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1
00:00:06,881 --> 00:00:10,552
[birds chirping]
2
00:00:10,593 --> 00:00:12,679
- Let's do this!
3
00:00:12,721 --> 00:00:14,472
- Yeah.
4
00:00:14,514 --> 00:00:17,851
I'll see you back at the cars.
5
00:00:17,892 --> 00:00:19,644
Okay, here we go.
6
00:00:19,686 --> 00:00:22,564
[overlapping chatter]
7
00:00:22,605 --> 00:00:26,026
- There's no tension.
We're okay.
8
00:00:26,067 --> 00:00:28,695
You can feel the breeze,
but it's cozy.
9
00:00:28,737 --> 00:00:31,156
- It's cozy...
- And a little cool.
10
00:00:31,197 --> 00:00:32,532
- Okay.
- Yes.
11
00:00:32,574 --> 00:00:35,410
- It's a nice warm breeze
from the Arctic Circle.
12
00:00:36,661 --> 00:00:39,205
This is a show
about happiness.
13
00:00:39,247 --> 00:00:41,166
- Breathe in through
the nose...
14
00:00:41,207 --> 00:00:44,461
on three and out on six.
15
00:00:44,502 --> 00:00:46,546
- As you can see...
16
00:00:46,588 --> 00:00:49,799
I'm not exactly
all smiles right now.
17
00:00:49,841 --> 00:00:51,926
So how did I get here?
18
00:00:51,968 --> 00:00:55,096
[high-pitched rewind whine]
19
00:00:58,892 --> 00:01:01,811
[projector humming]
20
00:01:01,853 --> 00:01:04,522
I grew up as a big-headed
baby in Seattle,
21
00:01:04,564 --> 00:01:06,775
moved to Nicaragua
when I was three,
22
00:01:06,816 --> 00:01:09,736
made friends with parrots
and sloths.
23
00:01:09,778 --> 00:01:11,905
Moved back to Washington State
when I was five,
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00:01:11,946 --> 00:01:13,365
learned to play the bassoon.
25
00:01:13,406 --> 00:01:15,825
Moved to Illinois
and joined the drama club,
26
00:01:15,867 --> 00:01:18,661
and eventually,
I landed in Los Angeles
27
00:01:18,703 --> 00:01:21,915
as Dunder Mifflin's Assistant
to the Regional Manager.
28
00:01:21,956 --> 00:01:24,084
- Please welcome Rainn Wilson.
29
00:01:24,125 --> 00:01:26,586
- Rainn Wilson.
30
00:01:26,628 --> 00:01:28,755
- Yet for all my success,
31
00:01:28,797 --> 00:01:30,757
my wife and son,
whom I love,
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00:01:30,799 --> 00:01:34,886
a nice house, people tattooing
my face on their feet...
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00:01:37,097 --> 00:01:39,599
[beeping, whirring]
34
00:01:39,641 --> 00:01:41,351
[sighs]
35
00:01:41,393 --> 00:01:43,937
You'd think I'd be happier.
36
00:01:43,978 --> 00:01:47,190
[upbeat music]
37
00:01:47,232 --> 00:01:49,776
* *
38
00:01:49,818 --> 00:01:52,821
But like so many others,
I struggle...
39
00:01:52,862 --> 00:01:53,780
to find fulfillment.
40
00:01:53,822 --> 00:01:55,448
Amy.
41
00:01:55,490 --> 00:01:58,368
To find true joy.
42
00:01:58,410 --> 00:02:00,453
I need to be
honest with you all.
43
00:02:00,495 --> 00:02:01,955
It's just I've been going
through
44
00:02:01,996 --> 00:02:03,248
a really hard time recently
45
00:02:03,289 --> 00:02:04,749
on a number
of different levels,
46
00:02:04,791 --> 00:02:06,793
and I've been feeling
a little bit low,
47
00:02:06,835 --> 00:02:08,670
a little bit less than,
a little depressed
48
00:02:08,712 --> 00:02:11,089
and humbled
and lost these days.
49
00:02:11,131 --> 00:02:15,135
* *
50
00:02:15,176 --> 00:02:17,012
And so I've churned
through countless therapists
51
00:02:17,053 --> 00:02:19,222
and self-help books.
52
00:02:19,264 --> 00:02:21,474
I've tried journaling
and meditating.
53
00:02:21,516 --> 00:02:24,728
And I tried this, whatever--
54
00:02:24,769 --> 00:02:26,312
I don't even know
what that is.
55
00:02:26,354 --> 00:02:27,772
- Are you happy?
56
00:02:27,814 --> 00:02:29,107
- I am happy.
57
00:02:29,149 --> 00:02:30,608
I'm happier than I used to be.
58
00:02:30,650 --> 00:02:33,028
- I even founded SoulPancake,
59
00:02:33,069 --> 00:02:36,781
a media company focused
on life's big questions.
60
00:02:39,075 --> 00:02:40,368
[staticky channel changes]
61
00:02:40,410 --> 00:02:42,871
And yet,
life continued on autopilot.
62
00:02:42,912 --> 00:02:44,330
Ecchh.
63
00:02:44,372 --> 00:02:47,083
[staticky channel changes]
64
00:02:47,125 --> 00:02:48,668
Happiness is out there,
65
00:02:48,710 --> 00:02:52,630
hiding in some of the places
you'd least expect.
66
00:02:52,672 --> 00:02:55,467
What I want to know is,
which places?
67
00:02:55,508 --> 00:02:57,010
[Nicky Blitz' "Blast Off"]
68
00:02:57,052 --> 00:02:59,346
- * Getting too close,
better pull on back *
69
00:02:59,387 --> 00:03:00,930
- What if I travel the world,
70
00:03:00,972 --> 00:03:03,516
exploring what makes some
places happier than others?
71
00:03:03,558 --> 00:03:05,727
- * Need a one-two... *
72
00:03:05,769 --> 00:03:07,687
- I'm looking at the ways
that where we are...
73
00:03:07,729 --> 00:03:09,356
- * Yeah, I'm a-comin',
I'm a-comin' *
74
00:03:09,397 --> 00:03:10,690
- Affect who we are.
75
00:03:10,732 --> 00:03:11,816
- * Whoo, I'm a-comin' *
76
00:03:11,858 --> 00:03:13,943
* I'm a-comin', yeah... *
77
00:03:14,652 --> 00:03:16,696
- It's been said that
the search for happiness
78
00:03:16,738 --> 00:03:19,532
is the chief source
of unhappiness.
79
00:03:19,574 --> 00:03:21,451
- * I'm a-comin',
I'm a-comin'... *
80
00:03:21,493 --> 00:03:23,244
- Well, that's okay.
81
00:03:23,286 --> 00:03:27,332
I'm already unhappy,
so I've got nothing to lose.
82
00:03:27,374 --> 00:03:29,084
- * Let's go *
83
00:03:29,125 --> 00:03:31,336
* Let's all blast off *
84
00:03:35,090 --> 00:03:38,009
[birds chirping]
85
00:03:40,136 --> 00:03:43,723
[bells tolling]
86
00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:51,272
[bouncy music]
87
00:03:51,314 --> 00:03:53,900
For my first stop of this
harebrained experiment,
88
00:03:53,942 --> 00:03:55,777
I'm visiting a place
that does happiness
89
00:03:55,819 --> 00:03:57,946
as well as anywhere on Earth.
90
00:04:00,073 --> 00:04:02,409
For a decade now,
Iceland ranks as one
91
00:04:02,450 --> 00:04:05,745
of the top five countries on
the World Happiness Report.
92
00:04:05,787 --> 00:04:09,624
The United States has
never cracked the top ten.
93
00:04:09,666 --> 00:04:13,086
A lot of people hear this
and wonder, Iceland?
94
00:04:13,128 --> 00:04:14,337
As in that island country
95
00:04:14,379 --> 00:04:15,630
floating
in the North Atlantic,
96
00:04:15,672 --> 00:04:17,507
submerged
in near-total darkness
97
00:04:17,549 --> 00:04:19,342
and tongue-numbing cold?
98
00:04:19,384 --> 00:04:22,345
[wind howling]
99
00:04:22,387 --> 00:04:24,889
Yes, that Iceland.
100
00:04:27,809 --> 00:04:29,978
But how the hell do you
measure happiness?
101
00:04:30,020 --> 00:04:32,063
It's complicated,
but each year,
102
00:04:32,105 --> 00:04:34,274
hundreds of thousands
of people around the world
103
00:04:34,315 --> 00:04:35,817
rate the quality
of their lives
104
00:04:35,859 --> 00:04:38,445
on a scale from one to ten.
105
00:04:38,987 --> 00:04:41,823
Okay, so it's not really
that complicated.
106
00:04:43,283 --> 00:04:44,659
Is there any truth
107
00:04:44,701 --> 00:04:46,619
to this so-called science
of happiness?
108
00:04:46,661 --> 00:04:49,789
Well, I intend to find out.
109
00:04:49,831 --> 00:04:52,208
I'm here in Iceland's
capital of Reykjavík
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00:04:52,250 --> 00:04:54,794
during the still pretty much
freezing springtime,
111
00:04:54,836 --> 00:04:57,130
wondering
what alternative reality
112
00:04:57,172 --> 00:04:58,882
I've stumbled into where--
113
00:04:58,923 --> 00:05:02,761
[baby cooing]
114
00:05:02,802 --> 00:05:04,929
It's a baby.
115
00:05:09,059 --> 00:05:12,354
Where people leave babies
unattended
116
00:05:12,395 --> 00:05:14,856
and find joy
in endless winter.
117
00:05:17,025 --> 00:05:20,987
How do you find happiness
against all odds?
118
00:05:21,029 --> 00:05:23,031
Hi, Icelandic dog.
119
00:05:24,449 --> 00:05:29,120
There are no strangers
on this island of 370,000,
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00:05:29,162 --> 00:05:31,122
roughly the population
of Cleveland.
121
00:05:31,164 --> 00:05:33,124
So when you hit up your
Icelandic actor friend
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00:05:33,166 --> 00:05:34,959
for a favor,
he happily stands
123
00:05:35,001 --> 00:05:37,087
in front of a tourist
information booth
124
00:05:37,128 --> 00:05:39,881
and pretends he just happened
to run into you.
125
00:05:39,923 --> 00:05:42,467
[horn honking]
126
00:05:42,509 --> 00:05:45,178
- What?
- Rainn?
127
00:05:45,220 --> 00:05:48,598
- Icelandic cultural icon,
actor Ólafur Darri Ólafsson
128
00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,226
- Say what?
- Hey, how's it going?
129
00:05:51,267 --> 00:05:54,020
Oh, good to see you, man.
130
00:05:54,062 --> 00:05:55,772
- So you could not
find a smaller car?
131
00:05:55,814 --> 00:05:57,357
- This is
the smallest they got.
132
00:05:57,399 --> 00:05:58,400
- Okay.
- Yeah.
133
00:05:58,441 --> 00:06:00,026
Here we go.
134
00:06:00,068 --> 00:06:01,444
Raaah!
135
00:06:01,486 --> 00:06:03,988
- Boom.
- Hey.
136
00:06:04,030 --> 00:06:05,740
- Sing.
- No, no, thank you.
137
00:06:05,782 --> 00:06:07,534
I'm not--I'm all right.
138
00:06:07,575 --> 00:06:11,371
- Ólafur Darri Ólafsson
is an iconic Icelandic actor,
139
00:06:11,413 --> 00:06:12,747
and one of the most
140
00:06:12,789 --> 00:06:14,582
joyful people I know.
141
00:06:14,624 --> 00:06:17,711
He's like a 6'5"
Viking teddy bear.
142
00:06:17,752 --> 00:06:19,295
Don't you guys ever
watch "Shark Week?"
143
00:06:19,337 --> 00:06:21,756
I met him while filming
"The Meg" a few years back,
144
00:06:21,798 --> 00:06:24,217
and spoiler alert--=
we both get devoured
145
00:06:24,259 --> 00:06:26,511
by a massive mackerel shark
from the Pliocene epic,
146
00:06:26,553 --> 00:06:30,181
and we won't be reprising
our roles in "The Meg 2."
147
00:06:30,223 --> 00:06:32,809
- Do you--
because I almost always
148
00:06:32,851 --> 00:06:34,352
get killed in everything I do.
149
00:06:34,394 --> 00:06:36,563
- We're planning on killing
you on this show, too.
150
00:06:36,604 --> 00:06:38,231
I hope that's okay.
- Absolutely.
151
00:06:38,273 --> 00:06:39,649
I would expect nothing less.
152
00:06:39,691 --> 00:06:41,484
[laughter]
153
00:06:42,819 --> 00:06:45,071
So whenever
you come to Iceland,
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00:06:45,113 --> 00:06:47,490
there's one thing
all of us have in common.
155
00:06:47,532 --> 00:06:49,617
- Okay.
- We go to a hot springs.
156
00:06:49,659 --> 00:06:51,828
- A hot springs.
157
00:06:51,870 --> 00:06:54,247
Icelanders love their nature.
