1 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: I guess what mango? What's that? Will? So when you 2 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:08,480 Speaker 1: think of fast food stories and Moscow, what comes to 3 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: mind first? I don't know, maybe that old pizza hut 4 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: Corbus shop of commercial exactly. And I used to think 5 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: that was maybe the most fun association of fast food 6 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: with Moscow. But I actually read another story recently and 7 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: I think it might be my favorite now. So did 8 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: you know that when McDonald's first opened in Moscow, they 9 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: actually had to train workers on how to smile and 10 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:34,959 Speaker 1: look friendly? Know why is that? Well, it turns out 11 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: there's an old proverb there that goes something along the 12 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:41,480 Speaker 1: lines of a smile without reason is a sign of idiocy. 13 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: That's pretty rough, and um, I mean I guess it 14 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 1: sounds like a Russian proverb. Yeah, it's It's a phrase 15 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: that obviously doesn't apply to all Russians, but it did 16 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:52,559 Speaker 1: get me thinking. You know, if if Russians are not 17 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: known for smiling unnecessarily, what places are you know, where 18 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: are the happiest places in the world and what are 19 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: some of the secrets to happiness in those places? So 20 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 1: that's what we're talking about today. Let's dive in h 21 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: a their podcast. Listeners welcome to hard Time Genius. I'm 22 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: Will Pearson and as always I'm joined by my good 23 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 1: friend main guest Ticketer. And on the other side of 24 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: the soundproof glass wearing the biggest smile you'll never see. 25 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: That's our friend and producer Tristan McNeil. It's actually getting 26 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:42,400 Speaker 1: a little unnerving. Now what what is he smiling about? 27 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: I don't think he'll ever tell us. But good news 28 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: is there will be plenty of chances to smile later though, 29 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: because today's show we're talking all about happiness and you know, 30 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: more specifically the places in the world where you can 31 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: find the most of it. Now, happiness is highly subjective, 32 00:01:58,240 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: of course, and if you would ask ten people to 33 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: name what makes them happy, you'd probably come away with 34 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: ten different answers. But there are actually some aspects of 35 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 1: happiness that are pretty universal. So we're going to talk 36 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: about what those factors are and how they manifest and 37 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: upbeat countries all over the globe, and we're also going 38 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: to try to get to the bottom of y Scandinavian 39 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: countries like Denmark and Norway always claim these top spots 40 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: for places ranked by happiness. Yeah, well, why don't we 41 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:27,239 Speaker 1: start with that? Because it really is crazy how Nordic 42 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 1: countries tend to dominate those lists. So the u N 43 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: does this ranking of the happiness levels and a hundred 44 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 1: fifty five countries called the World Happiness Report. They've done 45 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 1: this since two thousand and twelve, and every year the 46 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: top five has always been some combination of Scandinavian countries, 47 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:45,080 Speaker 1: and this year is no exception. Norway is actually ranked 48 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 1: number one for the first time, but it's followed closely 49 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 1: by Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland and Finland. So I'm guessing a 50 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: lot of our listeners are wondering what I'm wondering, and 51 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: that is, is this whole thing rigged? I mean, it's 52 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:00,639 Speaker 1: almost always freezing cold in these Nordic countries, was you know, 53 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 1: they've got the whole midnight sun thing where daylight last 54 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: twenty four hours for a month or so at a time. 55 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,679 Speaker 1: So no way are these the happiest places on Earth? Right? Yeah? 56 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: I would have said the same thing before looking into it. 57 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: But surprisingly there's some researchers who actually think Scandinavia is 58 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: cold weather and all those long nights might be a 59 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: big reason why those countries both such high levels of happiness, 60 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: and the thinking is that such an unforgiving climate that 61 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:28,920 Speaker 1: actually helps bring local communities together. I mean, the people 62 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 1: there depending on each other for survival as well as 63 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 1: for company in a way that people in most temperate 64 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: climates don't have to. And actually, there's this professor John 65 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: helli Well who was the editor for this year's Happiness Report, 66 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 1: and he compares this kind of mutual support system to 67 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: what we traditionally see with like rural farming communities, you know, 68 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 1: where people gather to help raise a neighbor's barn without 69 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: expecting any sort of payment in return. Well, it's pretty 70 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: interesting to think about it. And you know, it might 71 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 1: be strange to hear about cold places making people happy, 72 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: but the underlying premise actually lines up with a lot 73 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: of what I've read recently on the subject and what 74 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 1: promises that well, basically that a person's environment has a 75 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:08,080 Speaker 1: lot to do with how happy they feel. There was 76 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: this study this year that examined surveys completed by about 77 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: I think it was about half a million Canadian immigrants, 78 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:16,480 Speaker 1: and these are people that had moved to Canada from 79 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: a hundred different countries over the course of the past 80 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 1: forty years or so. Many of the immigrants home countries 81 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 1: didn't rank anywhere near the top of the Happiness Report, 82 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: but Canada did. Now routinely places in the top ten 83 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:32,040 Speaker 1: happiest countries, and actually this year it was the first 84 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: country outside of Scandinavia to chart at all. It came 85 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 1: in at number seven. That's crazy, but I'm guessing these 86 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: folks were happier after moving to Canada. Yeah, that's right. 87 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,479 Speaker 1: And actually, just after a few years in Canada, immigrants 88 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: from less happy countries started to adopt the higher happiness 89 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 1: level of their new home. So even though things like 90 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: income and family life it stayed more or less the same, 91 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 1: these people were happier simply because of where they were. Okay, 92 00:04:57,880 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 1: but there has to be more play here than just 93 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: you'all your feet right, they're probably specific characteristics of life 94 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 1: in Canada that lead to greater happiness, like the way 95 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 1: that uh, I don't know, Scandinavia's starkness helps foster community. Oh, definitely. 