Not actually true. Even the Heritage Foundation puts at least some Nordic countries (like Denmark) ahead of the US, and if you look at actual freedom (i.e. upward mobility)
Yes, of course, I was thinking of the case where you have a lot of cash and the freedom in choosing where you decide to spend thsoe funds. If we're talking social mobility I would expect that the northern countries rank a lot higher due to the free education and universal student loans (extremely cheap loans), please note however that I'm talking about Norway and Denmark in this case, not sure about Sweden, Finland or Iceland.
This is what I mean. Housing eats up a lot of the "disposable" income that you otherwise get from free healthcare and education.
According to the central statistics bureau (silly frenchies) in Norway, the average norwegian spend 25,4% of their net income on housing and electricity.
Is learning Norwegian (so as to get a job and a visa) the best way to go?
I have no idea, terribly sorry about this. I can only quote what the law says about this point.
-Have valid identification.
-Be over 12(I assume you are, or maybe you're some insanely gifted individual, I don't know)
-Have the intent to stay in the country(Norway)
-Fulfill the requirements for permanent visa as specified in the "foreigner law"
-Have stayed in the country for the last 7 out of 10 years
-Fulfill the requirements for courses in norwegian. If you have the required knowledge of norwegian this is not necessary, if not every immigrant has the right and duty to attend 300 hours of courses (this sounds like way too much). This is usually avoided by getting a language exam equivalent to the one required by foreign bacelor students in Norway. B-1 on the Bergen test as far as I know, don't know what that means, can look into it further if it's of interest to you.
-Not be convicted of a crime or other reaction as a result of a criminal relationship (sorry for shitty translation of legalese). Or if you are, wait until the Waiting Period is over.
-You have to renounce any other citizenship you have.
.and your willingness to dismiss the provable success of the Nordic countries as "Nordmania" is troubling.
I can assure this is basically because in the nordic countries our culture very much includes the fact that you never brag or think you are better than anyone else. The "Law of Jante" is a good description of how we think. So when you hear someone from scandinavia hesitate to admit the "proven successes", rest assured, this is merely a cultural phenomenon.
to whether the US has the best healthcare in the world (hint: we're barely above the global median).
Rest assured, most people here consider it a travesty that the US doesn't offer universal healthcare to everyone, I mean, it's a first world country, healthcare should be a basic human right.