Ask a man what "hygge" is. Most likely, he will shrug and say that this is some kind of Danish beer. Ask a woman and she will readily answer that it is knitted socks in Scandinavian style. Well, they are both right and wrong simultaneously. The concept of "hygge" includes fresh beer and warm socks. But that's not the point.

Hygge is another model of happiness offered to mankind, a sociologist would say. And he will also be right and wrong. It is a model which the whole world knows about. But this model was not offered by anybody. Nobody even wanted to do that.

Did you know that happiness can be measured? People who work in the United Nations think like that. There is a "Department of finding solutions for sustainability" in the UN. This Department annually produces a terrific document entitled the "world report on happiness".

The first such report was published in 2012, on the 1st of April! But don't think it's a joke. Everything is serious. In addition to the report there is an annual update of "national happiness rating." Calculations of this rating are difficult. GDP and life expectancy, and the level of corruption in a country, and so on. It is not hard to guess who tops the list. Of course, the Scandinavians. By the end of 2017, the rating looks like this:

1. Norway — 7.537

2. Denmark — 7.522

3. Iceland — 7.504

Then Switzerland, Finland, Holland, Canada... Russia is on the 49th place with a rating of 5.963 between Italy and Belize. That means, if you believe the rating, we are almost exactly as happy as the Italians and the inhabitants of the small Latin American Republic. Incidentally, according to this table, we are two lines above the Japanese and the Uzbeks are two lines above us. In general, this is a strange rating. But in the upper and the lower parts everything is true. In the bottom — Syria, Tanzania, Burundi and the Central African Republic, everything is clear. Well, Scandinavia is at the top, of course.

Without any ratings it have been already considered for a long time that the Scandinavians are the happiest people in the world. But nobody called it "hygge". But two years ago a man named Meik Wiking published a thin book called "Hygge: The Danish Secrets of Happiness." It was translated into English, and the book became a bestseller in Britain. The term "hygge" was recognized as one of the two most popular words of the year along with "brexit" meaning British exit from the European Union. They are seemingly incomparable things. On the one hand — a huge shock to the whole nation, the referendum, all the news from morning to night were about that. On the other hand — some Danish notion from the man with an audacious name of Wiking. However, it happened. "Brexit and hygge". The English book was translated into 23 languages, the total circulation around the world was tens of millions! It was a super success!

Besides, the author is not just anybody, but the head of the Happiness Research Institute, located in Copenhagen. The office of the institute is a cozy little mansion in the Danish capital. Three floors, no frills. As required by "hygge". How can you not believe such a reputable, charming and modest specialist? That's all, everybody believed.

There are several versions of the appearance of the word "hygge". According to one of them, it means "cosiness" in old Danish, the other versions says that it means "hugs" in old Norwegian. In general, everybody perceive the concept of "hygge" like that. Cozy hugs in a small company, candlelight, woolen socks and sweaters.

Of course, this definition is too simple. Wiking describes Danish happiness a little differently. Here are his pieces of advice.

1. Make your home and office cozy.
2. Invite your loved ones to your place.
3. Eat tasty food, enjoy cooking.
4. Active lifestyle.
5. Dress in comfortable, casual clothes.
6. Enjoy simple pleasures.
7. Get a hobby, creativity, get fun.
8. Have a sense of proportion, getting fun.

Isn't it lovely? Is it bad if your home and work are cozy? And when you are said that you have to eat something tasty to be happy, it's a perfect piece of advice. You don't need to lose weight, do not need to eat healthy, just eat tasty food. Super! Entertain your guests — perfectly. Get a hobby — great! And "to enjoy simple pleasures" is the ultimate dream.

And the world has gone mad! All of a sudden everything became "hygge". Hygge boxes, hygge blankets, hygge sweaters, hygge mugs, hygge parties and so on. After all, the Scandinavians invented this and they are the happiest people in the world! We also want to be like the Danes and the Norwegians! Now put candles all around your house, fry meatballs, bake pies, get dressed easier, invite guests to play "Association" or "Mafia". And after we eat, drink everything and say goodbye to our guests, we'll just make some simple joy. And we will be happy, hygge to the point of exhaustion.

All this is fine, except that it doesn't work outside Scandinavia. Simple pleasures by candlelight and all the rest from the list of tips are not happiness. Look closely at the list. Item 8 — have a sense of proportion, getting pleasure. This is the main point. The author modestly put it in the bottom, so as not to strain the readers. However, the "sense of proportion" in Scandinavian is so tough that no-one else will stand it.

