The miserable millionaires of ABC’s The View spent part of their Friday show lecturing average Americans about how “greedy” they were and how they live lives of “excess.” According to the cast, Americans needed to “get rid of possessions” and pay more in taxes so they could live happy lives like the people in Finland or like meditating monks who have been to prison.
“Is happiness something that can be learned, do you think? And why are the Fins so freak’n happy?” co-host Joy Behar wondered after reading from a study, which found that Finland was supposedly the happiest country on Earth. Both Behar and Sunny Hostin agreed that “no one is happy here” in America.
Hostin chalked it up to Finland’s socialist policies and how well they treat immigrants, which meant they could lounge around all day:
HOSTIN: But, they have – time off of work is very plentiful. They get 30 vacation days a year. Healthcare coverage is free and guaranteed. It is like a year from maternity leave.
BEHAR: And they have end-of-life care.
HOSTIN: End-of-life care. They're considered one of the least corrupt countries in the world. And they care about immigrants. The social security tries to help immigrants getting into the system.
And so, all those life stresses that we worry about like, how am I going to pay for my kids' schools, how am I going to pay for my house, how am I going to do this? They all have it. They're just hanging out.
“Well, you know. The counterargument to that is, they pay higher taxes. But if you calculate it, what money you pay on child care, maternity leave. It’s worth it in a way,” Behar proclaimed. Of course, Hostin agreed, “It’s totally worth it.”
What they refused to mention was the fact that by the end of 2023, the personal income tax rate in Finland would be almost 57 percent. This meant more than half of their earned income goes to the government. How was that worth it?
Behar then read a testimonial from an anonymous Fin who argued that they were “satisfied with very little.” Adding: “We don't have to have extremely successful careers. We don't have to have a ton of money. We like the simple things in life like our forest walks … And hanging out with friends.”
“They're not greedy,” millionaire Behar praised the Fins. “They don't have this constant ‘I got to get more.’”
Their attempt to convince Americans to go without got even more bizarre as co-host Sara Haines bloviated about the “key” to happiness was “about having less.” She described America as “a country of excess” and decried it as a “bucket you’re filling with a hole in it. It will never be enough.”
Her solution was for people to live like monks who have spent time in prison:
And that's why monks – who are like the happiest – they’ve sometimes served time in prisons were - due to meditation - they survived and they were at peace and they were able to forgive people; was because they get rid of possessions.
None of the cast committed to giving up their possessions.
Although, they did poke fun at faux-conservative Ana Navarro for being miserable in Florida. “Maybe if you lived in Florida, you’d be upset 24 hours a day too,” she snapped at them at one point. “Time to move!” Behar quipped.
The View’s demands you live with less were made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Allegra and FreshPet. Their contact information is linked.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s The View
March 24, 2023
11:26:55 a.m. Eastern(…)
JOY BEHAR: Is happiness something that can be learned, do you think? And why are the Fins so freak’n happy?
SUNNY HOSTIN: The Fins are very happy. My friend married a Fin, so I’ve been there many times. And everybody seems happy. I thought it was weird. I thought it was a little Stepford Wife-ish, because I live in New York and I am from the Bronx.
BEHAR: And no one’s happy here.
HOSTIN: No one’s happy. You’re like, “good morning.” “Yeah? Good morning” [in a mean tone].
But, they have – time off of work is very plentiful. They get 30 vacation days a year. Healthcare coverage is free and guaranteed. It is like a year from maternity leave.
BEHAR: And they have end-of-life care.
HOSTIN: End-of-life care. They're considered one of the least corrupt countries in the world. And they care about immigrants. The social security tries to help immigrants getting into the system.
And so, all those life stresses that we worry about like, how am I going to pay for my kids' schools, how am I going to pay for my house, how am I going to do this? They all have it. They're just hanging out.
BEHAR: Well, you know. The counter argument to that is, they pay higher taxes. But if you calculate it, what money you pay on child care, maternity leave. It’s worth it in a way.
HOSTIN: It’s totally worth it.
BEHAR: But there’s one more thing before you talk. I want to say this is from a Fin. “We’re just satisfied with very little,” says this person. “We don't have to have extremely successful careers. We don't have to have a ton of money. We like the simple things in life like our forest walks.” Nah.
HOSTIN: Nature.
BEHAR: Too many ticks. “And hanging out with friends.” Very important. So, that's why they are happy too.
They're not greedy, in this country. They don't have this constant “I got to get more.” You know, like Bernie Sanders was here a few weeks ago. He said, they have a billion, they want another billion. It never ends with the greed and the money acquisition.
(…)
11:28:55 a.m. Eastern
ANA NAVARRO: Maybe if you lived in Florida, you’d be upset 24 hours a day too.
BEHAR: Time to move!
(…)
11:29:51 a.m. Eastern
SARAH HAINES: I think the key is there is what you said – They talk a lot about being one with nature but it’s also about having less. I think especially in this country being the wealthiest country on the globe that – despite the poverty that we still experience – it’s a country of excess.
BEHAR: That’s right.
HAINES: That’s a bucket you’re filling with a hole in it. It will never be enough.
BEHAR: Keeping up with the Joneses, they all it.
HAINES: Never enough money. Never enough power. And that's why monks – who are like the happiest – they’ve sometimes served time in prisons were due to meditation, they survived and they were at peace and they were able to forgive people; was because they get rid of possessions.
(…)