158
00:06:54,289 --> 00:06:56,875
Around here, winter
means being locked inside
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00:06:56,916 --> 00:06:58,835
for months on end,
so they learned
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00:06:58,877 --> 00:07:01,713
not to take their
surroundings for granted.
161
00:07:01,755 --> 00:07:03,673
Look how beautiful this is.
162
00:07:03,715 --> 00:07:05,842
- I wanna say you get
used to it, but you don't.
163
00:07:05,884 --> 00:07:11,639
[upbeat jazzy music]
164
00:07:11,681 --> 00:07:13,933
This fjord, we're in
a pretty massive fjord.
165
00:07:13,975 --> 00:07:16,936
It's called Hvalfjordur,
or whale fjord.
166
00:07:16,978 --> 00:07:18,772
- You steer for a second.
- Right.
167
00:07:20,899 --> 00:07:22,525
So this is where we're going,
huh?
168
00:07:22,567 --> 00:07:23,610
- Yes.
169
00:07:23,651 --> 00:07:25,487
- Mountains up ahead.
170
00:07:25,528 --> 00:07:27,614
This is with Darri driving.
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00:07:27,655 --> 00:07:29,366
There's his hand.
- Ha.
172
00:07:29,407 --> 00:07:31,409
- There's his meaty
little hand.
173
00:07:31,451 --> 00:07:32,994
- Rainn, are you coming back?
174
00:07:33,036 --> 00:07:35,663
You gonna take
the wheel at some point?
175
00:07:35,705 --> 00:07:37,749
- Um...at some point.
176
00:07:37,791 --> 00:07:40,752
- This is fun.
It's fun, though.
177
00:07:40,794 --> 00:07:43,880
[sea birds calling]
178
00:07:45,674 --> 00:07:47,425
You know, Rainn,
if we wanna do this
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00:07:47,467 --> 00:07:50,887
the real old-school
Icelandic way,
180
00:07:50,929 --> 00:07:53,765
we really should
drop our trunks.
181
00:07:53,807 --> 00:07:57,352
- Just two...
enormous, naked men.
182
00:07:57,394 --> 00:07:59,813
- Yeah.
Go au naturel.
183
00:07:59,854 --> 00:08:02,524
- In a fjord?
- Yes.
184
00:08:02,565 --> 00:08:04,859
- All right. Let's do it.
- Let's do it.
185
00:08:09,364 --> 00:08:10,907
- Okay.
186
00:08:10,949 --> 00:08:12,867
- Whoo!
- Here we go.
187
00:08:14,661 --> 00:08:16,538
[splash]
- Oh, wow.
188
00:08:17,539 --> 00:08:18,873
Ooh, it's a little
stinky, right?
189
00:08:18,915 --> 00:08:20,417
- It's a little stinky.
190
00:08:20,458 --> 00:08:22,836
- Ahh...
- That's the sulfur.
191
00:08:22,877 --> 00:08:26,464
- Wow. We're in a bubbly,
sulfuric,
192
00:08:26,506 --> 00:08:29,467
Viking armpit.
193
00:08:29,509 --> 00:08:32,721
I look around, I'm like, well,
194
00:08:32,762 --> 00:08:34,764
I could be happy here.
- Yeah.
195
00:08:34,806 --> 00:08:37,308
- Anyone could be happy here.
I mean, this is--
196
00:08:37,350 --> 00:08:39,060
there's so much beauty.
197
00:08:39,102 --> 00:08:41,021
- It's not something
you get used to.
198
00:08:41,062 --> 00:08:43,690
It knocks you on your feet
almost every time,
199
00:08:43,732 --> 00:08:45,442
any time you go into nature.
200
00:08:45,483 --> 00:08:48,737
'Cause, you know, our capital
city is the biggest city.
201
00:08:48,778 --> 00:08:50,947
It has about half
the population.
202
00:08:50,989 --> 00:08:53,241
But you can be in the middle of
nowhere in, like, 20 minutes.
203
00:08:53,283 --> 00:08:54,451
- Yeah.
204
00:08:54,492 --> 00:08:55,869
Are those birds
gonna attack us?
205
00:08:55,910 --> 00:08:57,620
- I think they like--
they don't like us being here.
206
00:08:57,662 --> 00:08:59,873
- Intruders!
Intruders!
207
00:08:59,914 --> 00:09:02,250
- Turning into
a Hitchcock movie fast.
208
00:09:04,044 --> 00:09:06,046
This closeness to nature...
209
00:09:06,087 --> 00:09:08,506
when I talk about nature,
I mean the whole thing.
210
00:09:08,548 --> 00:09:12,802
Like, the closest
to the weather.
211
00:09:12,844 --> 00:09:15,305
The weather will go
from sunny to snowing
212
00:09:15,347 --> 00:09:18,183
to sunny again
to raining in one hour.
213
00:09:18,224 --> 00:09:20,185
You know, you never know
what's going to happen.
214
00:09:20,226 --> 00:09:22,187
[thunder rumbles]
215
00:09:22,228 --> 00:09:25,440
This is a very, very alive,
as a country.
216
00:09:25,482 --> 00:09:27,192
- Well, I love you saying,
like, the land is alive,
217
00:09:27,233 --> 00:09:28,818
'cause it really does
feel that way.
218
00:09:28,860 --> 00:09:31,654
There are hot springs.
There are geysers.
219
00:09:31,696 --> 00:09:34,074
There are waterfalls
everywhere.
220
00:09:34,115 --> 00:09:35,325
There's glaciers.
221
00:09:35,367 --> 00:09:37,452
It's chockablock with glaciers.
- Yeah.
222
00:09:37,494 --> 00:09:39,079
- And active volcanoes.
223
00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:43,625
Like, this is not a kind of
a mellow landscape.
224
00:09:43,667 --> 00:09:46,336
It's changing,
evolving, moving.
225
00:09:46,378 --> 00:09:47,587
- And I kind of like that.
226
00:09:47,629 --> 00:09:49,339
It's a place
you have to respect.
227
00:09:49,381 --> 00:09:53,343
But if you treat it with
respect, it is so rewarding.
228
00:09:57,305 --> 00:09:59,224
- There's a concept
in positive psychology,
229
00:09:59,265 --> 00:10:00,517
the study
of human happiness,
230
00:10:00,558 --> 00:10:03,687
that explains the joy
Icelanders derive
231
00:10:03,728 --> 00:10:05,271
from the nature around them.
232
00:10:07,148 --> 00:10:10,902
It's known as
the biophilia hypothesis.
233
00:10:10,944 --> 00:10:12,612
It says that on
a genetic level,
234
00:10:12,654 --> 00:10:15,740
human beings are happiest
when we feel most connected
235
00:10:15,782 --> 00:10:18,118
to other living things.
236
00:10:18,159 --> 00:10:21,454
It's why we feel that sense
of calm watching a sunset.
237
00:10:21,496 --> 00:10:23,998
Or in my case...
238
00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:26,292
scratching the bellies
of Amy and Snorty,
239
00:10:26,334 --> 00:10:28,461
my pot-bellied pigs.
240
00:10:28,503 --> 00:10:30,380
It's a pig life.
241
00:10:32,173 --> 00:10:35,885
Icelanders understand this,
and the respect for nature,
242
00:10:35,927 --> 00:10:38,138
its beauty, its volatility,
243
00:10:38,179 --> 00:10:40,140
it forms the very foundation
244
00:10:40,181 --> 00:10:43,226
of how they
view the world around them.
245
00:10:43,268 --> 00:10:45,979
- So we have a saying
every Icelander knows,
246
00:10:46,021 --> 00:10:47,856
which is [speaking Icelandic],
247
00:10:47,897 --> 00:10:49,983
which is basically,
ah, it'll work out.
248
00:10:50,025 --> 00:10:52,610
And that comes with, I think,
249
00:10:52,652 --> 00:10:56,656
having an environment
that is constantly changing.
250
00:10:56,698 --> 00:10:59,701
And I think that
doesn't only come with
251
00:10:59,743 --> 00:11:01,202
how you deal with nature,
252
00:11:01,244 --> 00:11:03,913
but it becomes
a part of your entire life.
253
00:11:03,955 --> 00:11:06,499
If you decided that, you know,
we're going to--
254
00:11:06,541 --> 00:11:08,752
tomorrow we're gonna...get hay.
255
00:11:08,793 --> 00:11:12,881
You know, we're gonna go and
take hay and put in the barn.
256
00:11:12,922 --> 00:11:15,008
But tomorrow,
it's gonna be raining.
257
00:11:15,050 --> 00:11:16,926
You just have to go
and do something else.
258
00:11:16,968 --> 00:11:18,428
- Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
- And I think in Iceland,
259
00:11:18,470 --> 00:11:21,306
that's what we do very often.
- Mm-hmm.
260
00:11:21,348 --> 00:11:25,518
- And I kind of love
that adaptability.
261
00:11:25,560 --> 00:11:27,228
- You talked about the
changeability of the weather.
262
00:11:27,270 --> 00:11:29,064
Since we started
our conversation,
263
00:11:29,105 --> 00:11:32,901
there is an icy, icy wind
264
00:11:32,942 --> 00:11:35,111
coming from the north.
265
00:11:35,945 --> 00:11:38,698
* [whistling] *
266
00:11:38,740 --> 00:11:40,408
Adaptability.
267
00:11:40,450 --> 00:11:43,828
It's an important first
lesson as I begin my journey.
268
00:11:43,870 --> 00:11:45,205
To understand happiness,
269
00:11:45,246 --> 00:11:48,541
I'll need to embrace
what comes my way.
270
00:11:48,583 --> 00:11:49,918
- Hey!
271
00:11:53,713 --> 00:11:57,425
- Aah!
272
00:12:00,887 --> 00:12:03,723
[mellow music]
273
00:12:03,765 --> 00:12:05,600
- Antifragile.
274
00:12:06,476 --> 00:12:09,229
It's a term in mathematics
used to describe systems
275
00:12:09,270 --> 00:12:10,689
that actually thrive
276
00:12:10,730 --> 00:12:13,274
when exposed
to volatility and disorder.
277
00:12:16,444 --> 00:12:20,573
Icelanders are the epitome
of antifragile.
278
00:12:23,076 --> 00:12:24,911
- My favorite
Icelandic expression
279
00:12:24,953 --> 00:12:26,162
is probably
[speaking Icelandic].
280
00:12:26,204 --> 00:12:27,372
- [repeating same expression]
281
00:12:27,414 --> 00:12:28,998
- [repeating
same expression]
282
00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:31,209
It means, like,
it will work itself out.
283
00:12:38,717 --> 00:12:40,552
- [Icelandic expression]
284
00:12:40,593 --> 00:12:42,387
Even on the verge of
becoming roadkill,
285
00:12:42,429 --> 00:12:45,598
Icelanders insist upon their
unofficial national motto
286
00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:48,226
that everything
will work itself out.
287
00:12:48,268 --> 00:12:50,478
- In the last month,
didn't have a job,
288
00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:52,397
but I knew
it would just work out.
289
00:12:52,439 --> 00:12:55,692
And now I have a job.
So...it just works out.
290
00:12:57,610 --> 00:12:59,738
- I'm struggling to buy
into all of this
291
00:12:59,779 --> 00:13:01,239
because I am wired to believe
292
00:13:01,281 --> 00:13:04,242
that the worst is always
lurking around the corner.
293
00:13:05,118 --> 00:13:07,245
- Why do I think
the world thinks
294
00:13:07,287 --> 00:13:08,830
Iceland
is one of the happiest--
295
00:13:08,872 --> 00:13:10,790
- Oh, God.
[laughs]
296
00:13:10,832 --> 00:13:13,168
That's a heavy question.
297
00:13:14,085 --> 00:13:16,796
I can imagine that people think
that we are very happy here,
298
00:13:16,838 --> 00:13:19,049
which we are, I assume.
299
00:13:19,090 --> 00:13:20,884
- It's all about good
marketing, I think.
300
00:13:20,925 --> 00:13:23,595
- We just make
our own happiness.
301
00:13:23,636 --> 00:13:26,139
- Magic mushrooms...
[chuckling]
302
00:13:26,181 --> 00:13:29,017
definitely do their part.
303
00:13:29,893 --> 00:13:33,313
- But Icelanders have no
hallucinations of grandeur.
304
00:13:33,355 --> 00:13:35,231
In a country where chaos
305
00:13:35,273 --> 00:13:37,067
is always
one volcanic eruption away,
306
00:13:37,108 --> 00:13:39,778
plotting and planning
to control anything in life
307
00:13:39,819 --> 00:13:41,946
is so obviously a joke.
308
00:13:41,988 --> 00:13:43,531
- This is
a Roman helmet, right?
309
00:13:43,573 --> 00:13:44,991
- Even the politicians
are in on it.
310
00:13:45,033 --> 00:13:46,284
- Isn't it?
- Yeah.
311
00:13:46,326 --> 00:13:48,286
I don't know
if we're gonna be able
312
00:13:48,328 --> 00:13:50,038
to take you very seriously
in this interview...
313
00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:52,582
- No?
- While wearing that.
314
00:13:52,624 --> 00:13:54,042
That's so ridiculous.
