The Russians I talk to do seem happier than the Europeans. Probably helps that they've got a solid stash of natural resources. And support for traditional values.
Neither one seems fantastic; the US is still probably where I'll stick around. Though the rising socialist rhetoric in the cities does make me wonder if we'll thread the needle or go the way of Europe.
If that happens it may be time to dust off my Spanish and look south of the border. I hear good things about Uruguay.
You can also find some North Koreans who are happier than some Europeans. And being a rich foreigner is fun, regardless of where you move to. You're the first against the wall, if things go to pot, tho. YMMV.
The EU has significantly fewer deaths of despair and suicides, much lower murder rates, and longer life expectancy, than Russia. We live, on average, over a decade longer. Those are the most-difficult statistics to fake and the least-open to interpretation. Happier, healthier people live longer and are less-likely to kill themselves or each other.
You can also go onto any social media, including Nostr, and it is full of people in the EU, complaining about the EU. That is because you can complain about the EU without ending up in a gulag. In fact, we do not have a gulag. We don't even have a word for "gulag".
But, I think, one of the most telling statistics of human freedom and thriving is actually this one:
you do realise that map shows quite clearly a lot of green over the most populated part of russia, right?
Yeah, but you do realize that Russia has fewer Bitcoin nodes than Finland, despite a population over 25x the size?
one of my followers is russian, i am pretty sure, he is always writing russian messages. Ivan his name is, iirc. i used to follow him. can't seem to find him but that's not really here or there, hard to find stuff on nostr anyway.
most of the russians i have seen on nostr also complain a lot about putin and russia in general. and you can also see clearly, china is well represented, nostr:npub12h6h8dj3ale4rk6hkpsp6gcz9kx9xtucyhd3pftn86lnn0j25gdsa9qpsf has first hand experience of living there.
i don't think it's better anywhere.
here's a map with moscow marked for your edification:
sure, maybe they aren't running them in moscow also, but all across the western part nearby and scattered along the east south of moscow, many many.
You don't realize that I can see the total counts, as well, and not just the image.
Once you control for population, the EU beats even the USA. China has fewer than the Netherlands.
Lightning nodes display the same pattern.
I don't represent China... I'm not Chinese. I just lived there for a while. I like China, generally, but politically speaking, its terrible. I think your best bet for politics that aren't abusive is some small country - local connections matter anywhere, but their importance is magnified a lot when the population is smaller.
Is this nodes? Anyways, that bright spot where Malaysia is is my favorite spot in on this planet.
Yea, not going by online comments -- I've worked with a good few Russians though, and while they're definitely interested in the economic prospects over here (where they're not under decades of seige from the London/NYC dominated banking system), I've generally heard only good things about Russia politically.
That said, economics do factor into overall happiness. And Europe, being a major beneficiary of the Marshall Plan, and then over half a century of the Eurodollar system does have that going for it. It'll be curious to see how that goes now that they're moving from being a primary ally to being pushed out at arm's length or further by the America system.
Still seeing some bright spots down in South America. I am a bit curious about labeling on this map, given how much of China's populated areas are lit up...
China is heavily underrepresented, once you control for population size.
As I pointed out, you will generally only hear bad things about the EU and good things about Russia. This means nothing. We all know that this means nothing. Talk is cheap.
EU has Europeans going for it. Including a _lot_ of people of Russian descent.
"good things" about russia I heard (from genuine ppl, not some propaganda machinery) are in 99% just wishful thoughts and 1% a stupid nostalgia from those who benefited when we were occupied.
The thing that defines ethnic Russians in Germany is that they're one of the most-successful and upwardly-mobile demographics. They are the largest ethnic minority.
Their voting patterns hardly differ from ethnic Germans. I think that's an important statistic, for this conversation.
