Octavio Rodriguez Araujo: The Mystery of Mexican Happiness Octavio Rodriguez Araujo - La Jornada
go to original June 6, 2013

How should we take the news that Mexicans, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), are happier than those living in thirty-something other countries? The OECD carried out a study to find out the “Better Life” index of different countries, gauged by eleven different factors. The worst factor in Mexico was security, given zero. And the best? Life satisfaction.

The annual income per capita for Mexicans is less than 13 thousand dollars, just over half of the average for the other countries investigated. We also came in at second place for inequality; only Chile was found to have a greater rich-poor divide. Only 36% of Mexicans between the ages of 25 and 64 have a high school degree, while the overall average for all countries in the sample was 74%. Air pollution is above the average for the OECD countries. We are also below average in mathematical, scientific and literacy abilities, as well as for life expectancy. And as if that weren’t enough, Mexicans work an average of almost 500 hours more than workers in the other countries of the organization.

However, 85% of Mexicans say that they are satisfied with their lives – this is above the average for the OECD countries.

Personality? Religion? Ignorance? Conformity? I don’t know, but this seems contradictory, and it doesn’t seem likely that masochism could contribute so much among millions of Mexicans.

Read the rest at Mexico Voices

Translated by Helena Redman

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