315
00:13:54,084 --> 00:13:55,794
- You don't think
I should be wearing it?
316
00:13:55,835 --> 00:13:56,878
- Jón Gnarr.
317
00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:57,879
- Jón Gnarr.
318
00:13:57,921 --> 00:13:59,089
- Jón Gnarr.
319
00:13:59,130 --> 00:14:00,423
- The world's coolest mayor.
320
00:14:00,465 --> 00:14:02,133
His campaign began as a joke.
321
00:14:02,175 --> 00:14:04,386
- Some thought it was a joke,
322
00:14:04,427 --> 00:14:07,263
but at least one-third
of the Reykjavík voters
323
00:14:07,305 --> 00:14:08,431
thought differently.
324
00:14:08,473 --> 00:14:09,974
[triumphant chords]
325
00:14:10,016 --> 00:14:13,311
- Jón Gnarr is a cab driver
turned playwright
326
00:14:13,353 --> 00:14:15,772
turned comedian,
who, in 2009,
327
00:14:15,814 --> 00:14:18,692
successfully ran for mayor
of Reykjavík.
328
00:14:18,733 --> 00:14:20,026
Among his platforms
329
00:14:20,068 --> 00:14:22,028
was his refusal
to form a coalition government
330
00:14:22,070 --> 00:14:24,864
with anyone who hadn't seen
HBO's "The Wire."
331
00:14:24,906 --> 00:14:27,158
- Inspired by
a philosophy of nonsense,
332
00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,537
Gnarr promised to get them a
polar bear for the city's zoo.
333
00:14:30,578 --> 00:14:35,709
- I actually think we need more
humor in all aspects of life.
334
00:14:35,750 --> 00:14:38,503
[triumphant music]
335
00:14:38,545 --> 00:14:40,755
[laughing]
336
00:14:40,797 --> 00:14:43,341
- Here we go.
Allow me.
337
00:14:43,383 --> 00:14:46,469
So, who better to don my
Viking regalia alongside...
338
00:14:46,511 --> 00:14:49,139
- You prefer a shorter axe?
339
00:14:49,180 --> 00:14:51,182
- Oh, an axe, please.
- Oh, yep.
340
00:14:51,224 --> 00:14:52,934
- While exploring 1,100 years
341
00:14:52,976 --> 00:14:56,604
of ridiculously graphic
Icelandic bloodshed?
342
00:14:56,646 --> 00:14:59,858
[dramatic music]
343
00:14:59,899 --> 00:15:03,945
* *
344
00:15:03,987 --> 00:15:05,363
- Wow.
345
00:15:05,405 --> 00:15:08,533
- Yeah, so this is all
pretty amazing.
346
00:15:09,492 --> 00:15:12,954
- The Saga Museum is a lot
like It's a Small World.
347
00:15:12,996 --> 00:15:16,207
But instead of animatronic
children singing in harmony...
348
00:15:16,249 --> 00:15:18,251
[quirky music]
349
00:15:18,293 --> 00:15:19,836
It's a bunch of
murderous Vikings
350
00:15:19,878 --> 00:15:22,255
hacking off
each other's limbs.
351
00:15:22,297 --> 00:15:24,507
Oh, here's another guy
chopping another guy.
352
00:15:24,549 --> 00:15:26,426
I'm going to just stay here.
353
00:15:26,468 --> 00:15:28,595
- Oh, that's beautiful.
- When some tourists come by,
354
00:15:28,636 --> 00:15:31,139
I'm gonna scare the shit
out of them.
355
00:15:33,558 --> 00:15:38,229
Did the early settlers who
came from Norway, I assume--
356
00:15:38,271 --> 00:15:40,398
- And British Isles.
Why did they come here?
357
00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:42,984
- Yeah. Why?
- Nobody knows.
358
00:15:43,026 --> 00:15:46,446
- There is no word for
"history" in Icelandic.
359
00:15:46,488 --> 00:15:50,408
Instead, they have sagas,
which just means stories.
360
00:15:50,450 --> 00:15:51,993
So the history of Iceland
361
00:15:52,035 --> 00:15:55,705
is just a hodgepodge of
mythologies, tall tales,
362
00:15:55,747 --> 00:15:58,166
and some actual history
thrown in.
363
00:15:58,208 --> 00:16:00,710
Aaaah!
364
00:16:02,295 --> 00:16:04,214
- What is she doing
with her boob?
365
00:16:04,255 --> 00:16:06,466
- I'm not sure.
- "Finding herself cornered,
366
00:16:06,508 --> 00:16:08,510
"she took up his sword,
opened her tunic,
367
00:16:08,551 --> 00:16:10,512
and placed the blade
against her naked breasts."
368
00:16:10,553 --> 00:16:11,638
- Yes.
369
00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:13,431
- "The strange
but bold gesture"--
370
00:16:13,473 --> 00:16:15,975
it is strange and bold.
- Strange, but bold.
371
00:16:16,017 --> 00:16:17,602
- "Put the natives to flight."
372
00:16:17,644 --> 00:16:19,270
They were like, "No,
don't cut off your boob!
373
00:16:19,312 --> 00:16:20,271
Aah!"
- Don't-don't do it!
374
00:16:20,313 --> 00:16:21,648
Don't do it.
- Wow.
375
00:16:23,358 --> 00:16:25,652
What does this saga-ness reveal
376
00:16:25,694 --> 00:16:29,155
about the modern
Icelandic character?
377
00:16:29,197 --> 00:16:32,450
- It's everything
that is Icelandic.
378
00:16:32,492 --> 00:16:35,120
To be able to survive here
and live here
379
00:16:35,161 --> 00:16:37,455
and find happiness here,
380
00:16:37,497 --> 00:16:40,792
you have to be quite creative
and inventive.
381
00:16:40,834 --> 00:16:42,127
- Hmm.
- Yeah.
382
00:16:42,168 --> 00:16:43,586
Come up with stories,
383
00:16:43,628 --> 00:16:46,339
something to entertain
yourself and others.
384
00:16:47,590 --> 00:16:50,051
One thing you have to
realize about Iceland--
385
00:16:50,093 --> 00:16:52,804
it is kind of like a cult.
386
00:16:52,846 --> 00:16:57,642
Facts have never been that
popular here, but fiction...
387
00:16:57,684 --> 00:17:02,313
So we come up with
alternative realities.
388
00:17:02,355 --> 00:17:04,399
Otherwise, you lose your mind.
389
00:17:05,567 --> 00:17:07,485
- I don't know
if I've mentioned this,
390
00:17:07,527 --> 00:17:10,238
but it's really
hard to live here.
391
00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:13,867
In the 1400s, Iceland
was twice hit by the plague,
392
00:17:13,908 --> 00:17:17,954
each time killing half of the
country's entire population.
393
00:17:17,996 --> 00:17:19,914
In 1783, the volcano Laki
394
00:17:19,956 --> 00:17:21,833
erupted
for eight straight months,
395
00:17:21,875 --> 00:17:24,210
destroying
most of the country's crops
396
00:17:24,252 --> 00:17:27,380
and killing nearly a quarter
of the people here.
397
00:17:27,422 --> 00:17:29,424
For centuries,
this constant turmoil
398
00:17:29,466 --> 00:17:30,925
meant that reinvention
399
00:17:30,967 --> 00:17:33,511
was the only means
of survival in Iceland.
400
00:17:33,553 --> 00:17:35,221
Farmers had to
learn how to fish.
401
00:17:35,263 --> 00:17:37,140
Fishermen had to
learn how to farm.
402
00:17:37,182 --> 00:17:39,059
And this legacy
continues today,
403
00:17:39,100 --> 00:17:41,102
in a slightly different form.
404
00:17:41,144 --> 00:17:43,855
Well, this is fascinating,
because you are kind of
405
00:17:43,897 --> 00:17:45,231
the poster child
for that adaptiveness.
406
00:17:45,273 --> 00:17:46,483
- Yes.
407
00:17:46,524 --> 00:17:48,485
- You started as
a stand-up comic,
408
00:17:48,526 --> 00:17:50,653
and then kind of
almost as a joke
409
00:17:50,695 --> 00:17:52,864
ran for mayor of Reykjavík.
- Yeah.
410
00:17:52,906 --> 00:17:57,285
- And served four years as
mayor of this world capital.
411
00:17:57,327 --> 00:17:58,828
Now, were you
playing a character
412
00:17:58,870 --> 00:18:00,121
when you were
running for mayor,
413
00:18:00,163 --> 00:18:01,581
or were you really yourself?
414
00:18:01,623 --> 00:18:02,916
- In the beginning,
I was playing a character.
415
00:18:02,957 --> 00:18:04,417
- A fictional
version of yourself.
416
00:18:04,459 --> 00:18:06,544
A saga version of yourself.
- Exactly.
417
00:18:06,586 --> 00:18:09,172
- But it seems like
a lot of Icelanders
418
00:18:09,214 --> 00:18:13,426
have kind of multiple
reinventions of themselves
419
00:18:13,468 --> 00:18:15,595
and multiple realities.
- Yeah.
420
00:18:15,637 --> 00:18:17,347
- Someone can be a stockbroker
421
00:18:17,389 --> 00:18:19,224
and also be
in a heavy metal band.
422
00:18:19,265 --> 00:18:21,726
- Yeah, and publish poetry.
- Mm.
423
00:18:21,768 --> 00:18:24,187
Because in America,
you're really...
424
00:18:24,229 --> 00:18:26,564
culturally, people want you
to be on one track.
425
00:18:26,606 --> 00:18:28,233
They kinda wanna
know what you are.
426
00:18:28,274 --> 00:18:29,442
Oh, you're an
insurance salesman.
427
00:18:29,484 --> 00:18:30,819
- Yes. Exactly.
- You're a schoolteacher.
428
00:18:30,860 --> 00:18:33,697
And people...
it's pretty rare for people
429
00:18:33,738 --> 00:18:35,990
to break out of
that kind of track
430
00:18:36,032 --> 00:18:38,743
they get kind of set into.
431
00:18:38,785 --> 00:18:41,079
- To be able to survive here...
- Mm.
432
00:18:41,121 --> 00:18:43,498
- You have to be adaptive
433
00:18:43,540 --> 00:18:46,793
because the country
is quite unforgiving.
434
00:18:46,835 --> 00:18:49,587
I have sometimes
compared to being raised
435
00:18:49,629 --> 00:18:52,340
by an alcoholic mother.
436
00:18:52,382 --> 00:18:54,926
It's like, she's
beautiful, you know?
437
00:18:54,968 --> 00:18:58,263
But you never know...
[laughter]
438
00:18:58,304 --> 00:18:59,889
what's gonna happen.
- Yeah.
439
00:18:59,931 --> 00:19:01,516
* *
440
00:19:01,558 --> 00:19:05,812
- Once upon a time in Iceland,
reinvention was a necessity.
441
00:19:05,854 --> 00:19:08,481
Today, though, it's evolved
into trying your hand
442
00:19:08,523 --> 00:19:10,066
at whatever the hell
you feel like
443
00:19:10,108 --> 00:19:12,652
because no one
is judging you for it.
444
00:19:12,694 --> 00:19:14,863
Failure doesn't carry
a stigma in Iceland
445
00:19:14,904 --> 00:19:17,949
because failure has always
been a fact of life here.
446
00:19:17,991 --> 00:19:20,452
- This guy was a Catholic.
- Oh.
447
00:19:21,786 --> 00:19:24,122
It makes me realize
I'd be nowhere
448
00:19:24,164 --> 00:19:25,915
if not for my own failures.
449
00:19:25,957 --> 00:19:28,877
Crap plays an important
role in my line of work.
450
00:19:28,918 --> 00:19:30,462
It's fertilizer.
451
00:19:30,503 --> 00:19:32,088
It allows the good stuff
to grow.
452
00:19:32,130 --> 00:19:34,341
And failing is the only way
to know for sure
453
00:19:34,382 --> 00:19:37,969
if you'd be happiest as an
actor, as a cab driver...
454
00:19:38,011 --> 00:19:40,096
I think it's time
for your beheading.
455
00:19:40,138 --> 00:19:41,514
Please.
456
00:19:41,556 --> 00:19:43,725
Or as the mayor of
a European capital.
457
00:19:43,767 --> 00:19:46,603
I'm gonna cut off my breast!
458
00:19:46,644 --> 00:19:49,147
- Oh, no! Don't do that.
- Aha!
459
00:19:49,189 --> 00:19:51,358
Run away!
[laughing]
460
00:20:01,326 --> 00:20:03,578
[birds twittering]
461
00:20:03,620 --> 00:20:07,707
[engine humming]
462
00:20:07,749 --> 00:20:12,253
[upbeat music]
463
00:20:12,295 --> 00:20:14,089
* *
464
00:20:14,130 --> 00:20:17,717
- This is
Pálína Axelsdóttir Njarovík.
465
00:20:17,759 --> 00:20:19,803
She lives and works
in Reykjavík,
466
00:20:19,844 --> 00:20:21,513
but for several
months each year,
467
00:20:21,554 --> 00:20:24,140
she heads a couple of hours
east to Eystra-Geldingarholt,
468
00:20:24,182 --> 00:20:26,476
where she and the rest
of her family run a farm.
