Living in the world where progress and continuing growth are considered as the parameters of being well off, it sounds almost outlandish that someone would want to look into such other measuring indicators like e.g. happiness. Would it be not enough to ensure that everybody's index of happiness falls into the proper range as opposed to creating of unattainable goals of richness, big bank accounts and luxury, which contribute to greed, consumerism and wasteful spendings? There is a place on earth right now where
Happiness is being put on the same level like education and transportation. This place is Bhutan, a country of population 750,000.
(NaturalNews) Officials in the growing country of Bhutan in southern
Asia have found that in the pursuit of economic development, people and
society lose their culture, environment, and their social systems
leading to significant problems. Bhutan has said, “That is not enough,”
to this way of life according to Dasho Kinley Dorji, Ministry of
Information and Communication.
In an interview in the documentary “Happy,” Dorji states that “GDP
(Gross Domestic Product) is not enough. Humanity needs a higher goal for
development and that is Gross National Happiness (GNH). We believe that
this contentment, this happiness, lies within the ‘self’ and there is
no external source.
A faster car, a bigger house, more fashionable clothes are not going
to give you that contentment. They might give you fleeting pleasure, but
not contentment….Gross National Happiness is important in that it makes
us think about what we do; of ourselves as individuals, of society, of
the world. To think rationally, think holistically, think spiritually.
Secluded Bhutan
Bhutan is an ancient culture secluded high in the Himalayas just
south of Tibet. The current population is approximately 750,000 – about
the size of San Francisco. With a history dating back 1,400 years, their
origin can be traced to tribes from northern Burma and northeast India.
This diverse background has created a very eclectic culture.
The Bhutanese are a people with unique customs and deeply held
beliefs. To keep their traditional culture alive, they wear traditional
clothing that has been worn for centuries. Men wear a “gho,” a long robe
tied around the waist by a small belt called a “kera,” and women wear a
“kira,” a ankle-length dress made from beautiful colors and finely
woven fabrics.
To protect their sacred traditions, Bhutan has tight restrictions on
tourism. Only 64,000 tourists were allowed to visit the country in 2011
and the numbers in the future are not expected to increase. They
consider it “safeguarding their treasures.” Bhutan is the only country
in the world to retain the Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism as its
official religion.
The Buddhist faith has played a key role in their culture, social and
ethical foundation. It permeates every aspect of secular life. The
Bhutanese diet is rich in meat and poultry, dairy, rice, and vegetables.
According to Dorji,”Gross National Happiness is the responsibility of
the government to create an environment where citizens can pursue
happiness.” In terms of environment, the law says that 60 percent of
Bhutan must always be forest. In terms of culture, their monasteries and
schools are preserved and protected from development. Subsequently, the
Bhutanese government has established rules of dress, language, and
architecture to create this environment.
Bhutan has only recently pursued GNH and time will tell how successful they will be.
Read the full article here.
