Band 6+: While people in developing countries are happier than in the past, people in developed countries are less happy. Why? What can be learnt from this?

In today’s society, people in developed nations are becoming unhappier, while in developing nations, the level of happiness witnessed by the citizens is increasing more than in the past. This essay will discuss the possible reasons for this phenomenon and suggest some ways that people can enhance their quality of life.

Firstly, the fact that citizens in developing countries are more contented than before can result from their sacrifice in the past to receive a better financial state for exchange. For instance, Vietnam before witnessed fast economic growth during the 21st century, its historical phase has experienced struggles in reviving itself after wars. As a result, people’s attempts have paid off and therefore gained better working facilities and living conditions, creating a higher happiness rate. Secondly, people living in developed nations have to cope with heavy workloads to enhance their current salaries, therefore, citizens can afford the high living cost including public services, taxes, and bills. As a result, they are not able to allocate their spare time to take care of their well-being, which may cause emotional distress and other mental health issues.

The lessons that can be drawn from the two phenomena are detectable. The first point is the crucial impacts of national economic growth on people’s life quality, which can increase their optimism. In fact, financial stability enables citizens in any nation not to be stressed about their current life, so far it is the beneficial motive for maintaining a happy life. Another noteworthy point is that work-life balance is essential due to the fast development of well-off countries where residents are under constant pressure. Thus, a balanced lifestyle should be a basic necessity for people to allow them more time to look after their well-being and relationships such as family and friends.

In conclusion, the reasons explaining those situations are the fundamental role of boosting the national economy to the happiness in emerging nations and the pressure of success is causing people in wealthy countries to feel less happy. Lessons learned from those phenomena are any resident can manage their feelings if financial sufficiency and work-life balance can be ensured.