‘Certainty, not wealth…’: Financial advisor sparks debate on Finland vs India’s corporate life

In a post that sparked widespread online discussion, Akshat Shrivastava, founder of Wisdom Hatch, drew a sharp contrast between Finland’s continued top-ranking in global happiness indexes and widespread dissatisfaction among India’s corporate workforce. His argument: Happiness is not born from wealth, but from certainty.

“Finland has consistently ranked first when it comes to happiness. Do you know why? Because they are satisfied. Why are they satisfied? Not because they have a lot of money, but because they have certainty,” Shrivastava wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

He explained that Finland’s social model – with predictable taxes, free, high-quality education, and universal health care – creates a sense of stability that allows citizens to live without constant worry. In contrast, Shrivastava argues that Indian corporate employees face “corporate hunger games,” with no guarantee of job security, consistent taxation, or unemployment benefits. He added: “You lose your job, and you are alone. There is no such thing as happiness. There is contentment. When a person can feel at peace, he can be satisfied. This paves the way for happiness.”

The post quickly went viral, sparking a wave of responses across social media. While many praised Shrivastava’s perspective, others disagreed with nuance and statements.

“I strongly disagree here. Among OECD countries, Finland has a higher than average suicide rate. It’s certainly not one of the lowest. Finland has a crazy welfare state – they built welfare after they got rich and not before. India has some welfare, whatever it can afford at its stage of development,” one user argued.

However, others resonated with Shrivastava’s emphasis on emotional security. Another commenter wrote: “Happiness is not about excess, it is about stability.” “When people know that their basic needs – health, education, livelihood – are protected, they can focus on purpose and creativity rather than survival. In India, most people live in constant worry about ‘what if’ scenarios – what if I lose my job, what if I get sick, what if policies change overnight. This kind of uncertainty drains mental energy.”

A third user summed up this sentiment by saying: “When a country builds its happiness on certainty rather than wealth, it thrives. The day India prioritizes stability in jobs, education and healthcare, we will not just chase growth, we will live it.”

Some have also put Finland’s model in context, noting that its small population of about 5.6 million and strong social welfare systems make such policies easy to sustain. “It is true that Finland ranks first in terms of happiness in the world. But Finland’s population is very small – smaller than Delhi, the national capital,” one commentator noted.

Shrivastava’s post has clearly struck a chord with many Indians navigating volatile business environments and an evolving economy. Whether through better welfare systems or more predictable policies, his message touches on a deeper truth – that certainty, more than wealth, may be the missing ingredient in India’s quest for happiness.