96 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 1: In fact, the researchers behind the World Happiness Report believe 97 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 1: that about seventy of human happiness is due to just 98 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:20,919 Speaker 1: six factors. So they point out quality social relationships, strong 99 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: economic growth, healthy life expectancy, generosity, trust, and the freedom 100 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:29,160 Speaker 1: to live the life that's right for you. Now, any 101 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: country that delivers in even a few of these categories 102 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 1: is likely to have a fairly happy citizen base. I 103 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,600 Speaker 1: mean that sounds right, though it still feels weird to 104 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 1: be talking about happiness in terms of metrics and rankings. 105 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: On one hand, it seems right that a country would 106 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 1: be concerned with the happiness of its citizens, you know, 107 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 1: the pursuit of it is mentioned in the first sentence 108 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,719 Speaker 1: of our declaration of independence. But I can also understand 109 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,480 Speaker 1: the argument that happiness is too vague and even like 110 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 1: fluffy a concept to be held up as this national goal. 111 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,359 Speaker 1: I mean, this is philosophical, but like, what do we 112 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: even mean by happiness? Yeah, and it's it's a tough 113 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: question to answer. And happiness is is something we all 114 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 1: have experience with, or at least totefully we have experience 115 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:11,119 Speaker 1: with it. But it's much easier to talk about where 116 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: it comes from than it is to narrow it down 117 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,479 Speaker 1: to a single definition. I was actually looking at this 118 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: National Geographic cover story that recently came out, and they 119 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 1: gave an overview of three countries that historically received high 120 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,480 Speaker 1: marks for happiness and the author of the story, Dan Putner. 121 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,720 Speaker 1: He proposed that real lasting joy actually comes from the 122 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: interplay of three distinct kinds of happiness. There's pleasure, pride, 123 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 1: and purpose. Huh. So, uh, how do you come up 124 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 1: with those three? Well? I think partly because most measures 125 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: of happiness can be broken down into those three categories. 126 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 1: So going back to the six factors used for the 127 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 1: World Happiness Report, you know, take social relationships. They can 128 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: bring you pleasure, or generosity toward others can provide a 129 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 1: sense of purpose, or maybe the freedom to live how 130 00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 1: you want can become you know, like a source of pride. Well, 131 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: you know, those three types of happiness actually line up 132 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: pretty well with three types of happiness that scientists have 133 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: been trying to get a handle on for years. So 134 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: I looked this up, and uh, there's something called experienced happiness, 135 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: and that's the term for the pleasure that comes from 136 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: everyday life. Is usually measured by how much a person 137 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: has smiled or laughed during a day, and then pride 138 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: that kind of corresponds with evaluative happiness. You know, you 139 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: can think of this as like life satisfaction, basically how 140 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: happy you are with your career or family, social status, 141 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 1: that type of thing. So researchers are often trying to 142 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 1: assess this by asking you to rank your lives on 143 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 1: a scale from zero to ten. So questions like, all 144 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: things considered, how satisfied are you with your life as 145 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 1: a whole nowadays? And you know, this does feel like 146 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 1: a very clinical approach to happiness, but I guess that's 147 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: what happens when you know you've got scientists and economists 148 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 1: that are thinking about the subject rather than say, like 149 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: philosophers for example. Yeah, so it's funny you should mention 150 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: philosophers because the concept of happiness that springs from purpose 151 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: actually originated with Aris Tottle. He rejected what he viewed 152 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: as vulgar happiness. That's the kind that yields short term enjoyment, 153 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 1: but you know it doesn't deliver, it's it's kind of fleeting. Instead, 154 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 1: he believed that those who wish to lead these virtuous 155 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 1: lives just strive for a type of happiness you find 156 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: through lifelong learning and maybe helping others. Yeah, I mean 157 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 1: it makes a lot of sense. And then that GEO 158 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: article I was talking about earlier, they chose Denmark to 159 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: exemplify purpose driven happiness. And part of the reason why 160 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: is that over nine of Danish citizens are members of 161 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 1: some kind of social club or association, and more than 162 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:36,319 Speaker 1: forty of them volunteer for civic groups. That kind of 163 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: fulfillment from social engagement and giving back to one's community. 164 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,439 Speaker 1: It seems like the kind of happiness that Aristotle was 165 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 1: after that you were talking about before. Definitely, and it's 166 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 1: really cool that Dan Buttner touched on that because most 167 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 1: of us take a more hedonistic approach to happiness, you know, 168 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: we want to maximize our pleasure and minimize our pain. 169 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 1: I wouldn't take his heart align against that approach, is Aristotle. 170 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:59,199 Speaker 1: I do think he's right that there's this deeper kind 171 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:01,960 Speaker 1: of happiness that from I don't know, finding meaning and 172 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:03,679 Speaker 1: what you do with your time rather than just how 173 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: comfortable you are. Right, But but to be fair, I 174 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 1: mean this kind of happiness can feel like somewhat of 175 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: a luxury at times, you know, learning new things or 176 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 1: helping others in need. That it often happens only after 177 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:18,080 Speaker 1: our basic needs are provided for. And and that's partly 178 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 1: why purpose driven happiness seems to thrive in most of 179 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: these Scandinavian countries, and they have a ton of government 180 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 1: programs that make sure no citizen goes without food and 181 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 1: housing and healthcare. Let me just actually listen to how 182 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 1: Butner describes the societal expectations of Danish citizens. Quote, Danes 183 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: grew up believing they have the right to healthcare, education, 184 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: and a financial safety net. University students draw government stipend 185 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: in addition to free tuition. New parents can take a 186 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: year long government paid parental lead, you know, nearly at 187 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 1: a full salary. This includes gay and lesbian parents as well. 188 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: People work hard in Denmark, but on average less than 189 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,200 Speaker 1: forty hours a week, with at least five weeks of 190 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: vacation per year. I mean, you hear all that and 191 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 1: you realize how they have so much time for social 192 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:07,680 Speaker 1: But it's also, like you think about it, it's like 193 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: a level of government support that would make Bernie Sanders black. 