469
00:20:28,186 --> 00:20:30,438
At this point, I've heard
a lot about the resilience
470
00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:31,940
of the Icelandic people.
471
00:20:31,981 --> 00:20:33,900
But today, I'm going
to witness firsthand
472
00:20:33,942 --> 00:20:37,028
just what it takes
to survive here,
473
00:20:37,070 --> 00:20:40,532
and it's going to be...
adorable.
474
00:20:41,616 --> 00:20:43,034
[sheep bleating]
475
00:20:44,077 --> 00:20:45,370
Hello.
476
00:20:45,412 --> 00:20:46,955
- Hi, hi.
- Am I in the right place?
477
00:20:46,996 --> 00:20:49,290
- Yes.
- Oh, this is amazing.
478
00:20:49,332 --> 00:20:50,625
- Welcome.
479
00:20:50,667 --> 00:20:51,960
This is Maria, my partner.
480
00:20:52,002 --> 00:20:53,420
- Hi. "Mari-ah."
481
00:20:53,461 --> 00:20:54,421
- Maria, yeah.
482
00:20:54,462 --> 00:20:55,630
- Okay, wonderful.
483
00:20:55,672 --> 00:20:58,216
I understand
that there are lambs.
484
00:20:58,258 --> 00:21:00,510
- There are lambs.
- Many, many lambs.
485
00:21:00,552 --> 00:21:03,263
- Yeah.
- [giggling]
486
00:21:04,556 --> 00:21:06,307
- So you know,
May is lambing season.
487
00:21:06,349 --> 00:21:07,809
- Okay.
488
00:21:07,851 --> 00:21:09,144
- So the past few weeks
have been very busy.
489
00:21:09,185 --> 00:21:10,854
- Oh, wow.
- We don't sleep much,
490
00:21:10,895 --> 00:21:13,148
and we're here all day,
every day.
491
00:21:13,189 --> 00:21:14,566
- Well, I'm here to help,
so put me to work,
492
00:21:14,607 --> 00:21:15,650
whatever you need.
- I will.
493
00:21:15,692 --> 00:21:17,485
Are you ready?
- I'm ready.
494
00:21:17,527 --> 00:21:20,196
Bring on the lambs.
[exhales]
495
00:21:20,238 --> 00:21:21,489
"Silence of the Lambs."
496
00:21:21,531 --> 00:21:23,033
Wait,
that's a terrible reference.
497
00:21:23,074 --> 00:21:24,659
[laughter]
[lamb bleating]
498
00:21:24,701 --> 00:21:26,202
- Oh, look at lambykins.
499
00:21:26,244 --> 00:21:29,456
Hi, sweetie.
500
00:21:29,497 --> 00:21:30,999
[bleating]
501
00:21:31,041 --> 00:21:32,208
Hi, guys.
502
00:21:32,250 --> 00:21:33,960
What's up?
503
00:21:34,711 --> 00:21:36,087
High five.
504
00:21:37,213 --> 00:21:38,673
High five.
505
00:21:40,008 --> 00:21:42,052
Nothing?
Leave me hangin'?
506
00:21:42,093 --> 00:21:43,428
What an asshole.
507
00:21:43,470 --> 00:21:44,679
[bleating]
508
00:21:44,721 --> 00:21:46,639
- Let me show you
my favorite lamb.
509
00:21:46,681 --> 00:21:47,766
She is...
510
00:21:47,807 --> 00:21:49,517
- Oh, hi.
- Kind of cute.
511
00:21:49,559 --> 00:21:50,685
- Oh, she's adorable.
512
00:21:50,727 --> 00:21:52,979
Hi, sweetie.
Hi.
513
00:21:53,021 --> 00:21:54,481
- You can name her,
if you want.
514
00:21:54,522 --> 00:21:56,483
- It's like a kitty cat.
- Yeah.
515
00:21:56,524 --> 00:21:58,526
- I can name her?
- Yeah.
516
00:21:58,568 --> 00:22:00,195
- I'm going to name her...
517
00:22:00,236 --> 00:22:01,321
Bjork.
518
00:22:01,363 --> 00:22:03,740
- Bjork?
- Yeah.
519
00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:07,994
I think I can just
end my journey now.
520
00:22:08,036 --> 00:22:10,413
Happiness
is naming 300 baby sheep
521
00:22:10,455 --> 00:22:12,415
after Icelandic pop stars.
522
00:22:12,457 --> 00:22:13,708
Is he going to bite my face?
523
00:22:13,750 --> 00:22:16,753
- Let's see.
- N--hey!
524
00:22:16,795 --> 00:22:18,797
But then I realized
why lambing season
525
00:22:18,838 --> 00:22:21,049
is an around-the-clock,
totally exhausting,
526
00:22:21,091 --> 00:22:23,468
all hands on deck
family affair.
527
00:22:23,510 --> 00:22:27,514
I wish the cameras could
pick up how bad this smells.
528
00:22:27,555 --> 00:22:29,307
- [laughing]
- Smells like shit.
529
00:22:29,349 --> 00:22:31,810
- Does your family
do all of this work?
530
00:22:31,851 --> 00:22:33,353
- My uncles run the farm.
531
00:22:33,395 --> 00:22:36,439
I always make sure that
I have lambing season off
532
00:22:36,481 --> 00:22:39,109
because I wouldn't want
to be anywhere else.
533
00:22:43,363 --> 00:22:45,031
- See you later, guys.
534
00:22:45,073 --> 00:22:46,825
[bleating]
535
00:22:49,035 --> 00:22:52,872
So this farm, how long has
it been in your family?
536
00:22:52,914 --> 00:22:55,750
- I think I'm the
seventh generation.
537
00:22:55,792 --> 00:22:59,087
- And Icelanders have
been raising sheep for...
538
00:22:59,129 --> 00:23:00,922
- Since we got here.
- Yeah.
539
00:23:00,964 --> 00:23:02,924
- The sheep
has literally kept us alive
540
00:23:02,966 --> 00:23:04,509
through the centuries.
541
00:23:04,551 --> 00:23:07,929
Through the cold winters, they
provided both meat and wool.
542
00:23:07,971 --> 00:23:10,098
- That's what strikes me
as an American,
543
00:23:10,140 --> 00:23:12,934
coming over here,
where, yes, we have
544
00:23:12,976 --> 00:23:15,186
traditions that go back,
you know,
545
00:23:15,228 --> 00:23:17,272
150 years or
something like that.
546
00:23:17,313 --> 00:23:22,944
But I'm not connected, either
to my land or my property
547
00:23:22,986 --> 00:23:25,739
or to my traditions
in the same way.
548
00:23:25,780 --> 00:23:30,785
- Well, I feel, firstly, just
lucky that somehow my branch
549
00:23:30,827 --> 00:23:32,954
of the family ended up here.
550
00:23:32,996 --> 00:23:34,831
- It's amazing coming
here because I just
551
00:23:34,873 --> 00:23:37,125
grew up in Reykjavík,
and it's so amazing
552
00:23:37,167 --> 00:23:38,960
to get to know this life.
- Right.
553
00:23:39,002 --> 00:23:42,297
- I feel it's a privilege
to have grown up here.
554
00:23:42,339 --> 00:23:43,882
That's something that
I would love my children
555
00:23:43,923 --> 00:23:45,842
to experience, and that
is one of the reasons
556
00:23:45,884 --> 00:23:49,304
that I would never
consider, you know,
557
00:23:49,346 --> 00:23:51,931
not having a life here as well.
- Yeah.
558
00:23:51,973 --> 00:23:55,185
[light music]
559
00:23:55,226 --> 00:23:57,437
* *
560
00:23:57,479 --> 00:24:00,315
Theories abound as to
why cold climates
561
00:24:00,357 --> 00:24:02,442
produce happier people
than warm ones.
562
00:24:02,484 --> 00:24:04,569
My favorite
might well be called
563
00:24:04,611 --> 00:24:07,030
the "get along or die" theory.
564
00:24:08,490 --> 00:24:11,159
In warm places, it says,
your next meal simply
565
00:24:11,201 --> 00:24:13,036
falls from a coconut tree.
566
00:24:13,620 --> 00:24:16,164
In colder places,
people must band together
567
00:24:16,206 --> 00:24:17,832
to ensure a good harvest,
568
00:24:17,874 --> 00:24:21,044
or else everyone dies...
together.
569
00:24:24,214 --> 00:24:26,174
- This is a cup of tea for you.
570
00:24:26,216 --> 00:24:27,842
- Oh, thank you.
571
00:24:27,884 --> 00:24:32,305
- For Pálína, her mother Siggy
and her father Axel, a pastor,
572
00:24:32,347 --> 00:24:35,475
this interdependence doesn't
just explain their survival
573
00:24:35,517 --> 00:24:36,768
on this frozen tundra.
574
00:24:36,810 --> 00:24:39,020
It may also explain
their happiness.
575
00:24:39,062 --> 00:24:41,523
What a beautiful
Icelandic kitchen.
576
00:24:41,564 --> 00:24:44,442
I understand this farm
has been in your family
577
00:24:44,484 --> 00:24:49,656
for six or seven generations,
back to the mid-1800s.
578
00:24:49,698 --> 00:24:51,950
What was life like?
579
00:24:51,991 --> 00:24:55,161
- Well, I think it didn't
change for centuries.
580
00:24:55,203 --> 00:24:57,956
I think the most changed
were in my parents'
581
00:24:57,997 --> 00:24:59,791
and grandparents' life.
582
00:25:01,459 --> 00:25:02,752
- Mm-hmm.
583
00:25:04,045 --> 00:25:08,633
- To survive here, you had
to be able to tolerate
584
00:25:08,675 --> 00:25:10,343
the day-to-day life.
585
00:25:10,385 --> 00:25:13,388
- And you have to stock up
with food in the autumn,
586
00:25:13,430 --> 00:25:16,057
and that food needs to
last the whole winter.
587
00:25:16,099 --> 00:25:17,142
And the winter is long.
588
00:25:17,183 --> 00:25:19,394
- So we still do that in a way.
589
00:25:19,436 --> 00:25:21,646
You know, for the slaughter
season, we take meat home,
590
00:25:21,688 --> 00:25:23,773
and we fill our freezers
591
00:25:23,815 --> 00:25:26,359
enough that it will
last us for a year.
592
00:25:26,401 --> 00:25:28,945
- So this is all nice.
593
00:25:28,987 --> 00:25:31,448
Oh, it's so idyllic.
Everyone's so happy.
594
00:25:31,489 --> 00:25:35,076
We're hard-working
and we're resilient.
595
00:25:35,118 --> 00:25:38,705
Where are the struggles?
Where are the difficulties?
596
00:25:38,747 --> 00:25:42,167
- I think it's very difficult
to be a human being.
597
00:25:42,208 --> 00:25:45,170
That's key number one.
- Amen, brother.
598
00:25:45,211 --> 00:25:48,256
- It doesn't really matter
where on Earth you live.
599
00:25:48,298 --> 00:25:53,762
There is no formula to be
happy or successful in life.
600
00:25:53,803 --> 00:25:57,015
And if you are lucky,
lucky enough
601
00:25:57,057 --> 00:26:01,019
to have people around you
to help you,
602
00:26:01,061 --> 00:26:02,604
that's the key thing.
603
00:26:02,645 --> 00:26:04,814
- Yeah.
604
00:26:08,276 --> 00:26:10,779
The faces on this farm have
changed through the years,
605
00:26:10,820 --> 00:26:12,864
but one constant remains--
606
00:26:12,906 --> 00:26:15,116
family.
607
00:26:15,158 --> 00:26:18,495
So this game
is called kubbar.
608
00:26:18,536 --> 00:26:24,209
We humans need one another
to survive, so we cooperate.
609
00:26:24,250 --> 00:26:27,003
Oh, come on.
I was robbed.
610
00:26:27,045 --> 00:26:28,588
At some point, though,
the needing fades,
611
00:26:28,630 --> 00:26:31,466
and all that remains
is cooperation.
612
00:26:31,508 --> 00:26:33,802
We help each other
because we can,
613
00:26:33,843 --> 00:26:37,931
not because we're counting
on some future payback.
614
00:26:37,972 --> 00:26:39,557
There's a word for this.
615
00:26:39,599 --> 00:26:40,975
- Oh!
- Oh!
616
00:26:41,017 --> 00:26:43,144
Love.
617
00:26:44,187 --> 00:26:48,066
I come from a pretty
unhappy family,
618
00:26:48,108 --> 00:26:52,821
and a very particular
kind of unhappiness.
619
00:26:52,862 --> 00:26:57,033
And to witness
the warmth and love
620
00:26:57,075 --> 00:26:59,703
of that family, the acceptance,
621
00:26:59,744 --> 00:27:01,162
it was really touching.
622
00:27:01,204 --> 00:27:03,748
It was incredibly moving to me.
623
00:27:03,790 --> 00:27:06,376
Here they come!
Amazing.
624
00:27:06,418 --> 00:27:07,502
Yes!
625
00:27:07,544 --> 00:27:09,337
Come on!
