Is the World Such a Miserable Place

What sort of world is we live in when so many people commit suicide, surely life as bad as it can be in some miserable places in the world still isn’t that bad that death is a better option. The latest figures from the WHO show some chilling figure, Japan's suicide rate was 24.1 per 100,000 people in 2000, compared with 39.4 in Russia and 10.4 in the United States. Mental illness is a terrible thing and can be triggered by many thing, abuse as a child or just genetics. But for there to be so many people in Russia wanting to kill themselves must point to some reasons about the life people lead in Russia. We all know that it can be a cold place to live and personally the thought of living in Siberia is probably enough to push me over the edge. The long cold winter nights with only a potato and a bottle of Vodka to keep you company is seriously depressing. No real food and no money and no real ale and probably no cheese of any distinction is just enough to suck the will to live right out of you, I did also read somewhere that Russia is the only industrialised country in the world that the life expectancy is falling and not increasing, something to do with crappy food and plenty of Vodka, a typical snack with a large vodka is a glob of salty pork fat, wonderful.
But on the other hand a country like Japan hardly fits into this category, lots of nice food some saki and a few beers I believe, so life should be good and happy, lots of good jobs and plenty of money, but that is also the reason for the misery, everyone in Japan is expected to perform and get a good job and be good looking and happy but the pressure is not for everyone and many underperformers take the long miserable walk to mount Fuji to hang themselves from the trees on the mountain. This world is pushing everyone passed the snapping point, they are having mass suicides in Japan now, crazy and crazier. What happened to the lovely world of village life and a few real ales down the tavern with your neighbours and a relaxed lifestyle that gives everyone what they want. The catholic church is what happened, we get all these edicts telling all to have as many children as they can, the world will be a sea of seething children, with nowhere to live and no job prospects and no future. Will we see the first million mass suicide, a live televised event with celebrity interviewers, a bit like American Idol with the best suicide of the night, or big brother even where you watch from behind two way mirrors.
Personally I am just looking forward to my next project and feeling a little miserable having to work here like a hermit without any creature comforts and getting constant demands for assistance on trivial items like part numbers for gawds sake. Perhaps I am made of more solid stuff to not let this shite get me down but it still sucks to joy out my daily routine. So smile you miserable bastards.