Strangers' Kindness Surpasses Perceptions: Insights from World Happiness Report

The latest World Happiness Report shows that global kindness is underestimated, with strangers returning lost wallets at nearly double the expected rate. The findings emphasize the link between trust and happiness, showcasing Finland as the happiest country while the US and UK drop in rankings, underscoring a need for stronger social ties.

Strangers are about twice as kind as people think, according to a recent study featured in the World Happiness Report. Released on Thursday, this year's report measured the trust in strangers by conducting a unique experiment where wallets were deliberately lost, and their return rates were compared to public perceptions of honesty. Surprisingly, the actual return rate of the wallets was almost double what participants predicted. This study, which gathered evidence from various nations, indicates that belief in the kindness of others is more crucial to overall happiness than previously recognized.

For the eighth consecutive year, Finland has been ranked as the happiest country globally, with the US and UK slipping to 23rd and 24th positions, respectively—marking the lowest ever for the latter. John F. Helliwell, an economist at the University of British Columbia and a founding editor of the report, noted that the data from the wallet experiment demonstrated that individuals often have a more pessimistic view of human nature than warranted. He stressed that people are happier in environments where they perceive that others care about one another.

The findings were released to coincide with the UN’s International Day of Happiness and are based on surveys where individuals rated their lives from 0 to 10, with country rankings reflecting three-year average scores. For the first time, countries like Costa Rica and Mexico have entered the top 10 of the happiness rankings.

The report also highlights that the decline in happiness and social trust in the US and parts of Europe correlates with increased political polarization. Interestingly, sharing meals with others emerged as a key factor linked to wellbeing worldwide, and household size proved to influence happiness levels, especially where larger families are common in locations like Mexico and Europe.

Jeffrey D. Sachs, president of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, emphasized the takeaway message that happiness is deeply intertwined with trust, kindness, and social relationships. He claimed it’s our responsibility, as individuals and citizens, to transform this knowledge into positive actions fostering communal wellbeing and peace. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, director of Oxford's Wellbeing Research Centre, concurred, noting that in an age characterized by isolation and polarization, it's critical to develop avenues for reconnection among individuals to enhance collective and individual happiness.