Three Colombians looking for their Chinese Dream!!hahaha… is there? Picture by Tomy.
Bogotá — CP. Again statistics amaze many, motivate others and confuse even others: the Colombians are among the most happy people of the world, according with Invamer Gallup in a survey published by Caracol Broadcasting last November 21rst. The company said that the Colombians are among the most happy citizens of Latin America that is also the most happy region of the world. The other most happy Latin American countries in that research are Brazil and Venezuela, therefore, the three countries considered by others as the three more violent societies of the region.
Colombia got a 6 score in a classification 1-10, according with the survey and it underlines that Colombians think that the situation of their country is much better now than what it was five years ago. They are very optimistic thinking that things will improve very much in the next 15 years. 43% of Colombians think that the situation of the country will improve very much in the next five years. At the world level, Denmark is the first more happy country of the world and Togo the most unhappy in a list of 134 countries.
What is happiness
Certainly, the concept of happiness can see with many ideas. What the company wants to say is about the level of satisfaction and optimism of a society. In that research the percent of persons that recognize they are in a difficult situation is inferior to those who consider themselves creative persons, good workers and enthusiastic even in the adversity, according with what is said by Caracol Broadcasting.
The following is the table of results of the survey according with the feelings of the persons during the last two months previous to the study:
- 13% of the population said that they did suffer famine.
- 21% said they did suffer sickness.
- 25% felt sadness.
- 17% felt depression.
- 28% felt boring.
- 89% said that they have somebody to resolve their problems.
- 52% said that they feel secure.
- 95% said that they were respected by others.
- 77% said that they wanted to have more days as yesterday.
- 11% said that they were in the best moment of their life. To the world level it is only 4%.
- 54% said that their companies use to give opportunities to improve.
- 51% said that the company invests in the development of their employs.
- 74% said that the company promotes the labor development labor.
- 96% considers themselves a creative person.
- 97% considers themselves a person of initiatives.
- 89% considers themselves persistent.
- 93% considers themselves with new ideas.
- 61% said that they have a plan to improve their level condition of life.
- 68% said that it is possible to progress in the country working hard.
At the end, Invamer Gallup-Caracol said that the life of the Colombians is intensive and dynamic and that in general Colombians are strong before adversity even in difficult moments because they focus on positive perspectives and subjective happiness.
If happy, why so many problems?Logically these conclusions call the attention in a nation that is traditionally seen as violent and problematic. Looking to the press titles of national and international media about Colombia, the campaign of some national and international organizations in human rights and other elements that in total would make that you drive out another conclusion – that Colombians live under the law of terror and suffering -, the study is object of discussions, studies and analysis that could give important keys to continue the working in the goal of development.
Talking with some Europeans who come to work or live in developing countries of Asia and Latin America, it is the same surprise that many of them have a dark vision of their own countries – Holland, France, Italy, Germany…- as societies where materialism is the norm and there is an existential boring. At the other hand, those Europeans, Japaneses, Americans or Canadians who have lived the experience of visiting a country like Colombia, just love it. What we can think? Richness is boring and poverty is happiness?Certainly, it is an interesting issue of sociology not only for Latin America but also for industrialized countries like Switzerland and Japan where the rates of suicides are high.
I would explain superficially this phenomena is a key element: the strong will of overcome difficulties common to Colombians. It is not, therefore, the happiness of the idiot sucking the honey of his fingers, but the term has a more complex meaning. Maybe it could be better to say optimism than happiness, but it depends from many perspectives and also it has to see with love to the country home. For this reason it is possible to say that Colombia will go ahead, because its great richness will be always its people, although the news of the press found many times difficult to publish all those many good news that become overshadowed by dramas, although many of those who live in a good standard of life in Colombia forget many times those who are not within that percent of happiness and although those who work hard to underline the tragedies and overshadow any positive effort to walk toward a best future. The conclusions of the Invamer Gallup are not made for remain full of happiness in the seat of everlasting joy. Being one of the most optimistic societies of this planet of sadness means that we have to work hard to bring that happiness to the farest corner of our country to those who live in tears and to other corners of this planet if possible. We have the way to do so… we can!