By Noel S. Williams

Scandinavian countries perennially dominate various happiness rankings, and Finland has risen to the apex for several recent years. Concurrently, the Nordics have shifted to the political right, and Finland in particular is one of the most conservative Scandinavian countries. Leftists in America, who are disproportionately despondent, could learn a thing or two about happiness from the Finns.

The World Happiness Report (WHR) recently released its 2025 version. For the eighth consecutive year, Finland is in the number one spot. This is no fluke, and inquiring minds want to know why.

It bemuses some that Finns are so darn happy. After all, despite some eye-catching scenery, their homeland encompasses a bleak and dark environment, and depression and suicide rates don’t suggest that happiness prevails. But they think they are happy, and since happiness is so subjective, maybe that’s all that counts.

One of the key principles of the field of Happiness Economics is that happiness is relative. Gore Vidal’s acerbic wit captured the essence of this: “It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.” However, Finns tend to appreciate what they have rather than ruminate on how they compare to others. Indeed, there is nary a materialistic item in this list of what makes a Finn happy.

Much of the data the WHR uses in its surveys are derived from subjective factors. A heavily weighted element is based on self-assessments such as the Cantril Ladder that asks for respondents’ reflective feedback on their overall life, their satisfaction, and their Eudaimonia (see “What is happiness?”). Obviously, Finns, rather than dwelling on status, believe they are immersed in Eudaimonia.

Interestingly, when one filters this WHR list for more objective measurements in the WHR report, Finland drops way down. For example, when it comes to GDP per capita (a measurement for standard of living), Finland drops to 15th. For quantifiable generosity, it’s only 56th.

Never mind those objective metrics, though; WHR’s happiness quotients are largely subjective, and, per their self-reporting, Finns insist they’re happy. Rather than strive to attain leftist Gore Vidal’s goal of outdoing the Joneses, they thrive with lower expectations. Instead of constant rumination about their status, they find contentment by making the most of what they have.

This is probably one reason why conservatives are generally happier than liberals in America. That is, rather than instant, but fleeting, liberal gratification, they report greater meaning in life, along with a unified national identity (as opposed to leftist-fomented estrangement), which is another theme that resounds in Finland’s happiness.

As often repeated in various formats, “Happiness comes from the simplest of things.” Unfortunately for them (and us), leftists constitute a confused bundle of dissonant dimwits; their brains are haywire. Indeed, they can learn from the Finns, for as the former’s mental health descends into a mad abyss, the latter soars into broad, joyous, sunlit uplands. And that’s not bad for a country not only in the Arctic but also comprising sunshine-deprived Lapland.