2024-07-27 03:20:00
I spent nine years in Denmark trying to understand why it was the happiest country in the world. I didn’t get it. Then I spent seven years analyzing it scientifically at the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen. That didn’t help me much either. Finally, a few years ago I found in the data: a correlation that I had never seen so clearly between two subjective variables, happiness and trust. In the happiest countries in the world, people say they trust others, and in the unhappiest countries, the opposite occurs.
In Denmark, 74% of the population answers positively when asked if they believe others are trustworthy; in Spain, that percentage drops to 41%. And it turns out that these percentages perfectly match the values that both countries report in life satisfaction, according to the United Nations Happiness Report. All countries in the world follow this same trend.
I spent a long time ignoring this correlation because I didn’t understand it; how could trust be the reason why Danes are so happy, given how lonely and isolated I felt there for years? However, over time I have come to understand that trust in others permeates every layer of our society without us realizing it.
Almost a decade later, I decided to return from my Nordic odyssey to Spain. As soon as I arrived in Madrid, the landlord who rented me the apartment asked for my payroll and several months’ worth of deposit and guarantee. They had never distrusted me so much in any of the apartments I rented in Copenhagen, and there I was “the outsider”. A year and a half later, I left that apartment and the same landlord had no problem taking 150 euros from me for cleaning, even though the apartment had been spotless when we left; we even took the trouble to clean the windows inside and out. From what I heard later, taking too much money from the deposit is so common in Spain that many tenants stop paying rent a month early to avoid being left defenseless if it happens to them.
This turbulent landing in Spain made me realize something I had forgotten after so many years in Denmark; that one must be careful. Probably the person next to you in line might try to cut in, and that bank fee surely wasn’t in the contract. This cleverness has changed my character a bit, because now I feel like the only fool who pays taxes and isn’t taking advantage of the system in some way.
During the second wave of the coronavirus, a friend told me that in her company in Barcelona, they had made them return to the office, despite having been working from home for months, because the bosses didn’t really trust that people were working. My colleagues in Copenhagen were astonished, as telecommuting was a common practice there long before the pandemic made it popular; and going to work when sick has always been frowned upon by both coworkers and bosses, since infecting others with your virus can mean serious losses for the whole company. What sense did it make to make people return to the office with the risk of spreading infection? The answer, incomprehensible to a Dane, is distrust.
Distrust affects us in many ways, from investors who don’t invest in startups that could create wealth and jobs, to young people who don’t start businesses to avoid complicating their lives, to politicians who can’t agree with the other side or institutions that ask you for a thousand documents for everything. In Denmark, by the way, becoming self-employed or getting a divorce is as easy as opening a Netflix account. Why is it so complicated here? Because we distrust.
But if there is one area where trust carries weight, it is in the strength of our welfare state. Nine out of ten Danes say they are happy to pay taxes. They are not more altruistic than us, I really don’t believe so; it’s simply that they trust their managers. Thanks to this goodwill, Danes have enormous social benefits like free university education, free master’s programs, and even a payment of 900 euros a month to all young people until they reach adulthood, which alleviates their parents’ uncertainty about whether they can fund their children’s studies. Despite being a small country with no natural resources, Denmark is very rich because it has managed to exploit its most valuable resource, human capital, like no other. Multiple researchers have demonstrated that the reason Danes are so happy is precisely their welfare state.
Honestly, I don’t know how we Spaniards can reach that level of trust. Trust is not something that comes freely; it must be earned, and together we are managing to undermine it. We live in a wonderful country that all of us who have lived abroad want to return to; but hopefully, one day we will achieve this last piece that we lack to attain excellence.
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The exploration of happiness and trust across different cultures presents significant insights into societal structure and individual well-being. Studies, like those conducted at the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, have consistently shown a profound correlation between happiness levels and the degree of trust individuals feel towards one another. In Denmark, for instance, a striking 74% of the population expresses trust in their neighbors, significantly higher than the 41% reported in Spain. This disparity not only highlights contrasting social attitudes but also correlates directly with overall life satisfaction as evidenced by the United Nations Happiness Report.
As we move into an increasingly interconnected yet fragmented world, the values of trust and community could become focal points for enhancing societal well-being. A trend towards fostering trust might manifest in various sectors, including business and governance. Companies may increasingly prioritize transparency and ethical practices, aiming to build environments where employees feel secure and valued. In parallel, governments could invest in public trust initiatives, ensuring accountability and encouraging civic participation.
Conversely, the rise of distrust and individualism observed in various regions might provoke a backlash, prompting communities to enact measures that strengthen local ties. Grassroots movements may gain traction, focusing on community initiatives that promote cooperation and solidarity among citizens. Such efforts could take the form of local platforms aimed at connecting neighbors, sharing resources, or enhancing collective welfare, thus fostering a more cohesive societal fabric.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of trust in organizational settings, with many companies reverting to in-person work due to management’s lack of confidence in remote productivity. This experience may encourage a reevaluation of workplace culture, pivoting towards more trust-based models. As remote work becomes increasingly normalized, businesses might explore metrics that emphasize output rather than hours spent at a desk, leading to a redefinition of professionalism and productivity.
Education systems worldwide could also benefit from embracing trust-based frameworks, particularly in transforming student-teacher relationships and parental involvement. By fostering environments where trust is paramount, educators may inspire students to take ownership of their learning journey, promoting resilience and creativity in future generations. This shift could also alleviate stress on parents, creating a more supportive ecosystem for nurturing young minds.
In summary, the dynamics of trust and happiness are poised to shape the future of our societies. As individuals, businesses, and governments grapple with these themes, the drive towards building trust could pave the way for enhanced well-being and flourishing communities. It remains to be seen how effectively these trends can be harnessed to foster environments that prioritize social cohesion and collective happiness.