194 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: Probably so, But you know, Northern Europe seems to have 195 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 1: cracked the code on how to create this environment where 196 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 1: people feel secure enough to pursue their passions without having 197 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:23,320 Speaker 1: to constantly worry about how to make ends meet. And 198 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: it's not just sweeping government programs. I mean that there's 199 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:27,559 Speaker 1: a more laid back approach to life that you can 200 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 1: see reflected in little ways too. For instance, have you 201 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: heard it? And this is something that I had not 202 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 1: heard of before, But in Norway it's called the right 203 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:38,199 Speaker 1: to rome No, what what is it? It's this traditional 204 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:41,680 Speaker 1: right to explore nature that Norway has acknowledged for centuries 205 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 1: and so basically anyone is free to hike or camp 206 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: in any part of the country that they want. What 207 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 1: that sounds so crazy? I mean even if it's like 208 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 1: privately owned land. Yeah, that's the whole point. I can't 209 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: see this flying here. But it goes back to that 210 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: strong sense of community in Scandinavian countries that we talked about. 211 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: So even though the one owns a deed for a 212 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 1: particular piece of land, it's still a part of the 213 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: shared country and that means that every citizen has a 214 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: right to enjoy it at any time. And the old 215 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:12,079 Speaker 1: exceptions to this or for private land that's been cultivated, 216 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: so things like parks and gardens or you know, maybe 217 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 1: farm fields or something like that. That's pretty cool and 218 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:18,440 Speaker 1: it reminds me of like when I was a kid 219 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:20,439 Speaker 1: and I just like we had a creek behind our 220 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:22,840 Speaker 1: yard and we just like follow it through other people's 221 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 1: yards and stuff is awesome, But so is this like 222 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 1: an unwritten law or I don't know, something kind of 223 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: like common knowledge type thing. Well that's how it started out. 224 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:35,559 Speaker 1: But actually Norway's citizens feel so strongly about the importance 225 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 1: of of just being outdoors and outdoor recreation they actually 226 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:41,840 Speaker 1: decided to make the right to roam a federal law 227 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:47,559 Speaker 1: back in nine That's amazing, you know. I mean it's 228 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: not just purpose driven happiness that Scandinavians have mastered, so 229 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 1: they also have a knack for like the simple pleasures 230 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 1: of life. And in fact, there's this term that you 231 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 1: see on the internet used a lot now, and it's 232 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,320 Speaker 1: used in Denmark in Norway, and I know I'm butchering 233 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: the pronunciation. I think it's called hugo, but there isn't 234 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:07,559 Speaker 1: this like English equivalent for it. But you can kind 235 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: of think of it of this like general feeling of 236 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 1: comfort and kinship or maybe contentedness, like it's something that 237 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: applies to anything from like a softly glowing candle to 238 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:19,439 Speaker 1: a couple of coffee with friends. And actually found this 239 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: account from this Norwegian transplant to the United States who 240 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 1: did his best to try to sum up the idea, 241 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: and this is what he wrote. He wrote, it is 242 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 1: basically a state of well being, coziness, and ambience. It 243 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: is a feeling of atmosphere and in action. You can 244 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 1: be a huge leg person or you can describe a 245 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: cabin as huge lig or it could be used as 246 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:42,559 Speaker 1: a verb. Let's huga ourselves with a meal, a visit, 247 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 1: a book, et cetera. Huga hugo huge. Actually know what 248 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:49,080 Speaker 1: this reminds me of. It's kind of like how the 249 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 1: Smurfs would always use the word smurf and this kind 250 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 1: of replacement for everything, and so they'd be like, We're 251 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 1: going to smurf all the way up to the top 252 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: of Smurf Mountain to day. Have you seen smurfs recently, then, go, 253 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:03,600 Speaker 1: I have not, exactly. Scan namings are basically the Smurfs 254 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:06,439 Speaker 1: of societies. To get it, I get the point. I mean, 255 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 1: you know, well, well, as long as we're comparing cultures, 256 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: we should yes, yeah, we should probably talk a little 257 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 1: bit about the happiness of our country. You know, because 258 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:18,079 Speaker 1: free tuition and healthcare that that that's one thing when 259 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: it's a country of about six million people, But the 260 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: kind of happiness that comes from things like that it's 261 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 1: trickier and in a place with over three hundred million citizens. Absolutely, 262 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 1: But before we dig into that, why don't we take 263 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 1: a little break. You're listening to part time Genius and 264 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: we're talking about the happiest places in the world. All right, mango. 265 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 1: So it looks like the U S came in fourt 266 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 1: on this year's World Happiness Report, which I mean, that's 267 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 1: not too shabby given how many countries are ranked. But 268 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 1: you know, with our economic prosperity, you maybe think we 269 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:00,120 Speaker 1: could manage a little bit better than that. But we've 270 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 1: already seen that it's a country's overall environment and their 271 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: sense of community that actually determines the happiness of its citizens, 272 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 1: and it isn't really the economy, which just to say 273 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 1: that money doesn't matter. After all, the countries that top 274 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 1: the Happiness index all have these like healthy GDPs, and 275 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 1: you know the nations at the bottom of the list don't. 276 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 1: But money isn't everything, and for the U S, it's 277 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: the social aspects that we really need to work on 278 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: if we ever want to muscle our way to the 279 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 1: top of the list. All right, well, that's fair enough, 280 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: but but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of happy 281 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: places in the US already. In fact, Gallup recently teamed 282 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 1: up with nat GEO to find the twenty five happiest 283 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 1: cities in America. So how they pulled that off? Well, 284 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:41,960 Speaker 1: first they established a series of metrics that commonly indicate happiness. 