World Happiness Report for young people

[Kess]

What could be the reason Lithuania ranked first?

[Dušan]

The feeling of happiness is a subjective feeling, it is not related with standard of living. People in Serbia are known by openness, friendliness, by love for music and dance etc. They were like that always, even in much worse historical period (from political and economic point of wiew) than current. The best parties in Serbia especially in Belgrade were during the NATO bombing in 1999. People which participated in those parties as tenageers and young adults still talk obout them with nostalgia.

Krajina Serbs are not like Serbs of Serbia (Srbijanci) in that segment traditionally. There was no cult of music and dance among us as tradition. We are poor in that, and even our traditional dances and singing are without music. When my one cousin was getting married for Serbia Serb (Srbijanac) in 1960s his family and relatives on the wedding were danced including his old grandfather, on the other hand her family and relatives were just spitting as some robots. They were shoked with behavior of Srbijanci, and someone of them compared them with Gypsies. In general among Krajina Serbs is not rare that tendency of Srbijanci towards dance, music, their more relaxed behavior/way of life call 'Gypsy' features.

There is old proverb:

"When you go through Bosnia - don't sing, every Bosnian will sing better. When you go through Serbia - don't dance, every Serbian will dance better. And when you go through Macedonia, don't dance or sing!"


I dont agree that we Krajina Serbs are like robots, we do like to relax and have a good time.
I dance very good Užičko kolo on every wedding I was invited.

Only in ex-Yugoslavia who are closest to cold robot mentality are Slovenes and Croats.

I noticed you look down on Serbian Serbs, and that is bad of you.

[Creoda]

What could be the reason Lithuania ranked first?

All the unhappy Lithuanians committed suicide

[Varda]

There is old proverb:

"When you go through Bosnia - don't sing, every Bosnian will sing better. When you go through Serbia - don't dance, every Serbian will dance better. And when you go through Macedonia, don't dance or sing!"


I dont agree that we Krajina Serbs are like robots, we do like to relax and have a good time.
I dance very good Užičko kolo on every wedding I was invited.

Only in ex-Yugoslavia who are closest to cold robot mentality are Slovenes and Croats.

I noticed you look down on Serbian Serbs, and that is bad of you.

We are like robots in comparison with Serbia Serbs and it is our fault. Probably because we had more difficult history and poorer soil. Music was not so important in such conditions.

I am not against Serbia Serbs, just some of their customs are weird to me. But still i have rescect for that, it is their tradition for centuries. I had first singificant contact with Srbijanci in high school (it was full of them). I realized their good and bad characterictics. Even few times i started to use Old Shtokavian accent spontaneously in the high school period, i adopted that from Srbijanci and was not even aware of that. Even some Vojvodinians from my school were Old Shtokavian - from Kovin and Bela Crkva area.

Exist Serbs who claim Dinaric supremacy, but exist also those who claim Šumadian and Vojvodinian supremacy. For example dr Dragan Petrović (probably most educated Serb) is Dinaric supremacist and look down on Srbijanci. He is full Herzegovinan, but born in Belgrade. He has high opinion about Vojvodinian/Pannonian Serbs.

[protos]

Yes, we are like robots in comparison with Serbia Serbs. Probably because we had more difficult history and poorer soil. Music was not so important in such conditions.

I am not against Serbia Serbs, just some of their customs are weird to me. But still i have rescect for that, it is their tradition for centuries. I had first singificant contact with Srbijanci in high school, it was full of them. I realized their good and bad characterictics. Even few times i started to use Old Shtokavian accent by by acident in the high school period, i adopted that from Srbijanci and was not even aware of that. Even some Vojvodinians from my school were Old Shtokavian - from Kovin and Bela Crkva area.

Exist Serbs who claim Dinaric supremacy, but exist also those who claim Šumadian and Vojvodinian supremacy. For example dr Dragan Petrović (probably most educated Serb) is Dinaric supremacist and look down on Srbijanci. He is full Herzegovinan, but born in Belgrade. He has high opinion about Vojvodinian/Pannonian Serbs.

Can you be more specific? You mentioned dancing on weddings only.

[Varda]

Can you be more specific? You mentioned dancing on weddings only.

