ENG 102
Essay Assignment # 2
Summary and Response Essay to
Chapter 2 Switzerland
Weiner reaches and visits different places in Switzerland via train which he falls in love with and thinks that it is punctual and efficient. He talks to various Swiss to find out why they are happy. However, they are surprised to hear why he thinks they are happy. They state that Swiss do no want to “put themselves in the spotlight”therefore not provoking envy among others. They do not talk about money. If one is heard to do so, people will think otherwise and say that they have financial problems. They also love rules and loves live in the middle range. They find peace and happiness connecting with nature and they love the Alps. They have “rules” which may not matter for others and seem unimportant but they one law that may not be common to everybody. “Euthanasia” is allowed by law in this country; you can kill yourself anytime you want which Weiner found really strange. Swiss are patient and wealthy. They like to linger. They are rooted in place. They are also famous for their chocolates which studies have found makes people happy after having it in an x amount. Weiner then concludes that the Swiss happiness is conjoyment. They join happiness with others. They are content, boring and just want to live by rules and stay where most are. “Nothing more, Nothing less.”
Sometimes happy people seem happy but really are just people who wouldn’t want to go beyond their comfort zone. These were the thoughts that came into my mind as I was reading chapter 2 “Switzerland”. “Happiness is boredom” title was very much appropriate for this chapter. I say that sometimes in order for us to feel a certain high we must first “break the rules”, “be inefficient”, “failure” or at least be not afraid to “rock the boat” I see the Swiss people being afraid to rock the boat and cause chaos and attention. Weiner states that in this chapter as they like to live by rules and “rules” that