I recently posted a blog about the happiest states in America. North Dakota turned out to be number one, with frigid northern states all in the top five.
In my post I asked people to share their opinions on why they think the happiest states are the coldest ones. I didn’t see any that mentioned my own thoughts on the subject, so today I’m sharing my opinion (worth zero, btw).
North Dakota’s economy is booming. South Dakota is second on the happiest-states list, and their economy is also doing well. Why is that? Probably because there are a lot of job openings for skilled labor. People are actually unashamed to take advantage of those jobs. And, guess what? They pay more than minimum wage.
Somewhere along the line, our society decided to treat skilled laborers as inferior. To me, this is a new form of bigotry. We’ve been taught that unless we have a four-year degree or better, we are not worth our weight in this society. Vocational schools are all but seen as the “special class.”
A lot of people would not have drivable vehicles if skilled laborers like my husband didn’t exist. He went to the best vocational school in the country, and goes for continuing education a couple of times each year. I’m proud of all he’s accomplished in his career.
In case you know anyone in need of a job and is not ashamed to train for a skilled trade, here is one place to look.
Don’t get me wrong, all kinds of jobs are needed in our society, both skilled labor and jobs requiring college degrees. It’s a little something society seems to ignore throughout history … balance.
Accomplishing a job each day gives people a sense of … gasp … not the P word … pride. They feel accomplished because they are contributing. This makes people happier.
Another reason for northern happiness might be a sense of community. JM brought it up in a comment. Towns may be smaller, which brings people into a closer knit community. Neighbors help neighbors.
If you find it out-dated that a sense of community can make people happy, then I have some questions for you? Are you a blogger on WordPress or any other blog forum? If so, do you enjoy blogging? If so, why? Is it because you love to talk all about you, you, you? Or, is it because you’ve mutually shared with other bloggers and feel a sense of kinship/community with them?
Stepping down off soapbox now.
Lori's Lane 
Interestingly, the office of national statistics in the UK said in October that the Scottish islands are the happiest place to live in the UK – they also have the most extreme weather in Britain. Not sure what the situation is there in terms of the balance of work, but I’d imagine, given their remoteness, that the sense of community is stronger. Areas around London were some of the unhappiest places to live, with the most anxious people.
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Hmm, that’s interesting about how the big city of London has the unhappiest people. It seems that people in big cities are crabby, at least from what I’ve run into. Which is a telling sign of unhappiness. Thanks for reading and commenting Andrea. If you didn’t see it, check out my blog post to day where I need votes for a poem I entered in a contest. Thanks.
https://loreezlane.wordpress.com/2014/03/08/best-new-poems/
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That’s so true, Lori, about needing and respecting people with all kinds of skills and abilities. Some of those are best acquired in one setting, and others in another. As a culture, we seemed to have stopped valuing skilled labor sometime in the ’60s or ’70s, and that has escalated ever since. It’s time we reversed that course. Thanks so much for the shout out!
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Yes, I think you’re right about the timing of when we started devaluing skilled labor. My husband was looked down upon by his own family for choosing a vocational school in the early 80’s. His two older brothers went to college, but he paved the way for his younger brother who also chose a skilled trade. Thanks for your thoughtful comment, JM.
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My husband’s “people” are from Wisconsin – a very cold state, indeed. 🙂 I finally had a chance to make it up there this summer, and you are so right about their sense of community. They are some of the loveliest, hardest working, friendliest, and most tight-knit group of family and friends I’ve ever met. Many of them work in a skilled trade. Plus, Wisconsin has some of the most respectful, well-behaved children you’ll ever meet!
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Hi Anita. I’m from Chicago, and really miss that sense of community that I grew up with. My husband and I drive through Tennessee on our way to see my family in Chicago every year, and we usually stop for the night right outside of Nashville. We love it there. If it were up to me, I’d move there tomorrow. How are the people there? They seem very nice and were very helpful when we needed info on the area.
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We just took my husband’s aunt and uncle (from Wisconsin) downtown yesterday, and I was so proud of how warm and welcoming the people who live here were to them. I love living here! I’m from TX originally, but this is home now. . .
P.S. I’d love to visit Chicago sometime. People from there seem so genuine and hard-working.
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I actually dream of moving to Nashville. We stop there on our drives back home to Chicago every year, and we love it. It’s pretty country within a nice size city, and the people have always been so friendly. I’d be there in a second if it were for my husband’s job here.
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That’s a very good point Lori. First the top selections seemed odd, who would enjoy enduring those brutal winters? But as I have learned over the last couple of years, being financially stable is crucial to many people’s happiness. I totally agree with the importance of skilled laborers. Those jobs are important and they should be compensated well. I think often we take such people for granted. Thanks for sharing your insight!
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Thank you for your input too, Joy. Good to see you.
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Great insight Lori. I attended a vocational high school and it was the most informative time of my life. I learned so much about working in an actual trade, I don’t know why we don’t have more vocational offerings.
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My husband always complains about the lack of good auto workers. Young people are opting out of trades, and there aren’t many left to do the work other than old timers and hacks. Since he is the boss, it’s difficult for him to find good people. Won’t you be attending a vocational school soon? Or, is that not considered one? Thanks for your input, Maggie.
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I’m not sure if it is a vocational, but it does focuses on giving students employable skills. auto tech/auto body were popular classes at my vo-tech in NY and many of those students had jobs lined up right out of high school. down here in FL, It seems the vocational schools are only for those who have been kicked out of every other school and it’s their last hope of getting a diploma. I could go on and on about the short-selling of the youth that I see going on, but I’ll stop there. I hope your husband can find quality workers, maybe he can recruit them from states that place higher values on vocational education.
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Sweden is supposed to be one of the happiest countries in the world. Our economy is steady, but we don’t have many jobs going, 9% and it has been steady for nearly 4 years but I think to have a job is so important for our happiness, to be able to provide for ourselves and our families. Great post, Lori
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Yep, although you’ve had a mild winter this year, Sweden is also a happy country that usually has frosty winters. It’s all about taking care of our heart’s desire, and not so much what the weather is like. Thanks so much for your input, Viveka.
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I didn’t know about cold countries are more happy … but it could be so, because Norway is high up on the list too.
Maybe we are happy because it gives us a reason to have some more snaps. *smile
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Definitely for me blogging is about the interaction. In fact, for an introvert, it’s a perfect form of interaction. But just like all socialization, we have to be careful. Too much of it, and we won’t get our other work done!
I agree with you about skilled labor. My family has a wonderful mix of college-educated folks and those who headed straight to the workforce or attended a technical school. It’s a great blend, and there’s usually always someone who knows something about something. (For example, thank goodness my brother knows about cars, because I sure as heck don’t…)
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I couldn’t have said it any better, Carrie. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the topic.
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Have to go back and read the blog on the happiest states 🙂
I wonder why and perhaps I should start packing all my winter clothes to move north of the Mason/Dixon line 🙂
There are so many people who do not need to go to college. What they need is a skilled trade! I wish I had one of those than all of my degrees.
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You did just exactly what you were meant to do here on this earth, Miss Linda. And, the world is better for your knowledge and teaching. But, there is a skills gap in our society these days. In this bad economy, people may not know that there a lots of jobs to be had, they just need to be skilled for them. Too may college degrees and not enough jobs to go around for those degrees. Yet, the trades are lacking. It’s because people were told they were not good enough if they did a skilled trade. Even my husband’s parents treated him with less respect than his brothers who got degrees. My husband has actually done equally as well as his college graduate brothers all these years later. Good to see you again.
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Thanks, Lori. My son has many degrees and I think his cousins have done equally as well without the degrees!
Good to see you here.
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