YouGov, the global market research company has offices in 21 countries around the world in countries as diverse as China and Saudi Arabia finding out what people are really thinking.
Recently, they asked people across the world what they most wanted in life, and noticed a fascinating discrepancy. “Love” came top of the wish list in most Western countries including the UK – while in Asian and Middle Eastern countries it’s much further down the list, with good health and money more popular options. It’s a powerful reminder that the concept of romantic love that dominate pop songs, movies and our general understanding of what makes a good life is really a relatively recent Western invention.