285 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 1: And then they pulled data from about a quarter million 286 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: interviews conducted with adults in almost two hundred cities throughout 287 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:50,800 Speaker 1: the US, and and then they used it to see 288 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: which cities ticked the most boxes on this list. So 289 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 1: I am, of course super curious to know who the 290 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 1: winner was, But first tell me about these metrics, Like 291 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 1: I'm guessing it wasn't a simple as what was it pleasure, 292 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 1: pride and purpose that we talked about earlier. Not quite. 293 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: I mean, the study actually considered over a dozen different factors, 294 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: everything from civic engagement, vacation time, o b CD rates. 295 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 1: Actually this one was interesting. Even dental check up. Well, 296 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:19,120 Speaker 1: nobody loves going to the dentist. So does that mean 297 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 1: that the key to happiness is having bad teeth? No, maga, 298 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 1: That was definitely not the studies take away. In fact, 299 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 1: it was actually the opposite of that, and and and 300 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 1: there was a higher level of satisfaction in places where 301 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: people made frequent trips to their dentists. All right, So 302 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 1: where all these dentists loving Americans living really fixated on that? Well, 303 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 1: eight of the twenty cities are in California, and of 304 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: course Honolulu scores a spot on the list. But according 305 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 1: to the study, the single happiest place in America is 306 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 1: actually Boulder, Colorado. I mean that doesn't actually surprise me. 307 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 1: Anytime I hear about Boulder, it's usually something about how 308 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: healthy the citizens are or how much they exercise. And 309 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 1: I've heard that more people per capita walk or biked 310 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: a working Boulder than almost any other city in the US. Yeah, 311 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 1: that's definitely true. Boulder has over three miles of bike routs, 312 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: and their bike to work grade is actually about seventeen 313 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: times higher than the national average. And something as simple 314 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: as that leads to all these other boosts and happiness 315 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: from other things like cleaner air, fewer overweight citizens, you know, 316 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 1: stronger connection to the outdoors, all of these other factors. 317 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 1: All right, But obviously no place is perfect, and there's 318 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 1: got to be something negative we can mention. So this 319 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: doesn't seem like it's sponsored by the Boulder Tourism Board. Yeah, 320 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:32,680 Speaker 1: I don't know. We love to talk about lots of 321 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 1: negative things here on part, but but there is the 322 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 1: fact that about forty of the local survey for the 323 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: study reported feeling stress on any given day, and that 324 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 1: that's also higher than the national average. So the happiest 325 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 1: city in the country is also one of the most 326 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:49,400 Speaker 1: stressed out. Like, how does that even work? Well, it 327 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 1: seems strange on the surface, but the impression I got 328 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: was that the citizens are stressed because of how active 329 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: and engaged they are, not only in their personal lives, 330 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 1: but you know, in the wider community as well. So 331 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: it's a good kind of stress. Yeah, it's a productive stress. 332 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:04,920 Speaker 1: And you may remember back from our longevity episode where 333 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,159 Speaker 1: we talked about this that those that are living the 334 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:10,959 Speaker 1: longest often do have some of these sources of stress 335 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: because they are so involved in the world around them. 336 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: So it's the kind that comes from working to achieve 337 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:19,400 Speaker 1: a goal or to produce something worthwhile. So it really 338 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 1: does go back to that purpose driven happiness that we 339 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:25,199 Speaker 1: were talking about earlier. Yeah, so it seems like the 340 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: more invested and connected you are to the place where 341 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: you live, the happier you become. And that's true even 342 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:33,520 Speaker 1: when you have to continually strive to improve your surroundings, 343 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 1: because that's the kind of work we find most satisfying. 344 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:38,359 Speaker 1: It actually makes me think of the study from Surry 345 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:42,119 Speaker 1: University in the UK called Places that Make Us. So, 346 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 1: first of all, you know the idea of having your 347 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 1: own personal happy place, right, Yeah, like a physical or 348 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:49,480 Speaker 1: actually even a mental place if as long as it 349 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: makes you feel calm or less anxious. So you know, 350 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: this might be a peaceful room in the house that 351 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,119 Speaker 1: you've decorated, or or maybe just like a memory of 352 00:17:57,160 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 1: a great trip that you went on sure or in 353 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 1: and out visited in California's right. But the researchers that 354 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:06,399 Speaker 1: SORRY wanted to better understand attraction that people feel towards 355 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:09,679 Speaker 1: special places like that, so they rounded up twenty volunteers 356 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 1: and had them look at familiar images of like houses 357 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: and landscapes and objects that they had identified as like 358 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 1: personally meaningful, and they also conducted these um fm r 359 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:22,679 Speaker 1: I scans on their brains at the same time. And 360 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 1: when they measured the volunteers brain activity, researchers found that 361 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: the familiar places caused way more excitement in the part 362 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:32,160 Speaker 1: of the brain linked with these emotional responses than any 363 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: of the objects did. Yeah, I mean specifically, these happy 364 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 1: places evoked feelings of belonging and as well as like 365 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:42,480 Speaker 1: physical and emotional safety. And so do you think that's 366 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 1: like what's going on here with Boulder or what, yeah, 367 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:46,879 Speaker 1: or any of these happy places? Really? I mean, I 368 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,480 Speaker 1: think when a city or a country helps the citizens 369 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:52,959 Speaker 1: strike that balance between pleasure and pride and purpose, that 370 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:55,199 Speaker 1: whole place becomes a part of them, just like their 371 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: favorite room at home, where the vacation spot they returned 372 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:00,280 Speaker 1: to every year. You might be onto some in here, 373 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:02,879 Speaker 1: because you know, the process you're describing as really a 374 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 1: pretty organic one. You know, rather than constantly seeking out happiness, 375 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 1: it comes about pretty naturally, just through these opportunities that 376 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: our environment gives to us, which seems like the right 377 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 1: way to go, right. I mean, I've seen a few 378 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:17,560 Speaker 1: studies now that have actually shown the larger the focused 379 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: person puts on happiness, the less successful they are and 380 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 1: actually