Here’s why you hate the news. A story from the University of Warwick (hmm) has prompted the bulletin that “people living in some of the world’s happiest countries — including Canada — are disproportionately more likely to commit suicide.” Don’t get it? Well naturally, in due course it’s explained that high expectations and the pressure of striving to succeed do, in fact, cause some people to kill themselves. Very unfortunate, but not very newsworthy and frankly, not related to happiness. It was a cheap thrill of a headline however. Look, it could just as easily be argued that happy countries — with their disproportionately high standards of living — prevent people from suffering. But the news from Warwick World is that the glass is definitely not full. It isn’t even half empty. The glass is to be used to cut your wrists.
