Finding Happiness In Eric Weiner's The Geography Of Bliss
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Happiness is subjective, and thus has an interminable number of definitions and means of obtaining it. For some happiness is found in something tangible, but for others, it's far more abstract. And it is with this ambiguity that engendered author Eric Weiner, the self- labeled “grump”, to inquire more deeply about the meaning of happiness. In his book The Geography of Bliss, Weiner asserts that happiness is inexorably linked with location; differences in climate, governmental institutions, wealth distribution and cultural influences. On his peregrination through ten different countries Weiner learns that, the true definition of happiness, is slightly more equivocal.
Happiness is what you have. Qatar has a lot of money and doesn’t…show more content… America is well off socially and economically so they find happiness in exploring what they have. Americans travel from state to state searching for what they consider home. This nomadic spirit is just part of their nature. “Happiness is just around the corner the trick is finding the right corner, ” (Weiner 1). Perhaps this sense of home is a feeling rather than a physical location. “A simple question to identify your true home: where do you want to die?” (Wiener 320).
In contrast, happiness is what you don’t have.
Switzerland doesn’t allow its inhabitants to have envious associated emotions and equates their overall happiness to this lack of envy. “...The Swiss are happy because they go to great lengths not to provoke envy in others. The Swiss know instinctively that envy is the great enemy of happiness.” (Weiner 31). There is some proof to this idea. "The American way is: If you've got it, flaunt it. The Swiss way is: If you've got it, hide it, " (Weiner 32). There’s no coincidence that Switzerland ranks higher than America on the Gross National Happiness scale. Switzerland also finds happiness in insipidity or quite frankly lack of excitement. . Switzerland is humorless. Perhaps this stems from the predominance of rules in the country. “Better comes from it’s er to live in the middle range than to constantly swing between great highs and terrible lows,”(Weiner