Cynics may claim that money, financial security, and success matter most to people in Switzerland, but a large-scale study shows otherwise.
Over 50,000 people from across the country participated in an opinion poll called “How’s it going, Switzerland?”, conducted by GFS Bern Institute on behalf of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation.
It sought to find out what life principles — or values — Swiss people identify with most in terms of priorities.
Respondents had to choose from eight different principles which they found most important in life.
What do the results show?
For most respondents (nearly 30 percent), honesty is by far the most important value.
If you find this surprising, you shouldn’t, because this quality is deeply entrenched — if not in the Swiss Constitution, then at least in Swiss mentality.
In fact, a study conducted several years ago that compared rates of civic honesty in 40 countries around the world revealed that Switzerland is home to the most morally correct people — at least when it comes to returning wallets with cash in them.
READ ALSO: Swiss are the most honest in the world, new study suggests
Next value that is close to Swiss people’s hearts (17.11 percent) is happiness — more specifically, enjoying life — followed by lasting relationships (12.6 percent).
On the other hand, ‘success’ is near the bottom of the scale, being the most important quality for only 1.48 percent of participants.
Advertisement
But wait — there is a ‘but’
These are the general results, culled from the population at large.
But the priorities are slightly different among young people and those living in the French speaking part of Switzerland.
For them, enjoying life is the top value.
While country-wide this principle garnered 17.11 percent of votes, in the French-speaking cantons it is in the first place, with 22.35 percent of votes.
Age-wise, 23.70 percent of those between 16 and 39 value this quality the most, while only 14.15 percent of those between 40 and 64 do; the proportion is even lower among the 65-plus group — 12.33 percent.
