Aristotle contended that there are things we want for their own sake, while everything else we do is for us to be happy. Happiness is by no mean a simple concept; the ancient Greek philosopher identified four different levels of happiness: Level 1 – Laetus (happiness from material objects); Level 2 – felix or ego gratification (happiness from being better, more admired than others, and so on); Level 3 – beatitudo (happiness from doing good for others and making the world a better place); and Level 4 – sublime beatitudo (ultimate, perfect happiness).

According to www.theworldcounts.com, while Level 3 happiness is more lasting and, for most people, provides a deeper feeling of meaning than Levels 1 and 2, Level 4 happiness is the most difficult to describe, as it involves a search for fullness and perfection.

But just how happy a place is South Africa? Alternatively, how does South Africans’ level of happiness compare with the rest of the world? Personally, how happy are you?

As with everything in life, there is an Index; yes, there is a World Happiness Index, which is in its tenth year. It gauges overall happiness using data from international surveys to show how people in over 150 countries rank their lives. The index’s marketing burb states: “In these dark times, there is a glimmer of optimism revealed by the World Happiness Index 2023. The pandemic not only caused anguish and suffering, but also led to a rise in social assistance and charitable giving.”

To compile a list of the world’s happiest nations and rate every country on the Sustainable Development Solutions Network of the United Nations (UN) takes into account seven elements: (i) dystopia, which connotes the experience of being victimised by injustice, being under attack from authoritarianism, or in the post-apocalyptic world; (ii) citizens’ perception that corruption has caused them to feel this way; (iii) generosity, which is the fundamental human connection between individuals, along with a sense of empathy; (iv) freedom to make life decisions, which refers to the condition in which one is sufficiently freed or free to make decisions and choices in life without compromising because of social repercussions; (v) the expectation of a healthier living free from fatal diseases or afflictions; (vi) social support, which is the indicator of how much support a country’s residents provide and get from one another; and (vii) the gross domestic product of a country divided by its population, which also has a significant effect in determining poverty and financial security.

So, out of 150 countries, where do you think South Africa placed? By the way, “Africa has the world’s saddest population”. A hint: South Africa did not place top of the African countries – not even in the top three for that matter. The top three African countries are the Republic of Congo (81st), Côte d’Ivoire (83rd) and Cameroon (89th). If you are of the belief that Mauritius is an African country, owing to its status as a member of the Southern African Development Community, then it is the happiest African country, placing 49th.

The top ten countries are: Finland (for the fifth year in a row), Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg, New Zealand, and Austria.

For context, Afghanistan placed last, at 146th.

That said, have you made your guess, or guestimate as to South Africa’s ranking? And it might be worthwhile to consider the ranking of the Southern African Customs Union member countries, the so-called BELN countries: Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho and Namibia. Botswana placed 143rd, eSwatini 127th, Lesotho 142nd, and Namibia 122nd. As for the BRICS countries, Brazil placed 34th, Russia 74th, India 136th, and China 82nd.

Sadly, or unhappily, South Africa placed 101st – that is, in the bottom third of all the countries ranked.