I interviewed the World Happiness Report


Ever wondered what would happen if you could interview a report? In this playful exploration, we ask the World Happiness Report all the questions you’d want answers to—from what happiness really means to how you can boost your own well-being today. Discover practical, easy actions you can take right now to elevate your happiness.


AI opens up some interesting ways to engage with information.

For example, I was notified by email recently of the release of the World Happiness Report 2024.

It isn’t a small report (158 pages), so I started thinking about different ways to interact with the report.

Then I had the idea to interview it 💡

Now, as you can imagine, the idea of interviewing a report doesn’t really make sense. The report can’t answer questions in the same way a person can.

BUT, if the report is provided to chatGPT and the questions are asked of chatGPT, you can get an interview of sorts.

So I pulled together some questions, uploaded the report to chatGPT, asked it to pretend to BE the report, and threw a bunch of questions at it 🎙️

Here is how it responded……..

How do you define happiness?
Happiness, as used in the World Happiness Report, is largely defined in terms of life evaluations—how people assess their own lives on a scale of 0 to 10. This measure captures overall life satisfaction, which is more stable over time compared to fleeting emotions. In addition, we look at both positive and negative affect, which reflect the frequency of emotions like joy or sadness.

What are the key takeaways for all of us from this year’s World Happiness Report?
This year, we’ve seen that the convergence of happiness levels between regions continues, with some countries and regions experiencing notable increases in happiness, while others have faced challenges. Social support, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and lower perceptions of corruption are key determinants of happiness. It’s also clear that young people are facing greater challenges to their happiness, especially in Western regions, while in some places like Central and Eastern Europe, happiness levels among young people are improving.

How is Australia doing in terms of happiness?
Australia remains among the top 10 happiest countries, coming in at 10th place. This position reflects a high level of social support, good life expectancy, and economic stability, although there are still areas for improvement. The happiness levels in Australia have remained relatively stable despite global challenges, which is a positive sign for the country.

Is happiness the same across all age groups, or are there differences depending on how old you are?
There are definitely differences in happiness across age groups. Typically, happiness follows a U-shape pattern, with younger people and older adults often reporting higher happiness than those in middle age. However, in regions like North America, the happiness of young people has been declining significantly. In contrast, older adults tend to report higher life satisfaction, partly due to having more stable lives and fewer stressors compared to younger adults.

What insights do you have to offer specifically for young adults, such as university students?
Young adults, especially those in university, are facing a unique set of challenges that can impact their happiness. Social support is a key factor for young adults, and fostering strong connections can make a significant difference. The report also highlights that finding meaning and purpose, as well as having the freedom to make life choices, are crucial for well-being in this age group. Focusing on building a supportive community and engaging in meaningful activities can help improve happiness.

Have you got any specific insights related to studying and academic life?
Academic life can be both rewarding and challenging. The report suggests that social support is vital in an academic environment—whether it’s from friends, family, or the university itself. A sense of belonging, as well as managing stress through healthy routines, can play an important role in maintaining happiness during studies. It’s also important for students to set realistic goals and take breaks to maintain a balanced life, which can enhance well-being.

What are the main factors that influence happiness, and which of these are modifiable?
The main factors influencing happiness include social support, economic stability, freedom to make life choices, trust in government (low corruption), generosity, and healthy life expectancy. Among these, factors like social support, generosity, and how one uses their freedom to make choices are highly modifiable. By cultivating meaningful relationships, helping others, and making choices that align with personal values, individuals can positively impact their own happiness.

What are some things you’d recommend that a person do to improve their happiness, that they could action quite easily?
There are several simple actions that can improve happiness: practicing gratitude, connecting with others, engaging in acts of kindness, and taking care of physical health are all effective. Spending time outdoors, setting small achievable goals, and practicing mindfulness are also easy-to-implement habits that can boost well-being. These actions don’t require major changes but can make a meaningful difference over time.

What should I have asked about this work that I didn’t?
Perhaps you could have asked about how global events, like the pandemic or climate change, have impacted happiness trends. These factors have had significant effects on well-being worldwide, and understanding their influence can help us better prepare and respond to challenges in the future.

Happiness Action Plan – Your ‘Do Now’ Invitation

Inspired by the interview answers, here are some actions you can take right now to make happiness a priority:

  1. Take a moment to rate your life satisfaction. On a scale from 0 to 10, how satisfied are you with your life? What factors are pulling your score down, and what needs to be addressed? What factors are pushing your score up, and how can you amplify them?
  2. International student? Check out the World Happiness Report to see where your home country ranks. How does that compare to living in Australia?
  3. Reflect on your happiest and least happy times. What were the happiest and least happy times in your life? What made them so? Understanding these patterns can help you identify what to do more of and what to avoid.
  4. Assess your social life at Flinders. How is your social life going? What is one thing you could do to improve it and feel more connected?
  5. Reflect on your best decisions. What have been the best decisions you’ve made in your life with regard to your happiness? Use these insights to inform future choices.
  6. Consider how your happiness has changed. How has your happiness changed over recent years, particularly as we started coming out of the COVID epidemic? Reflecting on this can help you see what has improved and what still needs attention.

This post was a playful attempt at engaging with what is now a pretty vast body of literature around happiness and wellbeing.

It used a process that I engage in quite regularly. When I find big reports or papers on topics of interest, I put them into AI and then proceed to ask a bunch of questions that help me get a sense of what the report is saying.

In some cases, it is sufficient to extract the key ideas. Sometimes, you end up just reading the report.

Just like there is no quick fix for happiness, AI doesn’t always provide shortcuts. But it does provide unique ways of engaging with information.

I use it to better understand stuff that is happening in my field. How have you been using it?

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