The thing is that in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and partly in Finland there is a perfect social state and perfect and equal society. And it is a two-way street. On the one hand, it's great. More than half of the families in Denmark live in their own homes. They are cosy, with candles and crochet blankets. There are Tesla taxis in Stockholm. And in Norway the king, like all the others, walks in the woods on skis.

In Nordic countries there is free higher education, very substantial unemployment benefits and I have nothing to say about wages. They are the highest in the world. Both parents leave to care for a child! And so on. Wiking writes in his book that hygge happiness is possible only at a very high level of life. When happiness is about getting at a slightly lower level. Artificially and voluntarily. That same sense of proportion from the 8th point.

On the other hand, there are the highest taxes and craziest prices. And there is the most negative attitude to the upstarts. Equality in Scandinavia is understood literally — everyone should be equal. No one should stand out up or down. Even sports stars and show-business celebrities should be the same as their fans. Even monarchs!

For example, not a long time ago there was a law on forced sterilization of ugly women in Sweden. Not to spoil the breed. This is monstrous! Some people decide for a woman if she can have children depending on her beauty. Well, isn't it fascism? But that's the way the Scandinavians have built their social-state paradise.

Even among the Danes, the Norwegians, the Icelanders and the Swedes a lot of people are very skeptical about the "happiness in Scandinavian". One local writer has created a novel about a fictional town, the inhabitants of which had the code:

"Keep a low profile, don't be different."

"Don't think you're special."

"Don't convince yourself you're better than others."

Funny? Not really. Because it is very similar to Scandinavian truth or rather to the reverse side of the coin of this truth. The author, in fact, made up nothing. For example, recently Denmark introduced a ban on wearing garments covering face. Then came the cries that this is an Islamophobic act, but it is not. Not only "niqabs" are prohibited, but ski masks, and all the other covers. In August the first penalty was issued. A Dane tried to rip off a veil from a Muslim women, the fight started. Both paid 1000 CZK, which is about $150. One of them paid for violation of order, the other for the violation of decency. Please note — that Danish girl tried to rip off a niqab from a Muslim women! It's simple — do not stand out, be like everyone else.

When a wealthy Dane bought a Mercedes, even his brother made acrid jokes. "Who called a taxi?" (most Danish taxis are Mercedes, it is their feature). If you bought an unusual car, be patient.

A Danish looked for a house of her dream for a long time (it is strange that she did that for a long time, because all Danish houses are about the same) and finally found it. But she was forced to abandon the purchase because there was a pool behind the house. It was small, but it didn't matter. What will guests say when they see the pool? They will decide that the owners decided to be different. And it's awful.

One Danish journalist, who lived for several years in America, returned home and had a party. And she proudly began to tell the guests how well her son had studied in an American school. Guests immediately fell silent and buried in their dishes. The hostess realized how stupid she had been. You can not brag about success, especially if it's a children's success! All children are equally good.

And even clothes! Tourists are surprised that all locals are dressed so pale. Black and grey. There is no makeup on women's faces. It is because if a Danish woman is dressed brightly and has a little makeup, a Danish man decides that she's hiding and glossing over her psychological problems. And so he should stay away from her. But if you're dressed like everyone you have a chance to have a private life.

If you are pushed with a cart with groceries at a supermarket, that's fine. You may decide that it is rude, and the Danes (and the one who pushed you and the one who was pushed) will not even notice. The logic of this is the following. "You're not more important than me, so I have every right to push you with a truck". There are more serious consequences of the Danish rampant equality. For example, the country dramatically decreases the labor productivity, because most Danes go to work only to go to work. They still get paid, not more and not less than others. But that's another story.

I highly recommend the book "The Almost perfect people", written by an Englishman, lived for many years in Denmark. First, it is very informative, and second, it is insanely funny... He seems to be the first witty English author after Jerome. This book must become a bestseller, not a cute pamphlet about the Danish happiness in hygge style. But this is also another story.

In general, Danish happiness is available only to the Danes. On the one hand, a higher standard of living, absolute social security and simple pleasures in the style of "hygge". On the other — a complete willingness to be like everyone else, and nothing else. Not worse, not better. Just like everyone else.
And only when everybody agree to be like others then, perhaps, the "hygge" in the sense of "Scandinavian happiness" can exist. But for foreigners hygge is nothing more than a fashion style and a few good tips. They can be used for creating cosiness and receiving simple pleasures. Well, and moderation, of course.

However, this is really good piece of advice. And the style is cute. So I will leave Danish problems to the Danes. We have our own problems. It is important to find reasons for joy, warmth, peace of mind. If "hygge" as a Danish recipe of fun and relaxation, helps with it, it is worth to use the experience of the Scandinavians. As a hero from "The Fifth Element" says: "Indeed, why not".