being happy, which is probably why people who buy, 381 00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:26,240 Speaker 1: you know, all these self help books about happiness never 382 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:29,159 Speaker 1: seemed to stop at just one. Al Right, Well, what 383 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:30,600 Speaker 1: do you say we closed out the show? With a 384 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 1: look at some of the places that make happiness look easy. 385 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:37,880 Speaker 1: You know, no statistics, no metrics, just plain old happy places. Yeah, 386 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:39,440 Speaker 1: it sounds great, but why don't we take a quick 387 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:52,159 Speaker 1: break first? Okay, Mango. So, as we said earlier that 388 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 1: GEO did a ranking of the happiest cities in America 389 00:19:56,320 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 1: and Boulder, Colorado came in number one. And I'm happy 390 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 1: to tell you that we've actually got the Mayor of Boulder, 391 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:05,440 Speaker 1: Colorado on the line. Mayor Suzanne Jones, Welcome to part 392 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:09,400 Speaker 1: time genius. Well, I'm happy to be here and congratulations 393 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: on being named happiest city in America. Some people are 394 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:18,199 Speaker 1: pleased and others are like, we're not that happy. So 395 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 1: would you mind telling us why Boulder is such a 396 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 1: happy place? Well, I think there's a couple of reasons. 397 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 1: Starters is that we are blessed to live in a 398 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:29,640 Speaker 1: really beautiful place, and we've really invested a lot over 399 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: the years and protecting it. We were one of the 400 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:35,239 Speaker 1: first cities to create an open space tax, and so 401 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:38,359 Speaker 1: we've bought up forty acres of open space all around 402 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: our city. So there's lots of places to recreate and 403 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:44,200 Speaker 1: see wildlife. So we tend to attract athletes and people 404 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 1: that love the outdoors, which tend to be happier people. Um. 405 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 1: But we also were university city, so almost a third 406 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:55,919 Speaker 1: of our population or students and professors, and we also 407 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 1: have a dozen federal laboratories like the National Center for 408 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:03,200 Speaker 1: Atmospheric Research, So we are filled with people that are 409 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 1: well educated and informed and engage and working on everything 410 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:12,159 Speaker 1: from you know, the solution to climate change to starting 411 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 1: up a new high tech business. And so there's a 412 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: lot of um, good energy directed towards um making the 413 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:22,680 Speaker 1: world a better place, um, but having a good time 414 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:25,160 Speaker 1: while we do it right. All right, that's pretty great. 415 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: You know. I feel like Bolder used to be a 416 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 1: little bit more of this kind of hidden gem that 417 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 1: that that people didn't necessarily know what a beautiful and 418 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:36,680 Speaker 1: wonderful place it is. And it feels like more people 419 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:39,360 Speaker 1: are coming there and it's maybe moving there or visiting there. 420 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 1: And so how have you guys dealt with this as 421 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:44,359 Speaker 1: a as a city as you have grown? Well, I 422 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 1: will say that that is actually one of our biggest challenges. 423 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:51,440 Speaker 1: Colorado's population is booming because it is a beautiful place 424 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:54,680 Speaker 1: to be and the economy is doing well, and there's 425 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 1: a lot of people worried that we're gonna uh kill 426 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 1: the goosta laid the golden egg by you know, loving 427 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 1: this place to death. So I was gonna say we 428 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:05,399 Speaker 1: are happy to be considered the happiest city, but a 429 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 1: lot of people would argue that, um, we should keep 430 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: that a secret because more people kind of is challenging 431 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:16,399 Speaker 1: to manage. And so what plans do you see from 432 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 1: the Boulder's future. So I think one of our big 433 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: challenges is how do you um keep being vibrant and 434 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 1: gritty and interesting and and you know, not too trendy. 435 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:31,960 Speaker 1: And I think we wrestle with that because um there's 436 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: a lot of growth pressure and with that comes um 437 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:38,400 Speaker 1: a real affordability challenge. So it's really expensive to live 438 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:44,440 Speaker 1: here now, and that challenges diversity, both economically and ethnically. 439 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: The other thing is when things things are going really well, 440 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 1: and the question is how do we um keep them 441 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:56,159 Speaker 1: vibrant and interesting and evolving and yet also keep what 442 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:59,160 Speaker 1: we love about this place as it is. These are 443 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,520 Speaker 1: the problems that come with success. There is a really 444 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:05,440 Speaker 1: wonderful place. I will note that the entire Denver metro 445 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: area is really thriving right now, and it's it's a 446 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 1: really wonderful place to be me. Yeah, that's great. Well, 447 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:15,919 Speaker 1: we know that we're all very happy talking together today, 448 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:18,400 Speaker 1: but we do have to put you to the test 449 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:22,640 Speaker 1: with a really, really challenging and some might say dumb quiz. 450 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:26,159 Speaker 1: So mango, what what what quiz? Are we playing with 451 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:29,879 Speaker 1: Mayor Jones today? It's called come on, everyone, get happy? 452 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,920 Speaker 1: All right? So here we go. We got five questions 453 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:36,120 Speaker 1: for you, Mayor Jones. You ready, I'm ready. Every answer 454 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 1: includes the word happy. Oh, that's right. Every answer includes 455 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 1: the word happy. Okay, here we go. Question number one. 456 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 1: This show gave the world the term jump the shark 457 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 1: when Fonzie jumped a shark on water skis. Oh yeah, 458 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:52,720 Speaker 1: that's right. It happened during the fifth season, and while 459 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:54,879 Speaker 1: it seemed out of character for the show, it was 460 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:58,440 Speaker 1: meant to showcase Henry Winkler's real life water skiing skills. 461 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:02,640 Speaker 1: Oh wow, okay, alright. Question number two, and the very 462 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:05,680 Speaker 1: first of these kids meals sold by McDonald's. Kids got 463 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 1: either a mcdoodler stencil, mc wrist wallet, or a McDonald 464 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:14,880 Speaker 1: land character erasers shaped like Grimace or the Hamburglar. So 465 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:18,359 Speaker 1: what kids meal are we talking about? Well, happy meals? 466 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:21,879 Speaker 1: Of course, that's right too. For two question number we 467 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:25,119 Speaker 1: told you it was a really hard quiz. Question number three. 468 00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 1: Here we go. This term came about in nineteen fourteen 469 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:34,200 Speaker 1: and wasn't initially associated with bars or deals on snacks. Instead, 470 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 1: it was used to describe sixty minutes of scheduled entertainment 471 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:40,920 Speaker 1: that sailors would get in the afternoons to alleviate boredom 472 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 1: at sea. Well, happy hours, and I will say Boulder 473 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 1: is a great place for that. We have lots of 474 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 1: breweries and that's great. Yeah, that's right. And until post prohibition, 475 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:54,639 Speaker 1: a happy hour could include anything from live music to 476 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:59,159 Speaker 1: dancing to boxing matches. Does sound very happy? Okay? Alright? 