Social Capital And Civic Engagement In Happy, By Jane Jacobs
1165 Words5 Pages
Happiness is defined as an emotion that you feel when your life is well, as well as being able to recover from unhappiness more quickly. However though happiness is connected to our physical body, society play’s a major role on our happiness via are social capital and civic engagement. The documentary Happy explores levels of happiness and levels of unhappiness within different areas of the world, such as Denmark, Okinawa, Japan, and America. Denmark is seen as the happiest place in Europe. It is well- known for its social equality, high living standard, free education, and free healthcare for life. Most of Denmark’s community live in a co- housing community. Co- housing it like one huge family. You will find at least 20 families living together,…show more content… They both focus on social capital and civic engagement. Whether it be by creating a band to go from one community to another and have everyone come out not only socialize but to interact with whatever the band is doing or having everyone within the housing community coming together to split the chores and eating dinner together like Denmark is doing. Both of these place have a good support system rather it there family and friends or people within their community. They focus less on themselves and more on what can make their life happy. In Putnam book Jane Jacobs says that “In a scathing indictment of 20th century urban planning and renewal efforts, she argued that where cities are configured to maximize informal contact among neighbors, the streets are safer, children are better taken care of, and people are happier with their surroundings.” (Putnam…show more content… Take Japan for instants is known as the unhappiest place in the world. You will find that they have less social capital and civic engagement compared to other parts of the world. The people believe that extrinsic things are more important and because of this belief it is having some negative side effects on them. One strong negative effect is that due to working such long stressful hours and not having a lot of time to socialize within their community and family they are becoming more tired and stressed and are working their body to death and dying at a young age. Due to death being so common in Japan they have named it Karachi. The Japanese are having low levels of happiness as well as less civic engagement. For example Kenichi’s daughter was unable to recognize that he was her father. When he would come home all she wanted to do was play with him despite the fact that he had just got home from working and he was exhausted. You will find on the train people are sleeping whether it be sitting or standing because they are exhausted so you will see less civic engagement. Where as Okinawa and Denmark you see the communities coming together socially rather it be to just talking to one another, watching the young children running around and playing, or going to see the local band. Another place that can be seen as unhappy is United States. Americans are spending their time focusing less on their community and