626
00:27:09,379 --> 00:27:12,507
I'm in awe of Pálína
and her family.
627
00:27:12,549 --> 00:27:14,467
I didn't grow up
with any of this.
628
00:27:14,509 --> 00:27:16,761
My birth mother
left when I was two.
629
00:27:16,803 --> 00:27:18,513
My dad and step-mom divorced
630
00:27:18,555 --> 00:27:20,807
the instant
I went away to college.
631
00:27:20,849 --> 00:27:23,601
So when I see what
Pálína and her family
632
00:27:23,643 --> 00:27:26,187
built for themselves,
I'm both envious
633
00:27:26,229 --> 00:27:28,815
and so grateful
for the experience.
634
00:27:28,857 --> 00:27:29,774
Who wants a--
635
00:27:29,816 --> 00:27:30,984
[sheep bleating]
636
00:27:31,026 --> 00:27:33,028
Oh, sorry.
I got milk in your eye.
637
00:27:33,069 --> 00:27:35,363
Hi.
Everyone gets a milk.
638
00:27:35,405 --> 00:27:38,992
You get a milk, and you get
a milk, and you get a milk.
639
00:27:39,034 --> 00:27:40,368
And you get a milk.
640
00:27:40,410 --> 00:27:42,120
Why are you nursing
from my elbow?
641
00:27:42,162 --> 00:27:44,414
[animals bleating]
642
00:27:54,382 --> 00:27:56,343
- I'm beginning to
understand this place.
643
00:27:56,384 --> 00:27:59,637
[mellow rock music]
644
00:27:59,679 --> 00:28:01,931
Folks here support each other.
645
00:28:01,973 --> 00:28:04,893
They're unusually comfortable
getting naked with friends
646
00:28:04,934 --> 00:28:07,062
in a cauldron of magma.
647
00:28:07,103 --> 00:28:10,315
But what would it be like
if I actually lived here?
648
00:28:10,357 --> 00:28:15,653
* *
649
00:28:15,695 --> 00:28:18,907
I need the perspective
of someone who, like me,
650
00:28:18,948 --> 00:28:20,450
started off as an outsider.
651
00:28:20,492 --> 00:28:23,119
- You're going
to the left here.
652
00:28:23,161 --> 00:28:25,038
Yeah, it's kind
of a little street
653
00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:28,124
because we're almost there.
654
00:28:28,166 --> 00:28:29,959
Into this parking lot.
655
00:28:30,001 --> 00:28:34,464
- I'm trusting the navigation
skills of Jewells Chambers,
656
00:28:34,506 --> 00:28:36,633
a Brooklyn native
who moved here six years ago
657
00:28:36,675 --> 00:28:39,427
after marrying
an Icelandic psychologist.
658
00:28:41,513 --> 00:28:44,641
That's a big move
from dating and loving
659
00:28:44,683 --> 00:28:47,602
this Icelandic therapist,
and, like, I'm going to
660
00:28:47,644 --> 00:28:50,355
move to Reykjavík.
- Yeah.
661
00:28:50,397 --> 00:28:51,731
I've been very fortunate,
and I've loved it.
662
00:28:51,773 --> 00:28:53,400
And I've had such
a great time, like,
663
00:28:53,441 --> 00:28:56,820
getting some insight
about Icelandic families
664
00:28:56,861 --> 00:28:58,279
and all these things.
665
00:28:58,321 --> 00:28:59,531
- I am so thrilled
to be talking to you.
666
00:28:59,572 --> 00:29:01,449
You're like
the Icelandic expert.
667
00:29:01,491 --> 00:29:03,618
- I wouldn't say that,
but I definitely feel like
668
00:29:03,660 --> 00:29:06,579
I have a unique perspective.
669
00:29:07,747 --> 00:29:10,333
- Jewells shares her insights
on her social media channels--
670
00:29:10,375 --> 00:29:12,002
All Things Iceland.
671
00:29:12,043 --> 00:29:14,004
- Here are five habits
of Icelanders
672
00:29:14,045 --> 00:29:15,630
visitors might find strange.
673
00:29:17,132 --> 00:29:20,301
- Today we're puttering around
Reykjavík on a...
674
00:29:20,343 --> 00:29:22,971
- Ísbíltúr.
- Ísbíltúr.
675
00:29:23,013 --> 00:29:24,014
- Yeah.
676
00:29:24,055 --> 00:29:27,017
- Or ice cream road trip.
677
00:29:27,058 --> 00:29:29,728
The description is epic,
the company is great,
678
00:29:29,769 --> 00:29:31,479
and Jewells
is convincing me
679
00:29:31,521 --> 00:29:33,982
that, despite my early
resistance to the idea,
680
00:29:34,024 --> 00:29:37,193
everything
will work itself out.
681
00:29:37,235 --> 00:29:40,822
So you've been here
almost six years.
682
00:29:40,864 --> 00:29:45,785
How do you feel that this
place has affected you?
683
00:29:45,827 --> 00:29:49,748
- I definitely find myself
being a lot more flexible.
684
00:29:49,789 --> 00:29:53,877
So Icelanders have this saying
called [Icelandic expression].
685
00:29:53,918 --> 00:29:56,004
And when I first heard it,
I was kind of annoyed.
686
00:29:56,046 --> 00:29:57,630
I'm not going to lie.
687
00:29:57,672 --> 00:29:59,382
So it basically means that
everything will work out.
688
00:29:59,424 --> 00:30:02,886
And I used to think or feel
that this meant
689
00:30:02,927 --> 00:30:04,971
that you didn't put in
any effort.
690
00:30:05,013 --> 00:30:06,348
You're gonna turn right here.
- Okay.
691
00:30:06,389 --> 00:30:09,142
- But over time,
I started to understand
692
00:30:09,184 --> 00:30:11,853
that you are doing all
the things that you can do,
693
00:30:11,895 --> 00:30:13,897
but you have to
let go of control.
694
00:30:13,938 --> 00:30:16,066
- Right.
- And it will just work out.
695
00:30:16,107 --> 00:30:17,734
It just comes into place.
- It's kind of like
696
00:30:17,776 --> 00:30:20,195
the Serenity Prayer in action.
- Yeah.
697
00:30:20,236 --> 00:30:22,906
- What is in your control, and
what is out of your control.
698
00:30:22,947 --> 00:30:23,990
- Exactly.
699
00:30:24,032 --> 00:30:25,742
You know, I was
coming from a place
700
00:30:25,784 --> 00:30:27,660
where I was just always like,
we have to do this.
701
00:30:27,702 --> 00:30:30,205
It has to be like this.
You know, it was so rigid.
702
00:30:30,246 --> 00:30:32,415
And I find myself
having loosened up
703
00:30:32,457 --> 00:30:35,335
and being more in tune with
704
00:30:35,377 --> 00:30:37,671
it's okay if it
doesn't work out
705
00:30:37,712 --> 00:30:41,508
the way that I want to,
but it still worked out fine.
706
00:30:41,549 --> 00:30:43,802
And I feel like that,
for me, opened up
707
00:30:43,843 --> 00:30:48,056
this creativity that I was
a little bit holding back on.
708
00:30:48,098 --> 00:30:50,141
And that's actually
how my podcast came about.
709
00:30:50,183 --> 00:30:54,646
Hi, everyone.
Welcome to All Things Iceland.
710
00:30:54,688 --> 00:30:57,107
I still get to keep
where I come from,
711
00:30:57,148 --> 00:30:59,067
and how it helped to shape me.
- Yeah.
712
00:30:59,109 --> 00:31:01,903
- But then I also get to
absorb different things.
713
00:31:01,945 --> 00:31:03,947
And you know,
as I learn, I teach.
714
00:31:03,988 --> 00:31:06,741
- Where am I going here?
- You're going to the right.
715
00:31:06,783 --> 00:31:08,034
- Okay.
716
00:31:10,370 --> 00:31:12,622
- All right.
717
00:31:15,166 --> 00:31:16,876
Come on, come on, come on.
718
00:31:18,169 --> 00:31:20,338
* Da da da da *
719
00:31:20,380 --> 00:31:26,011
- At last, the ice cream
in the ice cream road trip.
720
00:31:26,052 --> 00:31:27,429
- Hello.
- How are you?
721
00:31:27,470 --> 00:31:28,888
- I'm good.
How are you?
722
00:31:28,930 --> 00:31:31,433
- What's the most
Icelandic flavor you got?
723
00:31:31,474 --> 00:31:33,476
- It would probably be
the licorice.
724
00:31:33,518 --> 00:31:35,770
- You don't have,
like, raw seal meat
725
00:31:35,812 --> 00:31:38,148
or whale blubber ice cream?
- [laughing]
726
00:31:38,189 --> 00:31:40,025
- I hate to be the one
to break it to them,
727
00:31:40,066 --> 00:31:44,487
butísbíltúr is basically
just driving to get dessert.
728
00:31:44,529 --> 00:31:47,240
Oh, my God.
It's the size of a human head.
729
00:31:47,282 --> 00:31:50,452
But Icelanders take their
ice cream very seriously,
730
00:31:50,493 --> 00:31:53,371
so they gave it
a legendary name.
731
00:31:53,413 --> 00:31:55,874
Oh, and more sauce on top?
732
00:31:57,208 --> 00:31:58,376
Cheers.
733
00:31:58,418 --> 00:31:59,627
- Skál!
- Skál!?
734
00:31:59,669 --> 00:32:02,922
- Mm-hmm.
- Fantastic.
735
00:32:02,964 --> 00:32:05,508
- So I'd love to hear
what you think of
736
00:32:05,550 --> 00:32:07,635
your Lakkris Lakkris.
- All right, here we go.
737
00:32:07,677 --> 00:32:10,013
This is licorice ice cream
with licorice nibs,
738
00:32:10,055 --> 00:32:13,516
licorice powder,
and licorice sauce.
739
00:32:16,728 --> 00:32:17,687
Wow.
740
00:32:19,814 --> 00:32:20,940
Wow.
741
00:32:20,982 --> 00:32:21,983
- Amazing, huh?
742
00:32:22,025 --> 00:32:23,276
- That's incredible.
743
00:32:23,318 --> 00:32:25,362
So are you a long hauler?
744
00:32:25,403 --> 00:32:27,405
You gonna stay in Iceland?
745
00:32:27,447 --> 00:32:29,324
- Yeah.
I get this question often
746
00:32:29,366 --> 00:32:31,659
because people are like, why
do you call yourself an expat?
747
00:32:31,701 --> 00:32:33,828
Are you staying there?
And I'm like, you're right.
748
00:32:33,870 --> 00:32:35,705
I have to change from
expat to immigrant
749
00:32:35,747 --> 00:32:37,707
because I do plan on
staying here forever.
750
00:32:37,749 --> 00:32:39,626
I don't see a reason
to ever move back.
751
00:32:39,668 --> 00:32:41,336
- You don't want to go
back to the United States?
752
00:32:41,378 --> 00:32:43,046
- Not permanently.
753
00:32:43,088 --> 00:32:44,506
I love living in Iceland.
754
00:32:44,547 --> 00:32:45,965
And that freedom
that I was telling you about,
755
00:32:46,007 --> 00:32:48,009
in terms of being
able to express myself
756
00:32:48,051 --> 00:32:49,594
and feeling safe.
757
00:32:49,636 --> 00:32:52,889
Being a woman,
I feel very safe in Iceland.
758
00:32:52,931 --> 00:32:54,808
And being a Black woman,
I feel very safe.
759
00:32:54,849 --> 00:32:57,769
Now granted, I'm not saying
people don't have experiences
760
00:32:57,811 --> 00:33:00,689
of being discriminated
against or racism.
761
00:33:00,730 --> 00:33:02,399
I know of people, personally,
762
00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:03,983
who people
have said things to them.
763
00:33:04,025 --> 00:33:06,778
But I have never heard it
directly, and, you know,
764
00:33:06,820 --> 00:33:08,697
knock on wood,
I hope that never happens.
765
00:33:08,738 --> 00:33:10,198
- So that must
be such a relief.
766
00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:12,325
- It is. It is.
When I first got here,
767
00:33:12,367 --> 00:33:14,577
of course, I knew that I looked
different than everybody,
768
00:33:14,619 --> 00:33:16,246
or the majority of people.
769
00:33:16,287 --> 00:33:18,915
And I definitely had people
staring at me pretty long,
770
00:33:18,957 --> 00:33:20,792
especially in,
like, the suburbs,
771
00:33:20,834 --> 00:33:23,420
where they normally don't
see people who look like me.
772
00:33:23,461 --> 00:33:24,963
But I felt very welcomed.
773
00:33:25,005 --> 00:33:27,757
Like my Icelandic family,
meeting my husband's family
774
00:33:27,799 --> 00:33:29,300
has been so welcoming to me.
775
00:33:29,342 --> 00:33:32,595
And I love that, and I feel
like part of the family.
776
00:33:32,637 --> 00:33:34,681
I think for me,
it's just been very freeing
777
00:33:34,723 --> 00:33:37,267
to not walk around feeling
like I'm this Black chick.
