[nanomonkey]

I'd assume that is because they take on jobs that they'll be happy with, instead of what ever job makes the most money. If you're content with what you do, you can do it sustainably for the rest of your life, if your only motivation to do your job is the money, then you'll burn out and retire early.

[victorbjorklund]

Not the case. People working in say fast food in Greece have 6 workday weeks (their weekends are just 1 day per week). Doubt people are more happy cleaning restaurant toilets in Greece vs the same toilets in US.

[dleink]

Having worked service industry jobs (US) I think there would be a dramatic increase in my quality of life had the customers been happier.

Not to mention the unrelenting psychic toll of working low wage jobs in a country with a weak social safety net.

[em500]

So if they work less hours than others it's because they prioritize happiness (grandparent's post), and if they work more hours than others it's alsmo because they prioritize happiness (your post)?

[randomdata]

The grandparent post was clearly stated as a hypothetical, so there is no expectation of it having any bearing in reality. However, what does seem to stand up to reality based on what data is available is that the people in Greece work more hours, but also take more days away from work.

Which may suggest that the "American way" is to work fewer hours per day, and then try to cram in some fun after work, whereas the Greeks allow themselves to delve into more fun over the span of entire days instead of short spurts. It is possible that more happiness is derived when one is able to enjoy themselves in larger blocks of time, even if the total quantity on a time-unit basis ends up being the same as anyone else. That would support both scenarios in the comments, even if they seem contradictory on the surface.

But, as with earlier comments, this is all based on hypotheticals for the sake of illustration. There is no indication of what the speaker from the greater thread was actually talking about.