nisse – a brownie figurine, liquorice sweets, Danish royal porcelain.
DISTANCE from Moscow to Copenhagen ~ 1560 km (from 2 hours 30 minutes in flight)
TIME 2 hours behind Moscow in winter, one hour in summer
VISA Schengen
CURRENCY Danish krone (10 DKK ~ 1.43 USD)
Photo: NICLAS JESSEN (X6), IRENEUSZ CYRANEK, METTE JOHNSEN, KRISTIAN KROG/VISITDENMARK. com; LAIF/VOSTOCK PHOTO, SIME/LEGION-MEDIA
Material published in Vokrug Sveta magazine No. 1, January 2020, partially updated in January 2023
Daria Karelina