Hello,

I was reading how the american medias are lying about Denmark, which they claim to be a happy country. They make this bold statement based on a small interview with 4-5 people, who were mostly americans or english, a few of them were most likely danish but they did not seem happy at all. At 2:30, the guy they are interviewing actually seems angry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTGKUwMegZ4

Anyway, they claim that Denmark apparently is a happy country. The article can be found here.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/5224306.stm

One of the people behind this Happy Denmark hoax, is Mr. White. However, i believe there is a reason as for why “Mr. White” choose to be anonymous. Mr. White seems to have little knowledge on the situation of Denmark, as he is obviously out of touch with reality. Let’s take basis on Mr. White’s ideology.

According to the danish news paper Politikken, Denmark has a low growth, due to the citizens being lazy, dumb, and paid too much in comparison for how much they work.

http://politiken.dk/newsinenglish/973440/denmarks-competitiveness-drops/
http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Penge/2010/09/09/09081247.htm

Note that link nr. 2 is in danish. Translated it says:

“The danes are dumb, lazy and earns too much”. It also states that the danish youth are nowhere near smart enough. So, while the american medias claims that Denmark is a happy place, the danish media states that the danes are dumb and lazy.

So, how do you make sure that this “Happy Denmark” Hoax reaches the world? Why, what would propaganda be without oprah winfrey? the danes paid oprah winfrey to visit them. Here they literally brainwashed her about their “amazing” country and “happy” people. She was furiously spreading propaganda that the healthcare in Denmark is free. This is a part of the hoax. The healthcare in Denmark is not free. Let me be very clear. The healthcare in Denmark is being paid through taxes earned by hardworking citizens. The danish government steals the citizens money by taxing them up to 50%.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwRSOHqXurU

They told her that the healthcare in Denmark is free, and therefore they are the happiest people on earth. What they did not tell, though, is that Denmark has a high rate of bad hospital treatments, the waiting list for cancer treatments can be up to several years, and compensation is never given.

Visiting Denmark, well it is mostly a dark, grey country with a lot of rain, and the summer is short. People on the streets of copenhagen denmark, rarely smiles.

So lets analyse the basics of this hoax. Denmark, a country with a depressed and bored people, needs international attention to attract tourists. They pay a big name like oprah winfrey, as well as some anonymous “researchers” such as “Mr. White” to draw a world map of happiness, a drawing that most of all looks like something an 11 year old have made.

http://www.benettontalk.com/opencms/export/sites/default/benettontalk/img/happiness/map_world_happiness.gif

Any thoughts of how this hoax became so popular? was it the media? is the world getting dumb or is it only denmark?

The BBC article is from 2006.
I quote

Adrian White, from the UK’s University of Leicester, used the responses of 80,000 people worldwide to map out subjective wellbeing.

So it’s not a US study either.

Your second link is related to business growth and competition, not the populous or whether it is happy.

Personally, I don’t know anything about Denmark and your post seems to be jaded and confused. I suggest you re-read the links you have posted. Maybe you ought to visit some other countries to get some perspective.

Mr R - 21 September 2010 09:33 AM

The BBC article is from 2006.
I quote

Adrian White, from the UK’s University of Leicester, used the responses of 80,000 people worldwide to map out subjective wellbeing.

So it’s not a US study either.

Your second link is related to business growth and competition, not the populous or whether it is happy.

Personally, I don’t know anything about Denmark and your post seems to be jaded and confused. I suggest you re-read the links you have posted. Maybe you ought to visit some other countries to get some perspective.

You may be ignoring what i wrote or either you did not read it. The second link is related to a statistic about Denmark’s citizens being lazy,dumb and overpaid. Followed up by the argument that if Denmark was populated by happy citizens - why are they also ranked as dumb and lazy people ? Two different things, but that may not have crossed your mind.

Anyway, the fact is that happiness is nowhere found in Denmark. It is dark, cold and grey country populated by unhappy citizens. A smile in Denmark is as rare as an ice cube in sahara. The survey of happiness also claims that Denmark is a “happy country”, because of social welfare. With that said, there are evidence that people moves from Denmark because of the bad schools and bad hospital treatments, which is the direct opposite as to social welfare.

It is easy to see how this Happy Denmark Hoax was made; take an unhappy people who wants to be happy, mix it with a bit of propaganda from the media, hire some relatively unknown professors to back up the claims, and shake it with a big name like Oprah Winfrey.