778
00:33:37,308 --> 00:33:39,894
I'm just--I'm just
Jewells from New York City,
779
00:33:39,936 --> 00:33:43,148
who gets to enjoy Iceland
and talk about it.
780
00:33:43,189 --> 00:33:45,817
- Jewell's experience is,
of course, her own.
781
00:33:45,859 --> 00:33:48,278
Iceland is not without
its social issues.
782
00:33:48,319 --> 00:33:50,113
But in a country so close knit
783
00:33:50,155 --> 00:33:52,657
that nearly everyone
is related to one another,
784
00:33:52,699 --> 00:33:55,118
her acceptance here
is inspiring.
785
00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:56,953
You're making a mess.
786
00:33:56,995 --> 00:33:58,955
- [laughs]
787
00:33:58,997 --> 00:34:00,457
- It's tempting
to pick up your life
788
00:34:00,498 --> 00:34:02,000
and move somewhere else.
789
00:34:02,042 --> 00:34:04,627
I won't be hitting the
reset button anytime soon,
790
00:34:04,669 --> 00:34:06,921
but it's a nice thought.
791
00:34:06,963 --> 00:34:08,965
For Jewells,
happiness in Iceland
792
00:34:09,007 --> 00:34:10,800
is as simple as
finding a place
793
00:34:10,842 --> 00:34:12,385
where she can be herself.
794
00:34:12,427 --> 00:34:13,762
- Blue Lagoon.
- Blue Lagoon.
795
00:34:13,803 --> 00:34:16,306
- Fun time.
- Always.
796
00:34:16,348 --> 00:34:20,226
- I can't imagine anything
more powerful than that.
797
00:34:28,526 --> 00:34:30,653
- I can certainly see
how Jewells found
798
00:34:30,695 --> 00:34:33,365
her artistic spark in Iceland.
799
00:34:33,406 --> 00:34:36,409
This is an exceptionally
creative place.
800
00:34:36,451 --> 00:34:38,286
They even hold
the per capita record
801
00:34:38,328 --> 00:34:41,873
for inventing per capita
statistics about themselves.
802
00:34:41,915 --> 00:34:45,919
- Iceland has the most
everything per capita.
803
00:34:45,960 --> 00:34:47,712
Nobel Prize winners.
804
00:34:49,422 --> 00:34:50,924
- Neither of these is true.
805
00:34:50,965 --> 00:34:52,717
- Pretty sure
it's billionaires.
806
00:34:52,759 --> 00:34:54,886
- Also not true.
807
00:34:54,928 --> 00:34:57,639
- Beer drinking per capita.
808
00:35:00,433 --> 00:35:02,435
- Beer drinking per capita.
809
00:35:02,477 --> 00:35:04,312
- [laughing]
810
00:35:04,354 --> 00:35:07,982
- Not true,
but also not so far off.
811
00:35:08,024 --> 00:35:10,652
- Writers.
There are a lot of writers.
812
00:35:10,694 --> 00:35:12,570
- Okay, that one is true.
813
00:35:12,612 --> 00:35:15,240
There are more artists
and writers per capita
814
00:35:15,281 --> 00:35:18,159
in Iceland than any
other country on Earth.
815
00:35:18,201 --> 00:35:22,706
One in ten Icelanders
will publish a book.
816
00:35:22,747 --> 00:35:24,833
Another fun
Icelandic statistic--
817
00:35:24,874 --> 00:35:27,043
surveys
have consistently found
818
00:35:27,085 --> 00:35:30,714
that more than half of
Icelanders believe in elves.
819
00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:33,675
- Well, you can't
really see them,
820
00:35:33,717 --> 00:35:36,136
but I do believe it's because
some kind of source there,
821
00:35:36,177 --> 00:35:39,014
some kind of element of,
like, a type of magic,
822
00:35:39,055 --> 00:35:40,432
kind of.
823
00:35:40,473 --> 00:35:43,143
- My grandfather, he was
actually saved by an elf.
824
00:35:43,184 --> 00:35:45,770
- I don't know where all
the foreigners get the idea
825
00:35:45,812 --> 00:35:48,314
that we all believe in elves.
We don't.
826
00:35:49,607 --> 00:35:51,276
- Yeah, I have no idea
827
00:35:51,317 --> 00:35:53,153
where we would
have gotten that from.
828
00:35:53,194 --> 00:35:54,738
- And he was playing
by the ravine.
829
00:35:54,779 --> 00:35:56,322
He almost falls
into the ravine,
830
00:35:56,364 --> 00:35:58,283
but he feels like as
if he's been grabbed
831
00:35:58,324 --> 00:35:59,993
and sort of pulled away.
832
00:36:00,035 --> 00:36:01,453
- It's something out there.
833
00:36:01,494 --> 00:36:02,912
We don't know what it is.
It could be elves.
834
00:36:02,954 --> 00:36:04,330
It could be ghosts.
835
00:36:04,372 --> 00:36:06,750
It could be nothing,
so it's difficult to say.
836
00:36:06,791 --> 00:36:10,086
- Clearly, this is a place
with unlimited imagination.
837
00:36:10,128 --> 00:36:12,714
But the mind-blowing thing
is Iceland,
838
00:36:12,756 --> 00:36:15,884
thanks to centuries of only
focusing on survival,
839
00:36:15,925 --> 00:36:19,012
is inventing
much of its culture now.
840
00:36:20,388 --> 00:36:23,141
And that's where the
young folks come in.
841
00:36:28,563 --> 00:36:32,192
[mellow music]
842
00:36:32,233 --> 00:36:39,199
* *
843
00:36:42,410 --> 00:36:45,163
Five years ago, Fonn and
her cousins, Eir and Asa,
844
00:36:45,205 --> 00:36:48,041
formed the gothic
rock trio Ateria,
845
00:36:48,083 --> 00:36:51,252
combining their training
in classical music
846
00:36:51,294 --> 00:36:53,421
with lyrics about
everyone's favorite source
847
00:36:53,463 --> 00:36:57,759
of omega-3 fatty acids--
cod liver oil.
848
00:36:58,677 --> 00:37:01,096
But the youth of Reykjavík
are the first to admit
849
00:37:01,137 --> 00:37:05,725
that Iceland, for all its
creativity and whimsy,
850
00:37:05,767 --> 00:37:07,686
is not without its struggles.
851
00:37:07,727 --> 00:37:11,064
[tuning instruments]
852
00:37:16,986 --> 00:37:18,405
What does the name mean?
853
00:37:18,446 --> 00:37:21,116
- Our grandparents,
they have, like,
854
00:37:21,157 --> 00:37:26,204
an eider duck nesting that
take care of every summer.
855
00:37:26,246 --> 00:37:31,084
They watch it so that the fox
doesn't get into the nest.
856
00:37:31,126 --> 00:37:33,378
- Wow.
- Yeah. And so the Latin name
857
00:37:33,420 --> 00:37:36,840
of the eider duck
is Somateria mollissima.
858
00:37:36,881 --> 00:37:39,134
And so we took
Ateria from that.
859
00:37:39,175 --> 00:37:41,803
- Boy, you Icelanders
have the weirdest hobbies.
860
00:37:41,845 --> 00:37:44,097
Like, our family hobby
is protecting
861
00:37:44,139 --> 00:37:45,640
the nest of the eider duck.
862
00:37:45,682 --> 00:37:47,767
[laughter]
863
00:37:48,768 --> 00:37:54,024
- What's life like as
a disaffected punk rock youth
864
00:37:54,065 --> 00:37:56,234
in suburban Reykjavík?
865
00:37:58,778 --> 00:38:03,825
- I mean, I guess we have
other stuff to worry about.
866
00:38:03,867 --> 00:38:08,413
Like we take the
most antidepressants
867
00:38:08,455 --> 00:38:10,707
per capita in the world.
868
00:38:10,749 --> 00:38:12,667
- You heard that correctly.
869
00:38:12,709 --> 00:38:15,503
Iceland, one of the reportedly
happiest places on Earth,
870
00:38:15,545 --> 00:38:19,424
takes more antidepressants
than any country in the world,
871
00:38:19,466 --> 00:38:22,218
and it's really not even
close.
872
00:38:22,260 --> 00:38:24,596
- There are a lot of people
who have seasonal depression.
873
00:38:24,637 --> 00:38:25,972
- Okay.
874
00:38:26,014 --> 00:38:28,183
- Because of the
darkness, yeah, in winter.
875
00:38:28,224 --> 00:38:30,518
- Do you have friends that
have struggled with depression,
876
00:38:30,560 --> 00:38:32,020
anxiety, suicidal?
877
00:38:32,062 --> 00:38:33,646
- I have struggled with
depression and anxiety.
878
00:38:33,688 --> 00:38:36,149
- Yeah. Me, too.
[laughs]
879
00:38:36,191 --> 00:38:38,109
- There's a lot of
culture in Iceland
880
00:38:38,151 --> 00:38:39,652
that you always have
to be doing something,
881
00:38:39,694 --> 00:38:41,738
and everything you do,
it has to have a purpose.
882
00:38:41,780 --> 00:38:43,114
- Right.
883
00:38:43,156 --> 00:38:46,117
- And so if you're depressed,
you're just lazy.
884
00:38:46,159 --> 00:38:48,328
- Mmm.
- And you're just--
885
00:38:48,370 --> 00:38:51,623
- So there's a cultural
stigma against depression.
886
00:38:51,664 --> 00:38:53,083
You should be out there
887
00:38:53,124 --> 00:38:56,127
safeguarding this eider duck's
nest this winter
888
00:38:56,169 --> 00:38:57,921
instead of sitting around
889
00:38:57,962 --> 00:38:59,673
feeling sorry for yourself
or something.
890
00:38:59,714 --> 00:39:02,217
- And like, I think that
talking about how you feel
891
00:39:02,258 --> 00:39:04,386
is a pretty recent thing here.
- Yeah.
892
00:39:04,427 --> 00:39:07,180
- We're big fans of
suppressing our emotions,
893
00:39:07,222 --> 00:39:09,557
big fans of ignoring trauma.
894
00:39:09,599 --> 00:39:12,602
And the conversation,
it has started.
895
00:39:12,644 --> 00:39:14,354
It is starting.
896
00:39:14,396 --> 00:39:17,023
- Yeah, but I think
we have a long way to go.
897
00:39:17,065 --> 00:39:19,192
- We definitely do.
- Yeah.
898
00:39:19,234 --> 00:39:22,362
- We all need
a means of coping.
899
00:39:22,404 --> 00:39:24,698
Fortunately,
the band members of Ateria
900
00:39:24,739 --> 00:39:27,951
found a unique form of
artistic expression.
901
00:39:27,992 --> 00:39:31,371
Perhaps my favorite
Ateria song
902
00:39:31,413 --> 00:39:35,583
is one that you guys wrote
about cod liver oil...
903
00:39:35,625 --> 00:39:37,877
[laughter]
904
00:39:37,919 --> 00:39:40,046
The national beverage
of Iceland,
905
00:39:40,088 --> 00:39:42,257
which, when I was
googling its effects,
906
00:39:42,298 --> 00:39:44,926
it actually said it had
mental health benefits
907
00:39:44,968 --> 00:39:46,970
and reduces anxiety
and depression.
908
00:39:47,012 --> 00:39:48,596
Cod liver oil.
- Yeah.
909
00:39:48,638 --> 00:39:50,557
You take one spoon
of it each morning,
910
00:39:50,598 --> 00:39:53,101
and then you follow it
up with something else
911
00:39:53,143 --> 00:39:54,561
because it's disgusting.
912
00:39:54,602 --> 00:39:56,980
- What song is that,
the cod liver oil song?
913
00:39:57,022 --> 00:39:59,399
- [speaking Icelandic]
914
00:39:59,441 --> 00:40:02,235
- Of course.
Of course that's it.
915
00:40:02,277 --> 00:40:07,282
[gothic rock playing]
916
00:40:07,323 --> 00:40:08,950
As someone who has dealt
with his share of depression
917
00:40:08,992 --> 00:40:12,245
beginning in my teens
and rearing its ugly head
918
00:40:12,287 --> 00:40:14,622
time and time again
in the years to come,
919
00:40:14,664 --> 00:40:18,043
I understand how difficult
it can be to talk about.
920
00:40:18,084 --> 00:40:19,586
* *
921
00:40:19,627 --> 00:40:23,256
- [singing in Icelandic]
922
00:40:41,649 --> 00:40:43,318
- It's a sobering
reminder that even
923
00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:45,612
in the supposedly
happiest of happy places,
924
00:40:45,653 --> 00:40:49,157
life is never just a montage
of stunning landscapes
925
00:40:49,199 --> 00:40:51,159
and cuddly sheep.
926
00:40:51,201 --> 00:40:53,078
It's hard, no matter
where you live.
927
00:41:05,548 --> 00:41:08,968
[classical melody]
928
00:41:09,010 --> 00:41:13,556
* *
929
00:41:13,598 --> 00:41:15,433
[end chords]
930
00:41:15,475 --> 00:41:16,559
- Mm--
931
00:41:16,601 --> 00:41:18,228
[laughter]
932
00:41:18,269 --> 00:41:20,355
Almost.