Here are some examples.
- In Serbia when someone is buried, people which came to the funeral took food and drink at the cemetery near geave (they say 'valja se'). That didn't exist in Krajina.
- In Serbia after the funeral family, relatives and friends also gather tomorrow, after 7 days, on 40 days, on 6 months, on 1 year, on 2 years, on 3 years etc. Our custom is gathering only at 40 days after funeral and that's it.
- In Serbia except slava exist pred slava as well, it is like two slavas. We have only one slava.
- In Serbia is tradition godfatherism with multiple people and families; one for the wedding, second for baptism of one child, third for baptism of second child etc. Our tradition is only one godfathering for everything.
- In Serbia people kiss the walls and doors of churches and monasteries, many kneel on the ground and kiss the lower part of some relic or wall in church/monastery. We traditionally kiss only cross and icons in a standing possition.

[tropicalslavic]

I'm surprised Czech Republic is anywhere on the list. Most depressing group of people you could ever be around.

[tropicalslavic]

Here are some examples.
- In Serbia when someone is buried, people which came to the funeral took food and drink at the cemetery near geave (they say 'valja se'). That didn't exist in Krajina.
- In Serbia after the funeral family, relatives and friends also gather after 7 days, 40 days, 6 months, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year etc. Our custom is gathering only at 40 days after funeral and that's it.
- In Serbia except slava exist pred slava as well, it is like two slavas. We have only one slava.
- In Serbia is tradition godfatherism with multiple people and families; one for the wedding, second for baptism of one child, third for baptism of second child etc. Our tradition is only one godfathering for everything.
- In Serbia people kiss the walls and doors of churches and monasteries, many kneel on the ground and kiss the lower part of some relic or wall in church/monastery. We traditionally kiss only cross and icons in a standing possition.

I'm trying to not get autistic about Orthodox customs right now.

[protos]

Here are some examples.
- In Serbia when someone is buried, people which came to the funeral took food and drink at the cemetery near geave (they say 'valja se'). That didn't exist in Krajina.
- In Serbia after the funeral family, relatives and friends also gather tomorrow, after 7 days, on 40 days, on 6 months, on 1 year, on 2 years, on 3 years etc. Our custom is gathering only at 40 days after funeral and that's it.
- In Serbia except slava exist pred slava as well, it is like two slavas. We have only one slava.
- In Serbia is tradition godfatherism with multiple people and families; one for the wedding, second for baptism of one child, third for baptism of second child etc. Our tradition is only one godfathering for everything.
- In Serbia people kiss the walls and doors of churches and monasteries, many kneel on the ground and kiss the lower part of some relic or wall in church/monastery. We traditionally kiss only cross and icons in a standing possition.

Bold is the same as in Macedonia (at least where my grandparents are from). For other things its more like Bosnia/Croatia Serbs.

I was also shocked how many Serbia Serbs talk in church. For me that was not understandable.

[Dušan]

Here are some examples.
- In Serbia when someone is buried, people which came to the funeral took food and drink at the cemetery near geave (they say 'valja se'). That didn't exist in Krajina.
- In Serbia after the funeral family, relatives and friends also gather tomorrow, after 7 days, 40 days, 6 months, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year etc. Our custom is gathering only at 40 days after funeral and that's it.
- In Serbia except slava exist pred slava as well, it is like two slavas. We have only one slava.
- In Serbia is tradition godfatherism with multiple people and families; one for the wedding, second for baptism of one child, third for baptism of second child etc. Our tradition is only one godfathering for everything.
- In Serbia people kiss the walls and doors of churches and monasteries, many kneel on the ground and kiss the lower part of some relic or wall in church/monastery. We traditionally kiss only cross and icons in a standing possition.

Well, some traditions are changed or adopted during times. This is how it is nowadays in my family and relatives.
- There is drink a bit of rakija on cemetery, but not food
- Gathering on funeral and 40 days - it remained the same
- Only day of Slava - remained the same
- This is how in Serbia. Even my parents when we lived in Slavonia, had one godfathers for their wedding, the other for my baptism, the third one for my sister baptism. My sister is married and waiting for her third child, and also have multiple godfathers.
- Kissing icons and cross, remained the same. I kissed the walls of monasteries in Kosovo and Krajina when visited few years ago. These were deep spiritual journeys for me.