Monday, June 16, 2008

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark

According to a poll, the Danes are the happiest people on earth.

Do they have any advice for us miserable, wretched Americans?

"Don't depend too much on the American dream. Yeah. I think you might get disappointed."
-some Danish guy

The Danes give 50% of what they earn to the government...must be so much easier than having the freedom to run your own life.

(and, please, remind to never watch that socialist, America-bashing bullshit propaganda commonly known as 60 Minutes ever again. I'm now actually looking forward to when my rabbit ears don't work anymore.)

13 comments:

New Jovian Thunderbolt said...

"What's the secret to your happiness?"

"Uhhhm, very low standards, self-esteem, and ambition to better myself."

Sheesh. And VIKINGS used to be from there.

Andy said...

Haven't watched 60 minutes OR 20/20 ever since the totally fabricated exploding saddle tank program re: chevy trucks circa the late 80's ... watching it on YouTube you'd think it was an Onion News spoof !!

Obviously I have not missed anything.

Frankly I'm seriously considering cancelling my cable TV since of the 1500 channels I do get, I only watch maybe 3, those not every day, to save $$$.

Mike W. said...

There's a reason why Denmark isn't a world superpower and isn't really known for anything.

Everyone is content with mediocrity, and yet the 60 minutes piece seemed to spin that as a good thing.

Anonymous said...

That just proves that most people would be happiest with a benevolent dictatorship with the government as a parent. In reality, the Scandinavian socialist democracies work because everyone contributes to the system and everyone benefits; there isn't a large disparity between those who pay for the governmental services and those who receive them.

As a proud American of direct Danish ancestry, I have to point out to Mike W. that Denmark is known for being the home of the greatest toy ever created, LEGO! :-)

Mike W. said...

That I did not know Carl, and it certainly is a worthy invention. EVERYONE played with LEGO's as a kid.

Also, I think a huge part of the reason why social democracy works in Denmark is because they're so homogenous. There's very little cultural tension. Not only that, but the 60 minutes piece said that benefits (free schooling etc.) only apply to Danes. It also helps that they're a small country.

Anonymous said...

I thought the danes were killing themselves like lemmings every time the sun went below the horizon for a week or two.

Anonymous said...

@ annonymous

somebody needs to do their geography homework.......

Carl is precisely right on why the Scandinavian governments work well in Scandinavia.

Less said...

That sounds like what losers say when they lose a game...

"It's HOW you play the game..."

Fuck that!

I'm playing to win here: Hands off my $$, my guns and my dogs!

Now, get the fuck off my porch!

Less said...

Oh, and sorry to f@#$king swear so g@#$-dam much...

I'm just having a bad day: I had to listen to Obama supporters talk about how Great he is on the train and until I could get my headphones on and crank Motorhead to caustic levels I threw up a little in my mouth...

Anonymous said...

what exactly is it that's annoying y'all so much about this --- the fact that the 60 minutes crew asked some random Danes a question, or the fact that the Danes answered?

just because somebody offered free advice in response to somebody else's solicitation of such, doesn't mean somebody else yet (you) have to take it.

New Jovian Thunderbolt said...

Well, probably because we all lose a little something when a person or a country grows comfortable in their shackles, Anon.

And we don't like it when people use that loss to try to convince us that, "See? It's not so bad. We should accept those shackles in THIS country, too!"

Anonymous said...

Mike W.--not so much social cohesion anymore; they have I-Slammers now too.

Your rabbit ears will still work, Breda, but you'll need a converter box. Of course, any excuse to pitch the hellevision will do. I've heard that the Icelandic word for TV literally means "sight-warp". I know that's a weaving metaphor, not a psychological commentary, but it still seems apropos.

Anonymous said...

Uh, if I add up all the taxes I pay, it's at least 50% of my income. Not that I'm happy about it. Maybe that's the difference.