The Apolitical Activist, Ch. 6

Happiness and Good Governance

In Bhutan, the King decided there should be a quantification of happiness to be used as a measure of good governance.   It was hypothesized as GNH (Gross National Happiness).

He was only kidding.

But his ministers took him seriously and retained a Canadian researcher to create a list of both subjective and objective measurement of happiness.  It looked something like this:

http://www.grossnationalhappiness.com/

If you want to take the "happiness" survey, check this out:
http://www.happycounts.org/begin-survey/

I did.   According to the test, I'm above average on the happiness scale.   Except in social connections and mental conditions.  Then I'm just average.
When you take the test, you may find that many of the questions seem to biased toward a belief that happiness is not dependent on material possessions or the acquisition of same.   This is not surprising.  Bhutan is an isolated country lacking prosperity in any material sense.  The King emphasized that people’s happiness did not depend on the nation’s economic wealth.  Which of course is a logical position to assume if your country is poor and you don't want the masses to become discontent.

Namgay Zam, an anchor from state-owned broadcaster Bhutan Broadcasting Service, echos this sentiment:  “Bhutanese generally are very content people, resigned to their fates due to their belief in karma,” she said. “They simply don’t ask for more.”

Well, actually they may be asking for more.  For when the residents of Bhutan have taken the test,   though more than 90 percent of the 7,142 respondents said they were “happy” in a recent government survey, only 49 percent of people fit the official definition of total happiness by meeting at least six of the survey’s nine criteria.

What does this mean in a predominately Buddhist Country?  Does practicing Buddhism resign you to your fate?  Does it make you immune from the siren song of material goods and the desire for same?  Happiness is just one manifestation of existence.  Are there any others?  lol. 

I'd like to see an equanimity test.  Now that would make me truly happy:-)

In any event, here is what the Bhutan website tells you you can do to increase your  "happiness: "

1. Sit silently for 5 minutes a day. Turn off the television, laptop, cell phone. Make yourself comfortable and just sit for 5 min, observing and not judging your thoughts. Close your eyes if you can, or keep focused on any object about 2-3 feet in front of you. If you find yourself deep in thought, simply observe this and then come back to the moment.
2. Practice gratitude: every morning and every night, list five things for which you are thankful on paper or in your thoughts. These might be as simple as how good the pillow feels under your head or the really yummy lunch you had, or something much grander. It is the act of gratitude that counts.
3. Give every day with a small act of kindness to someone in their presence or so they know it is you who gave. This may be as simple as smiling at the cashier or saying thank you to a co-worker or boss. Once a year, or if you are inclined, once a month or week, volunteer with a community organization or do something on your own or with neighbors to increase the well-being of others in your community.