I couldn't quite finish it.
933
00:41:20,397 --> 00:41:23,358
Amazing, you guys.
That was incredible.
934
00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:24,651
Oh, wow.
935
00:41:24,693 --> 00:41:26,069
Okay.
936
00:41:26,111 --> 00:41:27,487
So livery.
937
00:41:27,529 --> 00:41:30,532
I'm sorry, did I get oil
on your hands there?
938
00:41:30,573 --> 00:41:32,075
Here, let me.
939
00:41:32,117 --> 00:41:35,203
[laughter]
940
00:41:35,245 --> 00:41:38,665
Chatting with Ateria
humanizes this place,
941
00:41:38,707 --> 00:41:40,875
and suddenly this whole
quest for happiness
942
00:41:40,917 --> 00:41:43,503
doesn't feel like such
a lonely endeavor.
943
00:41:43,545 --> 00:41:45,338
Whoo!
944
00:41:45,380 --> 00:41:51,136
Yes! I will accept your
request to join the band.
945
00:41:54,681 --> 00:41:57,767
[peaceful music]
946
00:41:57,809 --> 00:42:04,691
* *
947
00:42:07,527 --> 00:42:12,198
- This is Margarét Liefsdóttir
and Tinna Thorlacius.
948
00:42:12,240 --> 00:42:15,243
These are the faces
of my torturers.
949
00:42:15,285 --> 00:42:17,996
[upbeat music]
950
00:42:18,038 --> 00:42:20,915
* *
951
00:42:20,957 --> 00:42:23,877
[singing in Spanish]
952
00:42:23,918 --> 00:42:25,670
* *
953
00:42:25,712 --> 00:42:28,548
- You see, three times per
week, these lifelong pals
954
00:42:28,590 --> 00:42:31,134
join with 70 of
their closest friends
955
00:42:31,176 --> 00:42:34,220
to go for a swim in the frozen
waters of the North Atlantic.
956
00:42:34,262 --> 00:42:35,889
* *
957
00:42:35,930 --> 00:42:39,684
They claim it's a physical
healer and a mental cleanser.
958
00:42:39,726 --> 00:42:41,519
* *
959
00:42:41,561 --> 00:42:44,814
- They call their squad
of ocean swimmers...
960
00:42:44,856 --> 00:42:48,151
which translates to
"Happier You."
961
00:42:48,193 --> 00:42:51,237
[music continues]
962
00:42:51,279 --> 00:42:55,658
* *
963
00:42:55,700 --> 00:42:57,827
[birds chirping]
964
00:42:59,245 --> 00:43:01,414
And what could possibly
be happier
965
00:43:01,456 --> 00:43:03,249
than waking up
at the crack of dawn,
966
00:43:03,291 --> 00:43:04,542
dipping into these
967
00:43:04,584 --> 00:43:06,670
40-something-degree
Arctic waters
968
00:43:06,711 --> 00:43:08,963
with a group
of insane Icelandic women,
969
00:43:09,005 --> 00:43:12,550
followed by a near total
freeze of my Netherlands?
970
00:43:12,592 --> 00:43:15,762
[bluesy guitar music]
971
00:43:15,804 --> 00:43:22,727
* *
972
00:43:26,606 --> 00:43:29,025
- [speaking Icelandic]
973
00:43:29,067 --> 00:43:30,026
- Hello!
974
00:43:30,068 --> 00:43:31,236
- Whoo!
975
00:43:31,277 --> 00:43:33,697
Hi!
- All right, let's do this!
976
00:43:33,738 --> 00:43:35,323
- Whoo-hoo!
- Good to see you.
977
00:43:35,365 --> 00:43:37,534
All right!
- Ohh...
978
00:43:37,575 --> 00:43:39,869
Oh ha ha...
- How you feeling?
979
00:43:39,911 --> 00:43:41,579
- [whimpering]
980
00:43:41,621 --> 00:43:44,499
Uh, I don't want to be
this cold.
981
00:43:44,541 --> 00:43:46,751
I want to drink hot chocolate,
982
00:43:46,793 --> 00:43:49,129
and, um...
- I feel you, yeah.
983
00:43:49,170 --> 00:43:50,672
- I-I'm scared.
- Okay.
984
00:43:50,714 --> 00:43:52,340
- Okay. Okay.
- It's okay.
985
00:43:52,382 --> 00:43:57,721
- Your only goal now is to go
in this ocean and surrender.
986
00:43:57,762 --> 00:44:00,515
But if you tell
your body, "I'm okay..."
987
00:44:00,557 --> 00:44:03,977
because you--with your
nervous system and your hat,
988
00:44:04,019 --> 00:44:06,312
you control everything
what your body wants to do.
989
00:44:06,354 --> 00:44:08,398
- [laughs] okay.
My nervous system and my hat.
990
00:44:08,440 --> 00:44:11,026
- Mm-hmm.
- Okay, good. I love it.
991
00:44:11,067 --> 00:44:14,029
- So now we're going to
just concentrate on
992
00:44:14,070 --> 00:44:16,322
emptying our minds, and be...
993
00:44:16,364 --> 00:44:18,783
- That's easy for me.
- Present.
994
00:44:19,534 --> 00:44:21,244
And what we're going
to do is just we're
995
00:44:21,286 --> 00:44:23,496
going to close our eyes now,
and we're going to breathe in
996
00:44:23,538 --> 00:44:25,790
through the nose.
[inhales]
997
00:44:25,832 --> 00:44:28,501
Hold the breath a little bit,
and then release.
998
00:44:28,543 --> 00:44:31,755
[exhales]
- [exhales]
999
00:44:31,796 --> 00:44:35,300
- And we're going to do
our normal warming up.
1000
00:44:35,342 --> 00:44:37,260
Tell the body
and the nervous system
1001
00:44:37,302 --> 00:44:39,554
that we are going to do
something very challenging.
1002
00:44:39,596 --> 00:44:41,097
So we breathe in the nose.
[inhales]
1003
00:44:41,139 --> 00:44:43,641
[rapid inhales, exhales]
1004
00:44:43,683 --> 00:44:45,393
Okay.
And we start.
1005
00:44:45,435 --> 00:44:49,898
[inhaling and exhaling]
1006
00:44:49,939 --> 00:44:51,483
Way up here.
1007
00:44:51,524 --> 00:44:55,111
We breathe in and we stretch
out, look up in the sky,
1008
00:44:55,153 --> 00:44:56,196
and then--whoo!
- Whoo!
1009
00:44:56,237 --> 00:44:57,197
- Whoo!
- Whoo!
1010
00:44:57,238 --> 00:44:58,281
- Woo!
- [laughs]
1011
00:44:58,323 --> 00:44:59,657
[inhaling and exhaling]
1012
00:44:59,699 --> 00:45:01,826
- Whoo!
- Whoo!
1013
00:45:01,868 --> 00:45:02,994
And one more!
1014
00:45:03,036 --> 00:45:04,120
[inhaling and exhaling]
1015
00:45:04,162 --> 00:45:05,288
- Whoo!
- Whoo!
1016
00:45:05,330 --> 00:45:07,165
- Yes!
Let's do it!
1017
00:45:07,207 --> 00:45:08,958
- Yeah!
- Let's go for it!
1018
00:45:09,000 --> 00:45:10,210
- All right!
1019
00:45:10,251 --> 00:45:12,295
Here we go, ladies!
1020
00:45:12,337 --> 00:45:14,047
I'll see you back at the cars.
1021
00:45:14,089 --> 00:45:17,133
[laughter]
1022
00:45:17,175 --> 00:45:18,468
- It's at this precise moment
1023
00:45:18,510 --> 00:45:21,137
that a harsh reality
finally sets in.
1024
00:45:21,179 --> 00:45:26,101
For all of my wisecracking,
I'm actually a little scared.
1025
00:45:26,142 --> 00:45:27,519
- You can feel the breeze,
1026
00:45:27,560 --> 00:45:29,479
but it's cozy
and a little bit warm.
1027
00:45:29,521 --> 00:45:31,606
- It's cozy. Okay.
- Yes.
1028
00:45:31,648 --> 00:45:34,025
- The nice warm breeze
from the Arctic Circle,
1029
00:45:34,067 --> 00:45:38,321
just a few dozen miles
north of here.
1030
00:45:38,363 --> 00:45:42,701
This is probably
going to suck.
1031
00:45:42,742 --> 00:45:45,203
I'm a total wimp
around this stuff,
1032
00:45:45,245 --> 00:45:47,163
and I wanted to ask you--
1033
00:45:47,205 --> 00:45:51,042
why?
1034
00:45:52,335 --> 00:45:53,962
Why do this?
1035
00:45:54,004 --> 00:45:55,296
- Because you can.
1036
00:45:55,338 --> 00:45:56,756
- Okay.
1037
00:45:56,798 --> 00:45:58,341
Weirdo.
- [laughs]
1038
00:45:58,383 --> 00:45:59,592
- It's a good question.
1039
00:45:59,634 --> 00:46:01,386
It's actually a great question.
1040
00:46:01,428 --> 00:46:02,846
- Why do you do this?
1041
00:46:02,887 --> 00:46:05,015
- A friend of mine
got me to try it once.
1042
00:46:05,056 --> 00:46:08,727
And I came out--
I don't drink alcohol,
1043
00:46:08,768 --> 00:46:13,231
but I came out
so high on life that I did--
1044
00:46:13,273 --> 00:46:16,359
I-I was amazed.
- Yeah.
1045
00:46:16,401 --> 00:46:19,154
- I think for me, at least,
I think it's about stepping
1046
00:46:19,195 --> 00:46:20,697
out of my comfort zone.
1047
00:46:20,739 --> 00:46:23,700
And when we go in the sea,
then it is difficult,
1048
00:46:23,742 --> 00:46:25,160
and it's always a challenge.
1049
00:46:25,201 --> 00:46:26,536
Even though Margarét and I
are very used to
1050
00:46:26,578 --> 00:46:27,704
go in the sea now,
1051
00:46:27,746 --> 00:46:29,372
and we go
three times a week,
1052
00:46:29,414 --> 00:46:31,541
it's always
a bit of a challenge.
1053
00:46:31,583 --> 00:46:34,044
But then you think,
I am doing this.
1054
00:46:34,085 --> 00:46:38,381
I am going to do it, and, um,
there's nothing changing that.
1055
00:46:38,423 --> 00:46:40,675
I'm here, I'm doing it.
1056
00:46:40,717 --> 00:46:42,344
Then you can transfer that
1057
00:46:42,385 --> 00:46:43,928
onto so many other things
in life
1058
00:46:43,970 --> 00:46:45,555
that are difficult
or challenging.
1059
00:46:45,597 --> 00:46:47,724
[suspenseful music]
1060
00:46:47,766 --> 00:46:49,392
- Everyone's ready?
1061
00:46:49,434 --> 00:46:53,897
[all singing in Icelandic]
1062
00:46:53,938 --> 00:47:00,862
* *
1063
00:47:06,159 --> 00:47:08,536
[singing continues]
1064
00:47:08,578 --> 00:47:13,083
[moody music]
1065
00:47:13,124 --> 00:47:17,087
- The main task is to
surrender to the cold.
1066
00:47:17,128 --> 00:47:20,423
- And now we're going to
calm the system again.
1067
00:47:20,465 --> 00:47:22,133
Breathe in on three.
1068
00:47:22,175 --> 00:47:23,510
Out on six, and we go in.
1069
00:47:23,551 --> 00:47:24,969
- Ooh.
1070
00:47:25,011 --> 00:47:27,055
- [exhales]
1071
00:47:27,097 --> 00:47:30,183
- Ah.
- And we're breathing.
1072
00:47:30,225 --> 00:47:34,104
- And the second was to
say to your body,
1073
00:47:34,145 --> 00:47:36,606
"I'm okay."
1074
00:47:36,648 --> 00:47:39,275
- I know for me, I have--
1075
00:47:39,317 --> 00:47:43,196
literally have been diagnosed
with an anxiety disorder.
1076
00:47:43,238 --> 00:47:46,074
Like, I am a highly
anxious person.
1077
00:47:46,116 --> 00:47:49,744
And there's work
that I do on a daily basis
1078
00:47:49,786 --> 00:47:53,665
that helps bring me
kind of to--
1079
00:47:53,707 --> 00:47:55,709
vaguely within normal.
1080
00:47:55,750 --> 00:47:59,504
So it was--for me, I had a
lot of resistance of like,
1081
00:47:59,546 --> 00:48:01,297
oh, I can't believe
I have to do this.
1082
00:48:01,339 --> 00:48:04,134
It's early in the morning.
It's cold outside.
1083
00:48:04,175 --> 00:48:07,971
But I found it
so, uh, uplifting.
1084
00:48:08,013 --> 00:48:09,806
* *
1085
00:48:09,848 --> 00:48:11,933
- So guess how long
you've been in the water.
1086
00:48:11,975 --> 00:48:14,060
- How long have
I been in the water?
1087
00:48:14,102 --> 00:48:14,978
- Guess.
3:40.
1088
00:48:15,020 --> 00:48:16,938
- 3:40?
