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Good news: Our pessimism about other people doesn't line up with reality

A new study shows that people are a lot more honest and kind than we think.

Photo credit: Canva

Lost wallet experiments show people are more benevolent than we believe.

In the age of 24/7 news cycles and social media algorithms, it's easy to become cynical about humanity. Sensational videos of bad behavior catch people's attention and get pushed into our feeds, negative headlines reinforce negative feelings, and the cycle leads people to the conclusion that people in general are more selfish and dishonest than helpful and kind.

But is that actually true? According to the 2025 World Happiness Report, it's not. In fact, in reality, humans are far kinder than we think we are.

wallet, lost wallet test, world happiness reportPeople are more likely to return a wallet if it has money in it.Photo credit: Canva

Researchers use a simple wallet experiment to test benevolence levels in a given area. If someone finds a dropped wallet, will they turn it in or will they keep it? The perception most people have is that only a small percentage of people will return a lost wallet, but the actual data negates that notion. In fact, overall, people are twice as likely to return a lost wallet than people believe. And perhaps even more interestingly, people were more likely to turn in the wallet if it had money in it than it if didn't.

And this result isn't new. Wallet tests conducted over the years have come to the same conclusion.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

"Collectively, these data on expected and actual wallet return show that people are far too pessimistic about the benevolence of others," the report states. In other words, people are much better people than we think.

Interestingly, our perception of people's benevolence is strongly linked to our happiness. The more social trust we have—believing that people will generally do the decent or honorable thing—the higher our happiness level. Ironically, we could all be a happier if we knew we could trust people more, but it's just our skewed perception of people that's getting in the way. "People may be made needlessly unhappy by their unwarranted pessimism," the report states.

And our beliefs about others doesn't have a small impact. The report says "believing that others would return a wallet predicts a larger boost to life satisfaction than a doubling of income." The positive effect of believing your wallet will be returned is also higher than the expected negative effect that unemployment, mental health issues, or violent crime would have on your life satisfaction.

The good news is that we don't have to try to drum up feigned positivity about humanity in order to increase our social trust. We simply have to look at the data that demonstrates we actually can trust people more than we think we can and internalize it. Reality itself is the antidote to pessimism about humanity. Isn't that wonderful?

The World Happiness Report has a lot to say about people-to-people interactions and relationships, as research shows that social bonds are key to our wellbeing. There are several elements that can impact people's happiness—how much money we have, how healthy we feel, whether we feel a sense of purpose, etc.—but our feelings about and experiences with others is a big piece of the puzzle.

"This year’s report pushes us to look beyond traditional determinants like health and wealth. It turns out that sharing meals and trusting others are even stronger predictors of wellbeing than expected," said Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, economics professor, director of Oxfort's Wellbeing Research Centre, and an editor of the World Happiness Report. "In this era of social isolation and political polarisation we need to find ways to bring people around the table again — doing so is critical for our individual and collective wellbeing."

So which countries are the happiest? Perhaps unsurprisingly, Finland topped the list for the 8th year in a row. Despite its cold weather much of the year and it's lack of sunlight in the winter, the Finnish way of life appears to lead to higher levels of happiness than other places. In fact, the Nordic countries in general seem to have a bead on happiness, since Denmark, Iceland and Sweden rounded out the top four spots.

The United States landed at the #24 spot, right behind the United Kingdom at #23, a slip in the rankings for both countries. Here's the list of the top 25 happiest countries:

1. Finland

2. Denmark

3. Iceland

4. Sweden

5. Netherlands

6. Costa Rica

7. Norway

8. Israel

9. Luxembourg

10. Mexico

11. Australia

12. New Zealand

13. Switzerland

14. Belgium

15. Ireland

16. Lithuania

17. Austria

18. Canada

19. Slovenia

20. Czechia

21. United Arab Emirates

22. Germany

23. United Kingdom

24. United States

25. Belize

Wherever your country falls on the happiness rankings, focusing more on social connections and a positive outlook on humanity may help give your own personal happiness a boost.

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Humor

Women are sharing quirky things they do to make life more whimsical and it's pure delight

"I kiss my cat on both cheeks then she kisses me on both cheeks then I explain 'she's European' to no one."

Photo credit: Canva

We all could use a little whimsy in our lives.

One of the funniest things about being human is the unique quirks each one of us has that other people don't know about. In some sense, our individual oddities are things that unite us even though they are hidden from public view. It's a simple, universal truth that we're all a bit silly in our own way.

Case in point: A trend in which women share the quirky little things they do to make life more whimsical. The conversation has been circulating on social media since someone asked, "Girlies: What are some things you do to be more whimsical? I love knowing about cute little habits." And the responses, "like a magical, much-needed hug," are filling people with joy.

The question asked for women to weigh in, but there's no indication that men don't also have funny private habits as well, so we can all see ourselves in these responses.

Check out this list of people's quirky whimsical habits

"I wear matching pajamas every time I change my sheets so I can have what I call fancy sleep."

