Danish students visiting Santa Rosa Junior College from the Koge Business School in Denmark participated in an event Oct. 1 to help Americans understand one very important question: why are Danish people so happy? According to the Happiness Scale 2013, Danish people are number one on that list, beating the United States by a substantial margin.
In the Lark Hall lecture titled “Why are the Danes so happy?” the Danish students spoke on behalf of their country and went over the differences between the United States and Denmark. The students were divided into six groups and each group was assigned to talk about a particular part of their culture.
The first group discussed the history of Denmark and its politics. After showing the audience where Denmark is located in Northern Europe, they talked about how Denmark is one of the oldest countries in the world and has one of the very first established monarchies. They said their first monarch, Harold Bluetooth, had his name used centuries later in the invention of the hands-free device, the Bluetooth headset. The Viking era was also part of Denmark’s rich history.
The second group talked about happiness and social trust In Denmark’s people. According to the students, the main reason the Danes appear happier is because of two things: safety and trust. Danish people are incredibly trusting; they call it “tillid.” The student showed images of a fruit stand not run by anyone but people’s good nature, and a common sight in Denmark: babies left outside of a café. Denmark is also home to one of the lowest corruption levels in the world.
The third group talked about how the welfare system runs in Denmark. The audience seemed to become livelier as one member said, “I need to move to Denmark.”
For starters, the Danes have a higher taxation rate but have what they called the “Robin Hood effect.” The rich are taxed more heavily than the poor. Also with those taxes, they are allowed access to all services, from education to hospital visits; everything is paid for. Social security makes sure everyone is taken care of. The Danes believe it is important to help the poor in every way they can and as such, there is a reduced risk of ending up on the streets.
Group four examined the monetary system, discussing the Danish krone and its ties to the Euro. Students also discussed their preferred use of transportation, cycling, which is huge in Denmark and the number-one way to get around.
Group five handled the arts and entertainment of Denmark, listing famous musicians like Aqua, and actors like Mads Mikkelsen, who is gaining popularity in the U.S. for his role on the TV show “Hannibal” and his work on the movie “Casino Royale,” and Viggo Mortenson, famous for his role in the “Lord of The Rings” trilogy.
Group six wrapped up the lecture, focusing on Denmark’s identity. Students said Danes are very liberal thinkers. They believe in equal rights for anyone and support gay marriage, even allowing marriages in churches. However, religious views seem to be slowly fading away, as only one-fifth of Danes believe religion is important. Danes are also modest. They don’t like to show off and rarely discuss how much money the make or the newest gadgets they have.