477 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,119 Speaker 1: Number four are This song song once a year to 478 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:05,119 Speaker 1: most people was used in the first ever singing telegram 479 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:11,800 Speaker 1: to celebrate someone's special day. It's happy something um happy Graham. 480 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:15,640 Speaker 1: I don't know this would be the happy birthday song. 481 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:17,880 Speaker 1: It was actually what was the song originally called mango 482 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:20,680 Speaker 1: it was? It was originally called good morning to you, 483 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:24,160 Speaker 1: Good morning to you. All right, you're three out of four. 484 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:26,359 Speaker 1: This is the last one for the Big Big Prize. 485 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 1: Here we go. Well, RI e M made a lot 486 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 1: of money off of this very happy song. According to 487 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 1: lead singer Michael Stipe quote, if there was one song 488 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 1: that was sent into outer space to represent r e 489 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 1: M for the rest of time, I would not want 490 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:45,160 Speaker 1: it to be that song happy people. Yeah, that's right, 491 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: you got it. So how did Mayor Jones do today? Mango? 492 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,639 Speaker 1: She went an amazing four for five, which means she's 493 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:53,040 Speaker 1: going to get a very top prize, a part Time 494 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 1: Genius Certificate of Genius, as well as a hearty congratulations. Well, 495 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:01,040 Speaker 1: congratulations again Mayor Jones on being named the happiest city 496 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:18,880 Speaker 1: in America and thanks for joining us on Part Time Genius. Okay, 497 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:21,640 Speaker 1: so we've talked a lot today about measuring happiness and 498 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:23,879 Speaker 1: how it does or doesn't relate to the g d P. 499 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 1: And I know we've mentioned this on a previous episode, 500 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 1: but I wanted to talk about a country that doesn't 501 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:32,159 Speaker 1: engage prosperity by gross domestic product, but by g n H, 502 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:36,160 Speaker 1: which is gross national happiness. Well, we might have said 503 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:38,239 Speaker 1: no metrics, but but I think we should make an 504 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:40,359 Speaker 1: exception for one as goofy as this, but we we 505 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:43,640 Speaker 1: should remind our listeners. What place we're talking about? Yeah, Bhutan, 506 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 1: and it's if you don't know, it's the small but 507 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 1: this kingdom tucked away in the Himalayas. It's been around 508 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 1: for centuries, but its borders were close to tourists until 509 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:54,920 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy four, which was just a few years after 510 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 1: the country revealed its new happiness based approach to measuring progress. 511 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:00,760 Speaker 1: I mean, the whole country is about this, as in Indiana, 512 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:04,200 Speaker 1: so tourism is still tightly regulated. I mean I did 513 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:06,200 Speaker 1: like reading about it and talking about it before, but 514 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: is g n H Is that actually working for them there? 515 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 1: So according to the Budanese, it is, and the country 516 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 1: released a study in two thousand fifteen that showed that 517 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:20,480 Speaker 1: of the population identified it as either narrowly, extensively or 518 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:24,720 Speaker 1: deeply happy. That's kind of range there. Narrowly too deeply, 519 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 1: so so what are they also happy about? Though? Lots 520 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 1: of stuff? So for one thing, life expectancy in Bhutan 521 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 1: has doubled over the last two decades. The country also 522 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:36,320 Speaker 1: has an almost a hundred percent enrollment rate for children 523 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 1: in grade school. Has taken all kinds of steps to 524 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:42,920 Speaker 1: protect its natural environment, including a monthly pedestrian day when 525 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:46,920 Speaker 1: all private vehicles are completely banned from its roads. I mean, 526 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:48,720 Speaker 1: that does sound pretty sweet, but I don't know, are 527 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:50,280 Speaker 1: you sure they're not cooking the books just to make 528 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:52,439 Speaker 1: life and Bhutan look a little bit better than it 529 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:55,400 Speaker 1: actually is. I mean, it's not a realized Shango law 530 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:58,359 Speaker 1: or anything, despite its reputation. But even the UN has 531 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:00,920 Speaker 1: started to explore ways to apply Bhutan's g n H 532 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:03,680 Speaker 1: model to other parts of the world. In fact, that 533 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:06,680 Speaker 1: was the inspiration for their whole World Happiness Report project. 534 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:09,640 Speaker 1: But if you're still unconvinced, listen to how Bhutan's Minister 535 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:12,240 Speaker 1: of Education makes the case for his country's unique approach 536 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:15,880 Speaker 1: to progress. And these are his words. People always ask 537 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 1: how you can possibly have a nation of happy people, 538 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,119 Speaker 1: But this is missing the point. G n H is 539 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:24,200 Speaker 1: an aspiration, a set of guiding principles through which we 540 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:27,720 Speaker 1: are navigating our path towards a sustainable and equitable society. 541 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:30,359 Speaker 1: We believe the world needs to do the same before 542 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:33,359 Speaker 1: it's too late. I mean, they seem to have a 543 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:35,680 Speaker 1: point there, which you know, I guess that's why at 544 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 1: the first sign of armageddon, I'm going to be booking 545 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:41,959 Speaker 1: a trip straight to Finland by Finland because the end 546 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 1: of the world can be stressful, and then the Finish 547 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 1: seem to know how to unwind. I mean, after all, 548 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:50,840 Speaker 1: they're the only country with a deeply ingrained sonic culture. 549 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:53,160 Speaker 1: You know, I've been looking for a sonic culture. I 550 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:55,160 Speaker 1: don't know if you've heard this, but the Finns had 551 00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:58,480 Speaker 1: this deep love for warm, wooden saunas, and this goes 552 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: back centuries, so much so that they're over three point 553 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:06,480 Speaker 1: three million saunas for Finland's five point four million citizens. 554 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:09,400 Speaker 1: That's more than half a sauna for each person, and 555 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:13,600 Speaker 1: that means these things are just about everywhere. This is homes, offices, factories, 556 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 1: not to mention really unexpected places like airport, lounges, underground 557 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:21,000 Speaker 1: mind even parliament. It was so much fun reading about 558 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:24,120 Speaker 1: all these different weird places you'd see them. So I 559 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:26,760 Speaker 1: don't know if you notice my secretly love saunas like 560 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:28,920 Speaker 1: they help you with hangovers, they make you feel get 561 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 1: out of sports. But I saw this thing in gastro 562 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 1: Obscura that you can actually cook a sausage and a 563 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:36,680 Speaker 1: sauna as you sit there and then eat that as 564 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 1: a snack after and that turned me a little off sauna. Really, 565 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:42,440 Speaker 1: I thought you were gonna say that could like actually 566 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:46,239 Speaker 1: raise the rating of the world's happiness. But I do 567 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:49,080 Speaker 1: get why Finland always ranks so highly is the Happiness report. 