Analysis Of The Geography Of Bliss By Eric Weiner

In The Geography of Bliss, Eric Weiner uses Iceland, Bhutan, and Moldova to reveal the necessity of cooperation and inconvenience, as these two factors ultimately determine each country’s respective happiness. He observes that a nation’s overall contentment increases when the people connect to one another or to nature by making compromises. He also explores the advantages of nationwide obstacles, as the shared inconveniences bring the affected people together. Ultimately, he discovers that cooperation and inconveniences largely control the happiness of a nation by helping people develop valuable social and spiritual connections. Weiner illuminates the profound impact of widespread cooperation on the collective happiness of a nation. Iceland largely exposes him to the concept that “in colder places, though, cooperation is mandatory”(Weiner 143). Due to the “cold and dark”(142) climate of Iceland, he highlights the people’s devotion to “interdependence,”(143) and their belief that “everyone must work together…or everyone dies”(143). The Icelanders demonstrate their value of cooperation through their support of amateur writers. For instance, Weiner reports, “successful, struggling, published in books or only in your mind, it matters not. Icelanders adore their writers…[and] the government supports writers with generous grants”(147). Therefore, he displays the
Essentially, these countries convey a message to modern society of the importance of developing sincere connections with people or nature through compromise and of overcoming joint obstacles in order to achieve stronger communal trust, individual relationships, and overall happiness. Overall, Weiner’s experiences convey, to contemporary nations, the necessity of social and spiritual interactions among their people, as opposed to individuality and materialism, for attaining genuine