Freed: Why are Quebecers so happy together? I have some theories
Smile, everyone!
We Quebecers are among the happiest people in the world, again.
We just finished among the top six spots in the World Happiness Report, the second year in a row Quebec is supposedly one of the cheeriest places on Earth.
According to the report, we’re now rubbing shoulders with the apparently grinning Finns, delighted Danes and lighthearted legions of Norwegians and Icelanders.
Meanwhile, Canada overall plummeted to 25th place, but without Quebec it would have placed a gloomy 35th.
Just why are we so happy, at least according to ourselves, when there’s not much to be cheerful about in the world today?
Academics suggest it could be our Quebec social programs like lower tuition, subsidized daycare and parental leave that make life kinder and gentler here for all.
Others think it’s our relatively cheap rents, café-terrasse culture and summer-long festivals that lower productivity but increase festivity.
But there are plenty of other possible theories, too.
Theory 1: Four of the five other top spots are freezing cold, snowy and dark in winter, much like Quebec.
Like us, the chirpy Scandinavian countries that lead the pack all get way-below-zero winter temperatures and darkness that keeps people indoors wearing wool socks, slurping soup and desperately socializing.
During winter, we Quebecers pack bars, restaurants, parties and dinner gatherings seeking community in the cold.
Experts call this social bonding and say it’s great for personal happiness. But like Scandinavians, we Quebecers just call it February.
Theory 2: Almost all of the world’s most happy places tax their citizens at rates that would have Americans seeking medical attention.
Scandinavia’s taxes are the highest in Europe, often approaching 60 per cent, while Quebec’s are the highest in North America.
Does more taxation create more equality and make people feel better about life? Does high taxation bring gratification?
Or are the most happy nations too psychologically “taxed” to properly judge if they’re happy?
Theory 3: Less conspicuous consumption. Americans pay way lower taxes and often live in bigger, more extravagant homes than generations in the past.
Former luxuries like microwaves, air conditioning, giant TVs and cordless everything are now routine for most people, as are second cars.
Yet Americans finish a cheerless 23rd in the world when it comes to happiness. That’s because unhappiness is mostly in the eye of the beholder.
American life is like entering an airline and walking through first class. Everyone looks at those around them and feels they don’t have enough, despite having one of the highest living standards in the world.
People see others doing better than them and feel jealous, especially of the super wealthy flaunting their latest billion on the nightly U.S. news.
Here, however, even cosmopolitan Montreal has much less conspicuous consumption than cities like New York, London, L.A. and Toronto.
We have less fancy, more informal, cheaper restaurants. We have fewer ostentatious cars, mansions and rich in-your-face lifestyles. So, perhaps this also makes us feel more equal, like Scandinavians do.
In fact, the world’s perpetually happiest country goes further. In Finland, even traffic fines are calculated according to your income.
So, one rich Finnish businessmen was fined more than $200,000 Canadian for driving 82 km/h in a 50-km/h zone. Meanwhile, someone less well off pays only $100.
Happiness studies show a strong correlation with feeling we are all treated somewhat fairly. That means knowing the guy caught speeding in the humongous Hummer is suffering, proportionately, as much as you.
Theory 4: Quebecers have a very strong sense of community. Francophones have their own distinct culture, where everyone almost seems to be extended family, with tight-knit social bonds.
Just like many in Scandinavia.
In response, we English-speakers have become more like family, too. We are all often one degree of separation from each other, so almost anyone you meet knows someone you do.
“Oh, you use Ashley’s brother’s cousin’s dentist. Unreal! So does my brother-in-law Stan’s plumber.”
Francophones are united around culture and language. But anglophones are united around language aggravation.
For instance: we can press 9 for English government phone services, but then we must wait through a maze of French-only messages to get to the English one.
This unites us even while it irritates us.
Theory 5: Much of the world is obsessed with serious political issues like the economy, wars, climate and global instability.
But Quebec has created other smaller annoying problems to distract us from these real ones. We have world-class potholes and supersized orange cones that eat up much of our complaining energy.
Throw in language battles over signs and websites and divisive laws banning public prayers; also, a proposed new Quebec constitution that neither anglophones nor francophones want.
Quebecers’ most talked-about problems are aggravating, but ultimately small compared with the severe crime, violence, poverty, racism and naked hatred consuming much of the world today.
Yet secretly, we Quebecers know many of our problems are relatively small, so we’ve learned to laugh at them, too. When we complain vociferously that “all roads lead to Rue Barré,” we also know that things could be worse.
If only we could just dial 9 to eventually deal with the rest of the world’s problems.
Then, we might all be as happy as Finns.
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