568 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:52,160 Speaker 1: I mean, the whole country is just hanging around naked, relaxing, 569 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:55,960 Speaker 1: you know, shooting the breeze in the cozy little sweat boxes. Well, 570 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:58,400 Speaker 1: I will have you know that plenty of important work 571 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: gets done in these finished saunas too. And according to 572 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 1: a report from the BBC, former President Nobel Peace Prize 573 00:30:04,840 --> 00:30:09,160 Speaker 1: Laureate marty Ata Sari used sauna diplomacy. And these are 574 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:12,560 Speaker 1: these diplomatic meetings that actually take place in a sauna 575 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:15,360 Speaker 1: and either this to move forward negotiations with countries like 576 00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:19,520 Speaker 1: Tanzania and the Nsia, several others. And actually during the 577 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 1: Cold War they negotiated with Soviet diplomats in the sauna. 578 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 1: How crazy. That's amazing. Sauna diplomacy. I love that that 579 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:30,920 Speaker 1: that's the real secret to happiness. But you know, if 580 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 1: it's not saunas, then I think the secret of happiness 581 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 1: might have to be monkey buffet festivals like the one 582 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: this town in Thailand holds once a year. All Right, 583 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:40,560 Speaker 1: Mago I feel like you're kind of setting me up 584 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 1: this one. And and I'm hoping that monkeys aren't actually 585 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 1: on the menu at this monkey buffet festival. I've never 586 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 1: heard of this, definitely not. So monkeys are actually the 587 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:52,080 Speaker 1: guests of honor. So each year, thousands of visitors flocked 588 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 1: to the tiny town of Lopuari, Thailand, and they watch 589 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 1: as local long tailed monkeys are pampered by their during residents. So, 590 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:01,680 Speaker 1: according to legend, the monkeys are the descendants of Hanuman, 591 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:05,680 Speaker 1: who's this Hindu god. He's a heroic monkey king who 592 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:08,440 Speaker 1: helped build the town of Lope Bori thousands of years ago. 593 00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:11,480 Speaker 1: So to honor Hanuman, the monkeys are now treating to 594 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 1: this feast of exotic fruits and stinky white rice and 595 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:18,080 Speaker 1: other Thai favorites. I mean, the food is piled high. 596 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 1: I don't know if he's seen these photos, Like they're 597 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:23,560 Speaker 1: huge buffet tables and more than three thousand monkeys join 598 00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 1: in the feeding friends. Yeah. I mean, meanwhile, human spectators 599 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:30,800 Speaker 1: enjoy all these monkey themed festivities like monkey dances and 600 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:34,680 Speaker 1: monkey costume contest. I mean it does sound like fun. So, 601 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 1: I mean, is this some kind of ancient tradition the 602 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:38,960 Speaker 1: town has kept up or how long has this actually 603 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:41,680 Speaker 1: been going on? Yeah, so it's actually been held since 604 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:46,760 Speaker 1: seriously ancient. Yeah, it's definitely not some sort of sacred 605 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 1: cultural tradition, but it's more of a marketing scheme of 606 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:53,360 Speaker 1: this local businessman and he wanted to increase tourism. Delope 607 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:56,239 Speaker 1: Bori and his plans actually been a huge success. I mean, 608 00:31:56,320 --> 00:31:59,400 Speaker 1: the festival continues to draw more and more visitors to 609 00:31:59,280 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 1: the town each year, much the delight of hungry monkeys. 610 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 1: I'm sure it's at least drawing more monkeys to the 611 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:08,040 Speaker 1: townies years, sounds like. And it's definitely the happiest place 612 00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:11,200 Speaker 1: in the world for those monkeys, I would have to imagine, right, 613 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,120 Speaker 1: And I actually think there's a good lesson there for 614 00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:15,240 Speaker 1: the rest of us about finding your own happy place, 615 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 1: because in the end, ranking and comparing the happiness levels 616 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:22,040 Speaker 1: of different places is kind of futile. Well, I mean, 617 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:24,440 Speaker 1: I don't really like to think that we've wasted the 618 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:26,000 Speaker 1: better part of an hour here. But what do you 619 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:27,800 Speaker 1: mean by that? No, I don't mean that. I just 620 00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:30,480 Speaker 1: mean happiness is happiness, like either you have it or 621 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:32,920 Speaker 1: you don't, and if you do then you're lucky, and 622 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 1: if you don't, then it's time to try something new. 623 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:37,480 Speaker 1: Because the difference between living in the number one happiest 624 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 1: place versus I don't know, the tenth or fourteenth happiest 625 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:43,680 Speaker 1: places probably something you can make up on your own. Actually, 626 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:45,480 Speaker 1: it's interesting that you say that, because I was checking 627 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:47,720 Speaker 1: out this one study from the University of Edinburgh where 628 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:51,560 Speaker 1: researchers determined that roughly fifty percent of human happiness is 629 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:56,160 Speaker 1: genetically predetermined. So the idea is that some hardwired personality 630 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 1: traits like you know, being sociable or active or hard working, 631 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:03,480 Speaker 1: that actually cause happiness and the people who possessed them. 632 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:06,560 Speaker 1: And many psychologists have actually suggested that ten of our 633 00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:09,840 Speaker 1: happiness is due to life circumstances, you know, like age 634 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:14,000 Speaker 1: and income, education, location, a few things like that. Sure, 635 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:19,040 Speaker 1: but what about the other Well, it's entirely up to us. Well, 636 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 1: I I know one thing that's guaranteed to make you 637 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:24,120 Speaker 1: at least happier me too. That's that's eating one of 638 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: those sausages and a finished saun all right. I was 639 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 1: thinking something more fact that that's good too, So we'll 640 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 1: go with that. Alright, My first fact, let's see here 641 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 1: all right. Well, last year, computer scientists at the University 642 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:48,080 Speaker 1: of Vermont were on the hunt for the happiest words 643 00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:51,320 Speaker 1: in the English language, so they turned to a crowdsource 644 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:55,360 Speaker 1: survey system and looked at over ten thousand words. Some 645 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:57,040 Speaker 1: of the words that turned up in the top two 646 00:33:57,120 --> 00:34:03,320 Speaker 1: hundred were cupcakes, weekends, beach, victory, heaven, mother, as well 647 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:06,520 Speaker 1: as both ha ha ha and ha ha ha ha 648 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 1: ha ha. Both of those were words, But the happiest 649 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:14,680 Speaker 1: word was laughter. I like that. Well, you know, we're 650 00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:16,400 Speaker 1: in the middle of the holiday season here. It was 651 00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:19,200 Speaker 1: interesting to read about a few studies that have shown 652 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:22,399 Speaker 1: that family rituals make people happier, and that is, those 653 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:25,000 Speaker 1: who have rituals they practice at Christmas or New Year's 654 00:34:25,040 --> 00:34:27,920 Speaker 1: or even Easter, whenever families tend to get together, they 655 00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:31,320 Speaker 1: felt closer to their families. And interestingly, the type of 656 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:33,600 Speaker 1: rituals doesn't seem to matter as much as the number 657 00:34:33,640 --> 00:34:36,319 Speaker 1: of different rituals. So you know, stuff like Easter reg 658 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:38,960 Speaker 1: hunts and family dinners at Thanksgiving, going to watch a 659 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:42,080 Speaker 1: New Year's celebration, that type of stuff, Well, that's pretty neat. Well, 660 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:44,200 Speaker 1: I don't think most of us would be surprised to 661 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:47,680 Speaker 1: know that spending time in nature makes people happier, but 662 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:50,719 Speaker 1: there have been some pretty interesting findings from recent studies. 