The real question is though, what made the Happy Denmark Hoax so popular?

Well, there is also how incredibly happy people are in Norway: http://somethinghappens.keenspot.com/d/20100922.html

handsomeguy123 - 21 September 2010 07:48 PM

Mr R - 21 September 2010 09:33 AM

The BBC article is from 2006.
I quote

Adrian White, from the UK’s University of Leicester, used the responses of 80,000 people worldwide to map out subjective wellbeing.

So it’s not a US study either.

Your second link is related to business growth and competition, not the populous or whether it is happy.

Personally, I don’t know anything about Denmark and your post seems to be jaded and confused. I suggest you re-read the links you have posted. Maybe you ought to visit some other countries to get some perspective.

You may be ignoring what i wrote or either you did not read it. The second link is related to a statistic about Denmark’s citizens being lazy,dumb and overpaid. Followed up by the argument that if Denmark was populated by happy citizens - why are they also ranked as dumb and lazy people ? Two different things, but that may not have crossed your mind.

Anyway, the fact is that happiness is nowhere found in Denmark. It is dark, cold and grey country populated by unhappy citizens. A smile in Denmark is as rare as an ice cube in sahara. The survey of happiness also claims that Denmark is a “happy country”, because of social welfare. With that said, there are evidence that people moves from Denmark because of the bad schools and bad hospital treatments, which is the direct opposite as to social welfare.

It is easy to see how this Happy Denmark Hoax was made; take an unhappy people who wants to be happy, mix it with a bit of propaganda from the media, hire some relatively unknown professors to back up the claims, and shake it with a big name like Oprah Winfrey.

The real question is though, what made the Happy Denmark Hoax so popular?

I think you should re-read the links you posted.

Have you visited every town and city in Denmark and found that nobody is happy? Or do you just live in front of your computer typing uninfomed nonsense?

http://www.visitdenmark.com/international/en-gb/menu/turist/oplevelser/begivenheder/produktside/gdk033669/copenhagen-distortion-festival.htm?CallerUrl=1 These guys seem to be happy!

And what has Oprah got to do with all this?

Robin Bobcat - 22 September 2010 06:49 AM

Well, there is also how incredibly happy people are in Norway: http://somethinghappens.keenspot.com/d/20100922.html

Thanks a LOT, Robin.

I’ve been to Denmark, know Danish people. They usually are friendly, happy, and the Danish countryside is enchanting on a sunny day, days which do happen.

So, Handsomeguy123: maybe time to hit the anti-depressants? Life isn’t that crappy, really.

handsomeguy123 why are you so obsessed with Denmark and putting it down that way? I’ve never been there but I have to ask if you’ve ever been there.

Mind you we here in Australia do have the best beer. Plus Oprah Winfrey and her audience are on their way.

Mr R - 22 September 2010 07:32 AM

handsomeguy123 - 21 September 2010 07:48 PM

Mr R - 21 September 2010 09:33 AM

The BBC article is from 2006.
I quote

Adrian White, from the UK’s University of Leicester, used the responses of 80,000 people worldwide to map out subjective wellbeing.

So it’s not a US study either.

Your second link is related to business growth and competition, not the populous or whether it is happy.

Personally, I don’t know anything about Denmark and your post seems to be jaded and confused. I suggest you re-read the links you have posted. Maybe you ought to visit some other countries to get some perspective.

You may be ignoring what i wrote or either you did not read it. The second link is related to a statistic about Denmark’s citizens being lazy,dumb and overpaid. Followed up by the argument that if Denmark was populated by happy citizens - why are they also ranked as dumb and lazy people ? Two different things, but that may not have crossed your mind.

Anyway, the fact is that happiness is nowhere found in Denmark. It is dark, cold and grey country populated by unhappy citizens. A smile in Denmark is as rare as an ice cube in sahara. The survey of happiness also claims that Denmark is a “happy country”, because of social welfare. With that said, there are evidence that people moves from Denmark because of the bad schools and bad hospital treatments, which is the direct opposite as to social welfare.

It is easy to see how this Happy Denmark Hoax was made; take an unhappy people who wants to be happy, mix it with a bit of propaganda from the media, hire some relatively unknown professors to back up the claims, and shake it with a big name like Oprah Winfrey.

