Recently a poll was conducted that revealed happiness levels in developing countries are

higher than in developed countries.  What do you think can be learned from this?  Explain
your views.

Most would agree that the word ‘happiness’ relates to the level of contentment and fulfillment
an individual experiences in their life.  It is proposed that the recent poll revealing higher
percentages of happy people among developing countries allows for the establishment of
conclusions on the social structure and culture of individualism seen in developed countries. 
The legitimacy of these conclusions will be shown in this essay.

Firstly, the rigidness with which a developed country’s social structure operates can be seen as
one of the causes of lowered happiness levels.  For example, ‘model’ students in the United
States cannot simply have high grades but rather must strive to perfect themselves physically
and morally as well.  All too often, the stress of trying to fill this publicly accepted ideal lasts a
lifetime.  This example leads to the conclusion that the additional societal pressure experienced
by people in developed countries reduces levels of happiness.

Secondly, developed countries tend to emphasize ‘individualism’ and this can also lead to
unhappiness.  For instance, young people in China often have a very close-knit family unit that
can provide them moral support and advice throughout their lives.  This sort of arrangement is
not uncommon among developing countries, too.  Developed countries, on the other hand,
tend to encourage people to make their own decisions and to live with the consequences,
which can often make people feel overloaded with burden.  As this example shows, additional
freedom can actually work against a person’s level of happiness.

The results of the poll in question is felt to reflect the additional stresses people experience in
developed countries.  It is felt these same pressures will progressively become apparent in
developing countries as they grow.