![Ambition is not celebrated' in Denmark, where a garbage man earns as much as a teacher](https://www.theblaze.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=18904513&width=980&quality=85)
NBC's "Today" profiled the nation of Denmark on Monday to figure out why — in correspondent Cynthia McFadden's words — it's been called the "happiest place on earth" for the last 40 years. (Image source: YouTube screenshot)
NBC's "Today" profiled the nation of Denmark on Monday to figure out why — in correspondent Cynthia McFadden's words — it's been called one of the "happiest places on earth" for the last 40 years.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Image source: YouTube screenshot
For the unambitious (i.e. unmotivated), such a societal setup does seem ideal. But how long can Denmark keep it going?
According to the Huffington Post, many believe the jig will soon be up. Denmark actually qualifies as a market economy rather than a purely socialist one — despite its high taxes and broad welfare programs — the outlet said. Also, "successive governments have had to repeatedly reform the system, scaling back its benefits," the Post added.
In addition, the Post said, the quality of the nation's free education and health care leaves much to be desired, as its educational rankings are merely average and Danes have the lowest life expectancy in the European Union besides former communist countries. In the end, the outlet added, many believe such safety nets are "unsustainable."
Of course, if more highly skilled workers elect to stay in Denmark and bolster the economy, that would seem to bode well for the rest of the citizenry. But what could possibly keep them there, if they can easily earn more elsewhere?
Perhaps the overall high trust in government — and Danish citizens' mutual reliance — noted in the "Today" report, particularly if such attitudes have been conditioned over the last four decades.
But it will be interesting to see how much trust Danes place in their government if the lavish benefits they've also been conditioned to expect cease to exist somewhere down the road.
(H/T: Truth Revolt)