"I hold 'office hours' every Tuesday at a local coffee shop, which means I sit on the couch and order drinks for 4-5 hours while various friends and acquaintances visit me to yap abt books and gossip."

"I say, 'my lady,' every time I walk by a mirror."

"I teach the dog how to do things either to make them more interesting for me ('Let me show you how to start a load of laundry') or just to make him feel included ('Do you remember how to make coffee or should I walk you through it again? I know it's hard to remember since you can't practice without thumbs.')"

"I kiss my cat on both cheeks then she kisses me on both cheeks then I explain 'she's European' to no one."

"I tell my dishes it's bath time."

"I sleep in vintage nightgowns, it makes me feel like an 1800s princess✨"

"If I want to have negative thoughts about myself I have to think them in a cockney accent."


@abigail.bailey0

i’ve been home sick d: #whimsical #alternative #weird #tips #trinkets #habits #odd #corecore

"I say, 'May I take your coats?' when I'm peeling garlic."

"Every time I see the moon, I shout 'Hey gurrrl! Looking amazing, you are glowing!' and just compliment the hell out of her because she’s my bestie."

"I like drinking water at night ouf of small wooden bowls. It makes me feel like I'm being nursed back to health by spirits."

"I shout 'NO, not YOU! I don’t even know you!' in the voice of Lilly Moscocvitz when I’m looking for something and find something else unrelated."

"I hot glued a bow tie onto the Roomba and we call him Jeffrey."

"I tell my hamster not to answer the door for anyone before I leave."

"I call putting on pj's 'time to pump up the jams.'"

Giphy

"I always set my alarm clock to weird times like 8:52 am or 4:47pm because I don’t want less used numbers to be lonely or sad."

"Sometimes, a couple hours before bed, I go in my room and turn down the bed, spray a bit of lavender, maybe light a candle, put my water with lemon on my bedside table. Then when I get ready to go to bed a couple hours later I walk in and say 'I love turndown service!' as though it’s a pleasant surprise."

"Any time I make a mistake at work I giggle to myself, apologize, and say 'it’s my first day.' I’ve worked for the same company for 5 and a half years."

"I call my to do list my TA DA list and do jazz hands as I tick things off."

"For my own amusement I say 'officers!' and nod when I see pigeons."

"This one is kinda niche, but I’m a hairstylist. Whenever I wash my clients hair, as I give them a head massage with the conditioner I send loving thoughts into the universe over whatever is going on in their life."

"Whenever I buy something online and it asks 'is this a gift?' I write a little gift message to myself, usually along the lines of 'you are awesome and deserve these little treats.'"


Treat Yourself Donna Meagle GIF by Parks and RecreationGiphy

There are soooo many more, and each one is more delightful than the last. Turns out a whole bunch of us are a whole lot goofier in our private lives than we let on, which is a wonderful discovery.

Can whimsy actually be useful?

But there's more to this trend than simply a love of whimsy. As one commenter pointed out, "There are literal therapeutic reframing techniques in here that are FANTASTIC." It's true. Making a boring or mundane task more fun or interesting can be helpful for people who are prone to procrastination. Changing the voice you use when negative thoughts creep in can help distance that voice from your inner self. Pampering yourself by making bedtime special can create positive associations with rest and sleep, making it easier for you to settle in at night.

Perhaps our penchant for fun and whimsy isn't as frivolous as it might first appear, so if you do things like this, give yourself a pat on the back for engaging in good self-care. And now you know for sure that you're definitely not alone.


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Joy

Wholesome exchange between a Black woman and a white man is giving people faith in humanity

A woman named Jo'lee Shine expected the worst when a white man approached her overheated vehicle, but his kindness brought her to tears.

@realbillygotti/Instagram

We need more moments like these.

Of course, racism and hatred are very real issues, and ones that we must discuss in order to make progress. But with all the coverage of people behaving badly flooding our awareness through the media and online, it can be easy to write-off humanity entirely. To believe that the world is inherently a divisive, dangerous and ultimately declining place to live. When in reality, not everything is so bleak.

That’s what makes sharing this story so important.

A Black woman named Jo'lee Shine was stuck in her overheated car in front of a stranger's house, waiting for a tow truck to arrive.

When a white man, the homeowner, began approaching her, Jo'lee immediately started recording the interaction. And thank goodness she did, because this was a moment worth immortalizing.

“I'm so sorry, my car ran hot,” she says in the clip, and begins trying to start the car to prove her situation.

And then, in the sweetest southern accent you ever heard, we hear “don’t try to crank it baby.”

When then hear him offer to put water in the car, made sure Jo'lee had coming to pick her up, and then…wait for it…asked if she wanted lunch.

"We’ll be eating lunch shortly. While we wait on [the tow truck] if we get everything set up I’ll come get you and we’ll have dinner,” he says.

This brings Jo’lee to instant tears. “That was so sweet,” she whimpers.

