Anything Goes for Being Happy? A Qualitative Analysis of Discourses on Leisure in Finland

Active leisure is strongly linked to happiness and well-being. Yet, actual leisure practices are stratified according to social class and status, and there is no consensus about what kind of leisure contributes to happiness. The aim of this empirical chapter is to understand whether some types of leisure are more associated with happiness than others—and why. It uses interview data (n = 49) on leisure and cultural consumption with Finnish people whose background profiles statistically predict low cultural participation (such as unemployment and/or low education). Qualitative content analysis is used to scrutinize expressions relating discussed leisure practices to happiness. Finland, one of the most egalitarian countries in the world with high rates of self-rated happiness according to recent reports, makes an interesting context for the study.