What makes you think people are “miserable?” East Asia has the lowest percentage of people who say they desire to emigrate elsewhere out of anywhere in the world: https://news.gallup.com/poll/468218/nearly-900-million-world.... Just 4%, versus 15% in North America.

A statistic showing a lack of desire to emigrate can't be equated to a happiness rating, given how political belief and other biases can be equal or greater factors.

Different cultures don’t equate “wellbeing” with “happiness” in the same way. To me, “happiness” is for children. For adults, I’d use something like “satisfaction” or “contentment.”

Looking at America vs Singapore. Pretty sure America is WAY more miserable. Singaporeans are probably miserable about the heat if anything. Because the safety of the country is amazing. You can chop a table in a cafe with your phone and no one will touch it. You can walk down the street with 100k hanging out of your pocket and no one will touch you. You can be a female walking in an alley at night and not worry about being raped.

In America you get shot just for being yourself.