Do most people prefer a calm or an exciting life? The answer might surprise you!

Fast cars, city lights and nights out about town may not be as dreamy for many as Hollywood films would have you believe!

A Gallup survey of over a thousand participants from 116 countries shows that nearly 72 per cent of people would choose a calm life over an exciting one.

The yearning for calmness and inner peace was most pronounced in East Asia with 85 per cent picking tranquil vibes over excitement, followed by 82 per cent in Latin America, 75 per cent in the U.S. and Canada and, 73 per cent in Australia and New Zealand. While Eastern and Western Europe stood at 71 per cent and 68 per cent respectively.

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Interestingly, Indians and South Asians, in general, were not as inclined towards calmness with only 56 per cent preferring tranquillity over excitement.

The findings may come as a surprise to some as a penchant for calm is generally associated with Eastern cultures. But the survey done in partnership with the Wellbeing for Planet Earth (WPE) Foundation proves that at least in 2020, people across the world were seeking a life of calm.

The researchers say the pandemic might have skewed preferences. Faced with unprecedented stress and uncertainty, the notion of going out and trying exciting things poses too much risk for most, at least for now.

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It will be interesting to see how tastes deviate as we move away from Covid-19 and into a new climate struck reality.