Satisfaction with Life Index Map

Satisfaction with Life Index Map – published in White, A. (2007). A Global Projection of Subjective Well-being: A Challenge To Positive Psychology? Psychtalk 56, 17-20. Map coloured according to The World Map of Happiness world/sample.html> , Adrian White, Analytic Social Psychologist, University of Leicester. "The data on SWB [Subjective Well-Being] was extracted from a meta-analysis by Marks, Abdallah, Simms & Thompson (2006).

Green = most happy
Blue
Purple
Orange
Red = least happy

"(...)Strangely enough, I came across this map of the world that colour codes countries by levels of happiness. I am curious to see that Canada (my home country) is “most happy”, while the old Soviet Union (my father’s country of origin is least happy). I recall going through some very melancholic phases of art making and my dad’s response was always, “that is the Slavic in you.” I wonder if different country groups and cultures measure happiness or contentment differently? Or, in fact, are they just more or less happy?


In the end, I realize I often struggle with the pursuit of happiness. I have struggled through feeling as though I should just be giving my life up to helping those with less, but unable to find my own personal fullfilment in that. I have struggled with wanting to make art and how to reconcile the making of excess objects for the elite or the select few. I have struggled with what is really important in life, my own desires versus selfless ones. Ultimately it might all be summed up by admitting that I am in denial that my whole life is actually in a frantic pursuit of happiness. "

Michal Tkachenko 2008

http://www.michal.ca

Zdjęcie/photo: Bartek Górka


Zdjęcie/photo: Dorota Kondek