Sunday, June 1, 2014

Bhutan and Happiness.

Bhutan is a country populating 741053 people.  It has put forward Gross national happiness claiming happy citizens are more important than rich ones. Bhutan now is a developing country, no more the poorest. Bhutan may have developed but it still has the same happy citizens. Their happiness did not depend on the economic status of the country. When the country develops and becomes richer the citizens remain the same only the facilities develop. Hence their happiness is independent of money, instead happier they feel the better they work making the country richer. In addition, Aspinwall (1998) holds individuals who are happier better incorporate information leading to new ideas, which leads to creativity and invention. Therefore, happier the Bhutanese richer the country. However richer Bhutanese doesn’t mean happier Bhutanese, since their happiness depend on emotional contentment, living upon values and virtues stated by their religion (Buddhism) and family relations, social interactions and friendship.
The physical or materialistic contentment gives one only insecurities while emotional contentment gives one the precious so-called happiness. Baucells and sarin have explored Scientist’s findings about American millionaires living in huge, luxurious houses barely happier than Masai warriors in Kenya who live in the huts. With general literacy rate of 63.0% not all Bhutanese find happiness in seeming luxury. Since only 1960’s Bhutan opened the door to outside world. Budding Bhutan and its people needs happier environment and not superficial richness. Bhutanese have lived and are still living with fluttering prayer flags, green nature and smiles in the field while farming. Their emotional contentment beats any other physical showcase of happiness. According to Ricard (2007) Inner contentment contributes to social peace. Individual who is at peace with oneself will contribute naturally to establishing peace within one’s family, one’s neighborhood and if conditions permit society at large.





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