That's crazy!
1089
00:48:16,980 --> 00:48:19,315
[laughter]
Oh! Oh! Oh!
1090
00:48:19,357 --> 00:48:20,775
Oh!
[women cheering]
1091
00:48:20,817 --> 00:48:23,028
Aah!
I love it, I love it!
1092
00:48:23,069 --> 00:48:28,575
I feel invigorated in a
really new and positive way.
1093
00:48:28,616 --> 00:48:31,411
And honestly,
it didn't feel that cold.
1094
00:48:31,453 --> 00:48:35,498
- All this ocean dipping is
also about just letting go.
1095
00:48:35,540 --> 00:48:37,584
And it's funny,
because in Iceland,
1096
00:48:37,625 --> 00:48:41,755
it gets dark in the winter,
and often we have bad weather.
1097
00:48:41,796 --> 00:48:43,423
And you can complain
about the weather
1098
00:48:43,465 --> 00:48:44,924
all the time if you want.
1099
00:48:44,966 --> 00:48:47,302
But when you do ocean
dipping the whole year,
1100
00:48:47,344 --> 00:48:49,888
you don't even notice
that it gets dark.
1101
00:48:49,929 --> 00:48:52,349
You don't even notice
that the weather is bad.
1102
00:48:52,390 --> 00:48:54,184
It just does not matter.
1103
00:48:55,310 --> 00:48:56,895
- Let's go again!
1104
00:48:56,936 --> 00:48:59,022
Are you two happier
1105
00:48:59,064 --> 00:49:01,358
than when you started this
15 years ago?
1106
00:49:01,399 --> 00:49:02,400
- 100%.
1107
00:49:02,442 --> 00:49:03,860
- Definitely, yeah.
1108
00:49:03,902 --> 00:49:05,320
- I just--I could not
imagine life without
1109
00:49:05,362 --> 00:49:06,863
going in the sea every week.
1110
00:49:06,905 --> 00:49:09,407
- And not just happier,
because it's, like, a word.
1111
00:49:09,449 --> 00:49:10,700
And then you says--
1112
00:49:10,742 --> 00:49:12,369
then you think,
what does it mean?
1113
00:49:12,410 --> 00:49:14,788
It means that you are healthy.
1114
00:49:14,829 --> 00:49:17,874
It means that you can
cut through difficulties.
1115
00:49:17,916 --> 00:49:23,046
It means that you are able
to enjoy life
1116
00:49:23,088 --> 00:49:27,801
just the way you are,
and nothing else matters.
1117
00:49:27,842 --> 00:49:32,430
- Aah!
- Aah!
1118
00:49:32,472 --> 00:49:35,558
[cheering]
1119
00:49:35,600 --> 00:49:38,645
[upbeat music]
1120
00:49:38,687 --> 00:49:45,819
* *
1121
00:49:51,783 --> 00:49:53,368
[cheering]
1122
00:49:53,410 --> 00:49:54,369
- Woo!
1123
00:49:54,411 --> 00:49:55,745
- Whoo!
1124
00:49:55,787 --> 00:49:57,706
[cheering]
1125
00:49:57,747 --> 00:49:59,666
* *
1126
00:50:02,794 --> 00:50:04,379
- Hey, Bliss Heads.
1127
00:50:04,421 --> 00:50:07,382
It's me, Rainn, sitting in
my hotel room in Reykjavík.
1128
00:50:07,424 --> 00:50:10,093
Um, what an incredible day.
1129
00:50:10,135 --> 00:50:12,762
I had a lot of
anxiety going up to, like,
1130
00:50:12,804 --> 00:50:14,889
you're gonna be jumping into
1131
00:50:14,931 --> 00:50:17,976
an ice-cold
North Atlantic Ocean.
1132
00:50:18,018 --> 00:50:21,938
I mean, I knew it
was going to suck.
1133
00:50:21,980 --> 00:50:24,232
I didn't know
that it was gonna be
1134
00:50:24,274 --> 00:50:26,568
a really
transformative morning.
1135
00:50:26,609 --> 00:50:27,986
It was beautiful.
1136
00:50:28,028 --> 00:50:31,281
And it's a lot more
than just cold swimming.
1137
00:50:31,322 --> 00:50:36,453
It's about
overcoming obstacles,
1138
00:50:36,494 --> 00:50:41,583
and healing, and celebration.
1139
00:50:41,624 --> 00:50:44,627
[light music]
1140
00:50:44,669 --> 00:50:49,382
* *
1141
00:50:49,424 --> 00:50:51,134
When I first
arrived in Iceland,
1142
00:50:51,176 --> 00:50:53,887
I was skeptical that
a place as remote as this
1143
00:50:53,928 --> 00:50:55,847
could legitimately
be such a happy one.
1144
00:50:55,889 --> 00:50:58,975
Signa,
any thoughts on happiness?
1145
00:50:59,017 --> 00:51:01,394
Happiness is subjective,
of course.
1146
00:51:01,436 --> 00:51:02,687
You're making a mess here.
1147
00:51:02,729 --> 00:51:04,647
- [laughs]
1148
00:51:04,689 --> 00:51:06,983
- But in the same way you a
good meal when you taste it--
1149
00:51:07,025 --> 00:51:08,526
- Whoo!
- Yay!
1150
00:51:08,568 --> 00:51:11,613
- You know a happy place
when you visit it.
1151
00:51:11,654 --> 00:51:13,198
Oh, look at that.
1152
00:51:13,239 --> 00:51:15,825
Look at that.
That's ridiculous.
1153
00:51:15,867 --> 00:51:17,160
Look at that.
1154
00:51:17,202 --> 00:51:18,620
For my final day in Iceland,
1155
00:51:18,661 --> 00:51:20,455
Darri has been gracious
enough to invite me
1156
00:51:20,497 --> 00:51:22,374
and my motley crew
of ice swimmers
1157
00:51:22,415 --> 00:51:24,501
and former mayors,
sheepherders,
1158
00:51:24,542 --> 00:51:27,962
and indie rockers
to one last feast.
1159
00:51:28,004 --> 00:51:29,339
- Did you meet old
Lamb Boy as well?
1160
00:51:29,381 --> 00:51:30,715
- I met Lamb Boy, yep.
1161
00:51:30,757 --> 00:51:32,884
Mm-hmm.
1162
00:51:32,926 --> 00:51:34,636
If I've learned anything
from my time here,
1163
00:51:34,678 --> 00:51:37,639
it's that happiness, at least
some small fraction of it...
1164
00:51:37,681 --> 00:51:39,349
Oppa!
1165
00:51:39,391 --> 00:51:40,433
Skál!
1166
00:51:40,475 --> 00:51:41,685
Is a matter of choice.
1167
00:51:41,726 --> 00:51:43,812
[glass tinkling]
1168
00:51:43,853 --> 00:51:45,480
- Hey-hey!
1169
00:51:45,522 --> 00:51:47,232
Hey, guys.
1170
00:51:47,273 --> 00:51:50,402
Thank you so much for coming
and being here with us.
1171
00:51:50,443 --> 00:51:51,736
Cheers. And Rainn--
1172
00:51:51,778 --> 00:51:52,946
I think Rainn's
gonna say a few words.
1173
00:51:52,987 --> 00:51:53,988
Oh.
[laughs]
1174
00:51:54,030 --> 00:51:56,574
[laughter]
Cheers.
1175
00:51:56,616 --> 00:51:58,201
- "Skál,"I believe you say.
1176
00:51:58,243 --> 00:51:59,869
Skál.
1177
00:51:59,911 --> 00:52:01,746
Uh, I just want to
thank all of you.
1178
00:52:01,788 --> 00:52:04,124
Darri and Lovisa,
thank you for having us
1179
00:52:04,165 --> 00:52:05,542
in your beautiful home.
1180
00:52:05,583 --> 00:52:09,254
And, you know, it's been
an incredible adventure
1181
00:52:09,295 --> 00:52:12,507
in Iceland, and I've learned
so much, you know,
1182
00:52:12,549 --> 00:52:15,260
about what we're searching for.
1183
00:52:15,301 --> 00:52:18,638
We're searching for something
larger than ourselves.
1184
00:52:18,680 --> 00:52:22,100
And in the spirit
of the great quest
1185
00:52:22,142 --> 00:52:27,897
for ice cream,
the ísbíltúrof Iceland,
1186
00:52:27,939 --> 00:52:29,858
it's not about the destination.
1187
00:52:29,899 --> 00:52:31,651
It's about the
journey along the way.
1188
00:52:31,693 --> 00:52:34,738
So once more, Skál!
1189
00:52:34,779 --> 00:52:36,072
- Skál.
- Skál.
1190
00:52:36,114 --> 00:52:38,575
- Ladies and gentlemen, Bjork.
1191
00:52:38,616 --> 00:52:40,994
[laughter]
1192
00:52:41,036 --> 00:52:42,954
- The lamb or the musician?
1193
00:52:42,996 --> 00:52:44,706
- The lamb
that's in your sandwich.
1194
00:52:44,748 --> 00:52:45,957
Yes.
1195
00:52:45,999 --> 00:52:49,336
[guitar music]
1196
00:52:49,377 --> 00:52:51,880
* *
1197
00:52:51,921 --> 00:52:57,260
- [singing in Icelandic]
1198
00:52:57,302 --> 00:52:59,387
- So this guy kept
approaching our director,
1199
00:52:59,429 --> 00:53:01,681
offering to play
a song at the party,
1200
00:53:01,723 --> 00:53:04,184
and eventually, she gave in.
1201
00:53:04,225 --> 00:53:07,103
* *
1202
00:53:07,145 --> 00:53:08,897
- As it turns out,
his name is Hreimur,
1203
00:53:08,938 --> 00:53:12,734
and he is an extremely popular
singer-songwriter in Iceland.
1204
00:53:12,776 --> 00:53:15,904
And literally every person
there knew this song.
1205
00:53:15,945 --> 00:53:19,491
- [continues singing]
1206
00:53:19,532 --> 00:53:20,533
- As I said...
1207
00:53:20,575 --> 00:53:21,701
- Come on!
1208
00:53:21,743 --> 00:53:23,995
- There are no
strangers in Iceland.
1209
00:53:24,037 --> 00:53:26,289
[all singing]
1210
00:53:26,331 --> 00:53:29,959
* *
1211
00:53:42,389 --> 00:53:44,641
Nietzsche tells us that
the measure of a society
1212
00:53:44,683 --> 00:53:47,060
is how well it transforms
pain and suffering
1213
00:53:47,102 --> 00:53:49,229
into something worthwhile.
1214
00:53:49,270 --> 00:53:51,773
Not how a society avoids
pain and suffering,
1215
00:53:51,815 --> 00:53:55,527
but how it transforms it
into something useful.
1216
00:53:55,568 --> 00:53:56,736
Happy, even.
1217
00:53:56,778 --> 00:53:59,239
* *
1218
00:53:59,280 --> 00:54:02,200
Faced with a brutal climate
and utter isolation,
1219
00:54:02,242 --> 00:54:04,661
Icelanders could easily
have chosen despair.
1220
00:54:04,703 --> 00:54:06,788
* *
1221
00:54:06,830 --> 00:54:11,001
But instead, these hardy
descendants of Vikings
1222
00:54:11,042 --> 00:54:14,004
peered into the unyielding
darkness of the midnight sky
1223
00:54:14,045 --> 00:54:16,923
and chose a different option:
1224
00:54:16,965 --> 00:54:19,592
happiness.
1225
00:54:19,634 --> 00:54:22,345
It is, I think,
the wiser option.
1226
00:54:22,387 --> 00:54:25,682
Besides, what else is
there to do in the dark?
1227
00:54:25,724 --> 00:54:27,058
- Yeah!
1228
00:54:27,100 --> 00:54:30,103
[all cheering]
1229
00:54:34,941 --> 00:54:36,860
- [whistles]
- Whoo!
1230
00:54:36,901 --> 00:54:39,738
[applause]
1231
00:54:40,780 --> 00:54:43,825
- Now that I've seen one of
the world's happiest places...
1232
00:54:43,867 --> 00:54:47,120
Merci!
- Bye.
1233
00:54:47,162 --> 00:54:52,250
- I wonder, what does it mean
to live in an unhappy place?
1234
00:54:54,085 --> 00:54:56,421
But where should I go?
1235
00:54:59,382 --> 00:55:01,176
[sighs]
1236
00:55:01,217 --> 00:55:02,886
[mid-tempo music]
1237
00:55:02,927 --> 00:55:05,221
The lowest-ranked countries
on the Happiness Report
1238
00:55:05,263 --> 00:55:06,514
say more about
the nature of war
1239
00:55:06,556 --> 00:55:09,100
than about the nature of
happiness.
1240
00:55:09,142 --> 00:55:11,770
Their misery
is easily diagnosed.
1241
00:55:11,811 --> 00:55:15,648
No. I need a place with a
particular variety of gloom
1242
00:55:15,690 --> 00:55:20,195
which, much like my own,
is harder to define.
1243
00:55:20,236 --> 00:55:22,238
[knocking on door]
Uh, hello?
85685
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