The thermometer, It wasn’t about journalistic impact: the research was carried out by the Institution which cared for the patient, considered different indicators that in turn created a perceived and relative happiness hierarchy (for example pro capita income, life expectancy, services…).

However in 2012 (the relevant data refers to this year) Italy found itself in 45th place (out of more than 300 participant nations). It wouldn’t seem that bad if Italy was amongst those countries where a stronger discrepancy occurred in 2010 (the last time the report was commissioned). In Europe countries with a high rating in this report were Scandinavian, whilst Italy’s remained quite low and certainly with the greatest fall between 2010 and 2012.

What is being compromised and that which struck me most, even if it was the greatest asset of being Italian, is the sense of social support, the relationship of health, social availability. It is almost as if with the recession, we are sliding towards an ‘every man for himself’ approach where everyone thinks of their own happiness rather than others…