With a chuckle, the man replies, “that’s the way we are.” he then shared how he just had 22 people over at his house the night before for “a family gathering.”

Jo’lee declines the lunch offer, but profusely thanks the kind stranger as she wipes the tears that continue to fall. Just before he goes, the man says that he’ll check back in, joking that the tow truck “might be delayed” and she might change her mind.

In her caption, Jo’lee wrote, “I wasn’t going to post this, but I wanted people to know that they’re still good people in this world.”

Seems like that mission was accomplished. The video, which has gotten over 176,000 likes on Instagram, gave everyone a little dose of hope. Just take a look at some of these lovely comments:

“This is who we are...it sucks that movies have put fear in people to that level. That makes me sad that there's fear and division keeping us all from sharing love that I KNOW is in all of us.”

“The media works to divide us, don't believe their lies. We love all people.. God Bless.”

"I'll come get you when we get dinner on the table?!!" ❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹🔥🔥🔥🔥🙌🙌”

“The way he called you baby without a mean tone in his soul.”

“This renews my faith in humanity. He tried to help her without any thought of race.”

“Just when we think humanity has died, this happens ♥️. Human kindness for the win.”

Indeed, the world has its’ Karens…and even worse characters. But it also has people who invite strangers to dinner, just because it’s a nice thing to do…because it’s the “way they are.” It’s the way a lot of us are, when we let ourselves be.


This article originally appeared last year.

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Joy

Dad shares joyful celebration of America's diversity in his kids' school Parade of Nations

A beautiful reminder of what we can be.

Representative photo credit: Canva

Kids from all around the world call the U.S. home.

It's often been said that the United States is a nation of immigrants, a melting pot, a salad bowl, a mosaic or kaleidoscope of cultures. Since the country's founding, people from around the world have made their way to its shores, some seeking opportunity, some seeking asylum, some by choice and some by force, each adding their own threads to the tapestry of American identity.

Immigration creates greater diversity, and in at least one school in Michigan, students' cultural diversity is being celebrated annually in a joyful Parade of Nations. A dad shared a video after getting back from the event at his kids' school, saying he was "in tears" during it. "Forty-two countries were represented across 200 students, and it was amazing, he said.

Watch:

@thatdadlove

42 countries. One school. One United States of America. This is what diversity looks like. 🌍 While some try to divide us, today was a reminder of what makes us stronger—diversity, representation, inclusion and the power of community. Our kids aren’t just learning about different cultures; they’re growing up surrounded by them. Diversity isn’t a buzzword—it’s the foundation for a better future. Let’s protect it. 💙 #paradeofnations #diversity #diversitymatters #representation #unity #parentingwithpurpose #tiktokpartner

Their beaming faces. The spring in their step. Them wearing the colors of the flags of their countries of origin with pride. The whole crowd cheering each one on. This is such a beautiful reminder of what we can be when we're not operating from a place of prejudice, fear or hate. These kids were all part of the same community, all with a shared identity as part of that community, while also having their different cultural heritage celebrated and honored.

People loved to see the reminder of what our nation can be.

"This is what the US is supposed to look like. We all fam in the club."

"This made me tear up. We really have what it takes to be a great nation but hate won't let us get there. Glad those kiddos had so much fun!"

"Maybe, just maybe, we could see the world through their eyes, rather than our own. We'd have more compassion and handle situations in a more empathetic way."

"This is amazing. Those children will remember this forever. They were ALL seen on that day."

"This made me cry too much because this is what makes America great. The diversity of the people that reside here and the hope of a better future. I needed this today, thank you."

"I'm in full blown sobs, they're all so beautiful!!! Extra love to the solo ones holding it down and representing with so much pride and joy. Endless blessings for the youth."

Maya Angelou Quote GIF by LA vs. HateGiphy

People sometimes say "diversity is our strength," and there's actual research to back that up. Different cultural contexts give people different perspectives and ways of looking a things, and when you put those differences together, incredible things can happen. "Overwhelming evidence suggests that teams that include different kinds of thinkers outperform homogeneous groups on complex tasks, including improved problem solving, increased innovation, and more-accurate predictions—all of which lead to better performance and results when a diverse team is tasked to approach a given problem," write authors of a study on diversity in biomedical research.

Diversity appears to bolster business innovation as well. A study of 1,700 companies by Harvard Business Review found that " indeed there was a statistically significant relationship between diversity and innovation outcomes in all countries examined" and "the more dimensions of diversity were represented, the stronger the relationship was." Additionally, "the most-diverse enterprises were also the most innovative, as measured by the freshness of their revenue mix."

When we actually see diversity as our strength and ensure that diverse perspectives have a seat at the table, everyone wins. As this school reminds us, it's entirely possible to have shared identities and different identities at the same time, and that celebrating diversity makes room for that. The U.S. has always been a nation of immigrants, and the diversity that comes from that is a big part of who we are. Let's embrace it with pride and celebration like these kids have.

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