ACT's David Seymour - i like his style.

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Originally Posted by Aaron

I am a bit slow and that went over my head. Google Spirit Level might be good if you are a tradie and not sure what links to follow.

But getting back to the worlds happiest countries, I have almost given up on zero hedge but it throws up the occasional article of interest.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitic...rld-first-time

Still not sure where the data is coming from but apparently it could be broken down even further. Keeping in mind this is coming from the internet and zero hedge so may be total bull hopefully Mike Shedlock has done some research before publishing the findings.

I thought it was a shame that NZ dropped out of the top ten but if you look at the data further NZ ranks #6 for those aged 60 and over.

Although on the downside for those aged 30 and under we don't even make it into the top 25. Australia made it to 19 so I guess that is why our young people are going there.

What I think the data shows is that successive governments both National and Labour pandering to baby boomers has created one of the best retirement villages in the world. All we need is enough immigrants from the Phillipines and India to ensure retirement villages are fully staffed and I think we may have reached boomer utopia.

Maybe young people want too much like a house and a family. Perhaps they should just lower their expectations, harden up and stop spending money on avocado toast.

I always thought youth was a time for optimism and enthusiasm, maybe not in NZ for some reason. Although I can't think why. Maybe they should move to a country with smaller govt and lower taxation if they are so unhappy, it seems those countries are where all the unhappy people live.

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The results are a reflection of our unfair system where the baby boomers have created wealth through tax free investments whilst not paying sufficient tax to keep our infrastructure maintained.

Whereas the new generations are faced footing the bill and a very expensive property market.

NZ only 20 years ago was a relatively cheap country. The lack of courage of the various governments in that time has cost the country dearly.

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Originally Posted by Aaron

I am a bit slow and that went over my head. Google Spirit Level might be good if you are a tradie and not sure what links to follow.

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Googling 'the spirit level' Will take you to a number of books and articles describing research on inequality and happiness . Both of these have been studied independently. The Spirit Level investigated the reloation between them.

The correlations are astoundingly high, both across developed countries, and across states in the USA. The more inequality, the less happiness and the worse the social statistics across health, education, crime, teenage pregnancy, family violence - whatever.

In more unequal societies everyone is worse off (even those on the top of the heap)

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Originally Posted by davflaws

Googling 'the spirit level' Will take you to a number of books and articles describing research on inequality and happiness . Both of these have been studied independently. The Spirit Level investigated the reloation between them.

The correlations are astoundingly high, both across developed countries, and across states in the USA. The more inequality, the less happiness and the worse the social statistics across health, education, crime, teenage pregnancy, family violence - whatever.

In more unequal societies everyone is worse off (even those on the top of the heap)

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Thanks for that I googled "Google Spirit Level" and found that google has an app that helps if you want things leveled. I thought the joke must have been too subtle for me.

Who thinks we are working towards a more equal happy society and who thinks we are working against this proven ideal for a nation?

Whoops, sorry briefly slipped into the politics of envy and the tall poppy syndrome. I forgot what thread we are on.

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Originally Posted by davflaws

Googling 'the spirit level' Will take you to a number of books and articles describing research on inequality and happiness . Both of these have been studied independently. The Spirit Level investigated the reloation between them.

The correlations are astoundingly high, both across developed countries, and across states in the USA. The more inequality, the less happiness and the worse the social statistics across health, education, crime, teenage pregnancy, family violence - whatever.

In more unequal societies everyone is worse off (even those on the top of the heap)

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Seems logical.

I mean, if you position the opposite - massively unequal society whereby the vast majority of assets are owned/controlled by a small minority while ‘the rest’ struggle along to various degrees - it is hard to imagine that society being a very happy one.

The trick is to get the balance right whereby everyone chips in proportional to their wealth without removing incentives (which causes other issues). Not as easy to do as some politicians might have you believe.

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Originally Posted by davflaws

The correlations are astoundingly high, both across developed countries, and across states in the USA. The more inequality, the less happiness and the worse the social statistics across health, education, crime, teenage pregnancy, family violence - whatever.

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Plus we are all heavily into debt now to keep this thing going, we weren't prior to Reagan.

Debt for everything - mortgages, student loans, national debt. cool aye.

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Originally Posted by mistaTea

Seems logical.

I mean, if you position the opposite - massively unequal society whereby the vast majority of assets are owned/controlled by a small minority while ‘the rest’ struggle along to various degrees - it is hard to imagine that society being a very happy one.

The trick is to get the balance right whereby everyone chips in proportional to their wealth without removing incentives (which causes other issues). Not as easy to do as some politicians might have you believe.

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Originally Posted by Panda-NZ-

Plus we are all heavily into debt now to keep this thing going, we weren't prior to Reagan.

Debt for everything - mortgages, student loans, national debt. cool aye.

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Unrestrained capitalism at its worst.

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Originally Posted by Daytr

Unrestrained capitalism at its worst.

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Funnily enough the only countries which have resisted "credit" funded lifestyles are Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Australia.

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Originally Posted by Daytr

The results are a reflection of our unfair system where the baby boomers have created wealth through tax free investments whilst not paying sufficient tax to keep our infrastructure maintained.

Whereas the new generations are faced footing the bill and a very expensive property market.

NZ only 20 years ago was a relatively cheap country. The lack of courage of the various governments in that time has cost the country dearly.

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I think you forgot to add that compliance costs are far higher now than they were years back, adding to costs everywhere. Another thing this current generation has to deal with, more red tape and more paperwork. There are jobs now that need two people to do things where it used to only take one. Someone needs to pay for that.

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Originally Posted by Ggcc

I think you forgot to add that compliance costs are far higher now than they were years back, adding to costs everywhere. Another thing this current generation has to deal with, more red tape and more paperwork. There are jobs now that need two people to do things where it used to only take one. Someone needs to pay for that.

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Very true. The old 'how many to change a light bulb' seems quite appropriate here.

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Originally Posted by Ggcc

I think you forgot to add that compliance costs are far higher now than they were years back, adding to costs everywhere. Another thing this current generation has to deal with, more red tape and more paperwork. There are jobs now that need two people to do things where it used to only take one. Someone needs to pay for that.

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I guess an increasingly wealthy country can afford better heal and safety for those that work, provided the wealth does not just continue to accumulate to the already wealthy retired.