663 00:34:51,200 --> 00:34:53,719 Speaker 1: One out of the University of Michigan found the benefits 664 00:34:53,719 --> 00:34:56,359 Speaker 1: of walking in nature are found to be even more 665 00:34:56,400 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 1: significant when you walk with a group. Another one found 666 00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 1: that sercising outdoors saw greater mental health improvements than those 667 00:35:03,239 --> 00:35:06,920 Speaker 1: who exercised indoors, and yet another one found that those 668 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:10,640 Speaker 1: who simply looked at pictures of urban landscapes saw more 669 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:13,080 Speaker 1: activity in the part of their brain linked to negative 670 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:16,840 Speaker 1: emotions when compared to those who looked at natural scenes. 671 00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:21,000 Speaker 1: So to recap nature is good for us. So I 672 00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:23,239 Speaker 1: recently read about a study out of UC Davis where 673 00:35:23,280 --> 00:35:26,680 Speaker 1: psychologists had three different groups keep weekly journals, and the 674 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:28,680 Speaker 1: first group they had to write about what they were 675 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:31,319 Speaker 1: up to that week, the second talked about things that 676 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:34,319 Speaker 1: were irritants that week, and the third wrote about things 677 00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:37,120 Speaker 1: they were grateful for. And sure enough, a couple months later, 678 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:38,960 Speaker 1: those who have written about things they were thankful for 679 00:35:39,160 --> 00:35:42,000 Speaker 1: reported being more satisfied with their lives than the other groups. 680 00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:45,560 Speaker 1: They even had fewer negative physical symptoms like headaches and 681 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:49,680 Speaker 1: running noses. Interesting all right. Well, speaking of little daily 682 00:35:49,719 --> 00:35:51,919 Speaker 1: things we can do to make ourselves happier. We we've 683 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:54,760 Speaker 1: talked about the benefits of exercise on our mental health, 684 00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:57,200 Speaker 1: but I was actually curious to see what that meant 685 00:35:57,239 --> 00:36:00,000 Speaker 1: in terms of how much exercise. And it turns out 686 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:03,120 Speaker 1: that just twenty minutes of exercise can actually boost your 687 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:06,160 Speaker 1: mood for up to twelve hours. And of course those 688 00:36:06,160 --> 00:36:09,240 Speaker 1: who exercise regularly are generally found to feel a greater 689 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:11,920 Speaker 1: satisfaction with their lives. Well, you open the show with 690 00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:14,319 Speaker 1: the fact about McDonald's, and I've actually been saving one 691 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:16,799 Speaker 1: about Mickey D's. Did you know that in the two 692 00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:19,839 Speaker 1: thousand and fifteen paid with Love in campaign that they ran, 693 00:36:20,040 --> 00:36:22,239 Speaker 1: I love that name Paid with Love, and I can't 694 00:36:22,239 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 1: say I remember that one. Well, the idea was to 695 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:26,879 Speaker 1: encourage people to do nice things, which would then put 696 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:29,880 Speaker 1: smiles on people's faces. So they randomly chose a hundred 697 00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:31,800 Speaker 1: customers and asked them to do nice things as the 698 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:34,200 Speaker 1: payment for a meal. And there was one account from 699 00:36:34,200 --> 00:36:36,920 Speaker 1: a customer who is not so psyched about this, and 700 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:38,360 Speaker 1: it kind of made me laugh, so I wanted to 701 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:40,880 Speaker 1: share it. Kate Beckleder, who happens to be an editor 702 00:36:40,920 --> 00:36:44,280 Speaker 1: at the Wall Street Journal wrote, quote, Suddenly, the cashier 703 00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:47,360 Speaker 1: began clapping and cheering, and the restaurant crew quickly gathered 704 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:50,160 Speaker 1: around her and joined in. This can't be good, I thought, 705 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:53,000 Speaker 1: half expecting someone to put a birthday sombrero on my head. 706 00:36:53,440 --> 00:36:56,480 Speaker 1: The cashier announced with glee, you get to pay with lovin. 707 00:36:56,600 --> 00:36:59,640 Speaker 1: Oh gosh. Confused, I again started to try to pay, 708 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:02,480 Speaker 1: but no. My fellow customers seemed to look at it 709 00:37:02,520 --> 00:37:05,480 Speaker 1: with pity. As I drew my fate, asked someone to dance. 710 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:08,360 Speaker 1: I stood there for a mortified second or two, and 711 00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:11,360 Speaker 1: then the cashier mercifully suggested that we all dance together. 712 00:37:11,960 --> 00:37:14,320 Speaker 1: Not wanting to be a spoil sport, I forced a 713 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:17,000 Speaker 1: smile and raised the roof a couple of times as 714 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:21,040 Speaker 1: employees try to lure cringing customers into forming some kind 715 00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:23,879 Speaker 1: of congo line, asking them when they had last been 716 00:37:23,920 --> 00:37:27,360 Speaker 1: asked to dance. The public embarrassment ended soon enough, and 717 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:30,279 Speaker 1: I slunk away with my free breakfast, thinking, now there's 718 00:37:30,280 --> 00:37:32,480 Speaker 1: an idea that never should have left the conference room, 719 00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:35,960 Speaker 1: that is so painful but hilarious to hear. And I mean, 720 00:37:36,239 --> 00:37:38,640 Speaker 1: not only did you match my Mickey D's story with 721 00:37:38,680 --> 00:37:41,600 Speaker 1: a better one, but the idea of someone raising the 722 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:45,240 Speaker 1: roof for a hamburger that is worth the win in itself. 723 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:48,120 Speaker 1: So congratulations, I'm giving you the fact off. Thank you 724 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:50,759 Speaker 1: so much, and thank you guys for listening. That's it 725 00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:53,520 Speaker 1: for today's episode. Don't forget we love to hear from you. 726 00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:55,719 Speaker 1: If you have any fun facts or any questions, you 727 00:37:55,719 --> 00:37:58,200 Speaker 1: can email us part Time Genius at how stuff Works 728 00:37:58,239 --> 00:38:01,359 Speaker 1: dot com. You can also call us on seven Fact 729 00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:04,880 Speaker 1: Hotline that's one eight four four pt Genius, or hit 730 00:38:04,960 --> 00:38:07,800 Speaker 1: us up on Facebook or Twitter. Thanks so much for listening, 731 00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:23,960 Speaker 1: Thanks again for listening. Part Time Genius is a production 732 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:26,440 Speaker 1: of How Stuff Works and wouldn't be possible without several 733 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:29,000 Speaker 1: brilliant people who do the important things we couldn't even 734 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:32,319 Speaker 1: begin to understand. Tristan McNeil does the editing thing. Noel 735 00:38:32,360 --> 00:38:34,400 Speaker 1: Brown made the theme song and does the MIXI mixy 736 00:38:34,440 --> 00:38:37,960 Speaker 1: sound thing. Jerry Rowland does the exact producer thing. Gave 737 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:40,560 Speaker 1: Bluesier is our lead researcher, with support from the Research 738 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:43,799 Speaker 1: Army including Austin Thompson, Nolan Brown and Lucas Adams and Eve. 739 00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:46,320 Speaker 1: Jeff Cook gets the show to your ears. Good job. Eves. 740 00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:48,480 Speaker 1: If you like what you heard, we hope you'll subscribe. 741 00:38:48,480 --> 00:38:50,359 Speaker 1: And if you really really like what you've heard, maybe 742 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:52,560 Speaker 1: you could leave a good review for us. Did we 743 00:38:52,600 --> 00:39:01,840 Speaker 1: forget Jason? Jason, who be the best p