Happiness in Switzerland

Chika Usami, Natsuki Kashiwase and Tomomi Ishikawa from Japan and Switzerland friendship association

Understand Switzerland

Ethnic group: German, French,

and Italian

People:Patriotic and

individualistic

Permanently neutral country

Chocolate

Direct Democracy

PEACEFUL, DIVERSE AND

INDEPENDENT COUNTRY

What’s Happiness for Swiss?

Our conclusion about happiness in Switzerland from our investigation and The Geography of Bliss.

Happiness

=SATISFACTION

Conjoyment

What’s Satisfaction for the Swiss?

Quietness and

Peace

Respect For

individuality

Individualism and

ResponsibilitiesNeatness

Independence

Contribution to

Society

When these factors are guaranteed, the Swiss can feel happy!!!

Balanced Life

Educational aspects

IndependenceContribution

toSociety

Respect for

Individuality

Characteristics of Swiss Education

• Diversity of educational system (from one canton to another).

• Education of high level. Cheap school expenses.→people (talented people) are national treasure

• System: Develops the competency for living, independence and individualities.

Educational system

Prepare for the test for entering university.Not more then 20% students choose this

course.

Only 20% can enter an university

Other 80% students choose to take

vocational education or

others.

Contribution to

Society

Gymnasium

Example1 (Respect for individuality): System

Grade Repetition (or Grade Retention) System

Each student has different progress speed in their study.

Some students make rapid progress, but the others are far behind.

In Switzerland, it is thought that all students have to complete their studies.

Respect for

Individuality

Example2 (individuality and independence)　　 : Class of Mathematics

＝５ ２＋３＝

＝１７ ８＋９＝

Switzerland Japan

＋

＋Independence

Respect for

Individuality

Find the answerFind answers

Work/Business

Individualism and Responsibilities

Balanced Life

Contribution toSociety

1. Individualism

• Switzerland

Expert knowledgeAbility of decisionResponsible by

Individuals

↓

Speedy

Work harder/hour

• Japan

HarmonyShare their responsibility

　↓Work longer

(overtime work)

★mental stress

2.Contribution to Society(Patriotism)

• Switzerland

Positive for working

↓

Contribution to society

↓

They love their own countries.

• Japan

Working for only themselves or their families

↓

They are indifferent to their counties.

3. Balanced Life

• Switzerland

Working hard/ Enjoying their leisure

↓They are good at change

their mood between working and relaxing.

• Japan

Overtime workHoliday workCannot take a paid

vacation

↓

They work too much.

Their balanced life is usual happiness for Swiss people.

Happiness of Switzerland

•FoodChocolate have “tryptophan” .

It is what the brain uses to make the

neurotransmitter serotonin.

The Swiss consume mass quantities of chocolate.

tryptophan serotonin

Life Style

Minimum requirement for Happiness

• Punctual• Clean• Nature• Calm

Happiness of Switzerland

Neatness

Quietness　and

Peace

On time

• Killing themselves is legal.

They have choices to be dead or alive.

Life Style Respect For

individuality

→one of the reasons the Swiss are happy.

Life StyleThe view of Happiness for the Swiss

“Conjoyment”

Happiness

Happiness of Switzerland

full-on joy

conjoyment

contentment

Summary of Switzerland’s Education, Work, food and life style.

Education

All students can acquire special skills through

education.

They can develop independence, and they can feel respected as individual.

Work/Business

They work thickly by individuals and enjoy their

rests.

Food/Life style

They feel happiness from neatness such as cleanliness,

punctuality and calm.

They don’t require flamboyant happiness and

feel happy from petty things.

Students can find their significance of existence NeatnessBalanced Life

What Japan can learn?

Happiness is in ordinariness. It is not special but important.

References

Blogs

• http://homepage2.nifty.com/aquarian/Swiss/SwImpr/Sws_Imp3.htm

• http://geneve.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2010-03-26

• http://hanz1234.blog85.fc2.com/blog-entry-103.html

Database or other resources

• Wikitravel• CIA Factbook• OECD better life index• Kyouiku Today

http://www.crn.or.jp/LIBRARY/TODAY/9712.HTM

• Federal Department of Foreign Affairs HP http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/ja/home/doc/infoch/chwoed.html