The real question is though, what made the Happy Denmark Hoax so popular?

I think you should re-read the links you posted.

Have you visited every town and city in Denmark and found that nobody is happy? Or do you just live in front of your computer typing uninfomed nonsense?

http://www.visitdenmark.com/international/en-gb/menu/turist/oplevelser/begivenheder/produktside/gdk033669/copenhagen-distortion-festival.htm?CallerUrl=1 These guys seem to be happy!

And what has Oprah got to do with all this?

Well the only reason why they are happy is in that picture is because they are drunk, that is how people are in Denmark. I suggest that you got up from your chair and took a visit in Denmark, it is mostly a cold, dark and grey country - and you rarely see a smile. Just take a walk down the streets of Copenhagen, you will see nothing but stone-faces, alcoholics and homeless people sitting around. The only people smiling in Denmark are the foreigners. Which is ironic since they aren’t danish at all.

Oprah has this to do with all this: she is obviously a big name in the media, and to make sure that all these danish people who needed attention because their country is boring, obviously they hired her to do commercial for Denmark. Surely you must have seen the videos on YouTube with Oprah Winfrey doing commercial for Denmark. I wonder how much they paid her for it?

Another article claims that people in Denmark dies on the waiting lists for hospital treatments, but in these fake “Happy Denmark” videos, they claim that the reason why some people in Denmark are happy, is because of the free healthcare. Meanwhile, who are happy when they die on a waiting list? If that is being happy, then hell the people in Denmark have a weird way of being happy.

http://www.cancer.dk/Forskning/nyheder/forskningsnyheder+2007/ventelister+patient+doer.htm

People actually leaves Denmark to get better treatments, some seeks help in China, USA & Germany. There are people who leaves Denmark and moves to Norway & Sweden instead, granted the hospitals and schools are terrible in Denmark.

Peter - 22 September 2010 01:57 PM

Mind you we here in Australia do have the best beer. Plus Oprah Winfrey and her audience are on their way.

Really? I had no clue that Australia were known for its beer. What Australian beer can you recommend me?

handsomeguy123 - 22 September 2010 02:04 PM

Well the only reason why they are happy is in that picture is because they are drunk, that is how people are in Denmark. I suggest that you got up from your chair and took a visit in Denmark, it is mostly a cold, dark and grey country - and you rarely see a smile. Just take a walk down the streets of Copenhagen, you will see nothing but stone-faces, alcoholics and homeless people sitting around. The only people smiling in Denmark are the foreigners. Which is ironic since they aren’t danish at all.

Oprah has this to do with all this: she is obviously a big name in the media, and to make sure that all these danish people who needed attention because their country is boring, obviously they hired her to do commercial for Denmark. Surely you must have seen the videos on YouTube with Oprah Winfrey doing commercial for Denmark. I wonder how much they paid her for it?

Another article claims that people in Denmark dies on the waiting lists for hospital treatments, but in these fake “Happy Denmark” videos, they claim that the reason why some people in Denmark are happy, is because of the free healthcare. Meanwhile, who are happy when they die on a waiting list? If that is being happy, then hell the people in Denmark have a weird way of being happy.

http://www.cancer.dk/Forskning/nyheder/forskningsnyheder+2007/ventelister+patient+doer.htm

People actually leaves Denmark to get better treatments, some seeks help in China, USA & Germany. There are people who leaves Denmark and moves to Norway & Sweden instead, granted the hospitals and schools are terrible in Denmark.

I just had a look at that link and after I clicked on the English version I couldn’t find any mention on that page as to the implied “hideous state of healthcare in Denmark”. Can you provide a link that is more specific (as well as being in English)?

Have you ever been to Denmark? I’ve never been there so I don’t know what it’s like but if you’re going to make these claims then do provide us with some evidence in English.

handsomeguy123 - 22 September 2010 02:13 PM

Peter - 22 September 2010 01:57 PM

Mind you we here in Australia do have the best beer. Plus Oprah Winfrey and her audience are on their way.

Really? I had no clue that Australia were known for its beer. What Australian beer can you recommend me?

Well there’s Red Back Beer and Carlton Cold. VB (Victoria Bitter) and Fosters are well known here plus a few others.

I prefer Red Back, Carlton Cold and a couple of foreign beers like Hahn.