Gross National Happiness (GNH)
Good morning, everyone. I am sure you have heard the phrase “Bhutan, the happiest country in the world” at least once. Today, let’s think about what happiness really means to us all.
Bhutan is a small mountain kingdom in Southern Asia. It is located between India and China. Mountains and valleys dominate the landscape of Bhutan. Bhutan is one of the least developed and poorest countries in the world. However, as we have said, Bhutan is often called the happiest country in the world.
In the 1970s, Bhutan’s king proposed an unusual method for measuring the country’s success. Unlike traditional measures, like the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the king suggested Gross National Happiness (GNH). Roughly speaking, GNH means to value spiritual well-being rather than economic wealth. “How are you?” We ask that question of one another often. But how are we doing as a country or a society?
According to a survey conducted in 2015, more than 90% of the Bhutanese feel happy with their lives. Thus, when the Bhutanese are asked if they are happy, most of them answer “yes.” With the spread of smartphones, we are now able to connect with anyone at any time, but I wonder if we can really help and support each other by thinking of each other as family. If you were asked the same question, how would you answer?
Good morning, everyone. I am sure you have heard the phrase “Bhutan, the happiest country in the world” at least once. Today, let’s think about what happiness really means to us all.
Bhutan is a small mountain kingdom in Southern Asia. It is located between India and China. Mountains and valleys dominate the landscape of Bhutan. Bhutan is one of the least developed and poorest countries in the world. However, as we have said, Bhutan is often called the happiest country in the world.
In the 1970s, Bhutan’s king proposed an unusual method for measuring the country’s success. Unlike traditional measures, like the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the king suggested Gross National Happiness (GNH). Roughly speaking, GNH means to value spiritual well-being rather than economic wealth. “How are you?” We ask that question of one another often. But how are we doing as a country or a society?
According to a survey conducted in 2015, more than 90% of the Bhutanese feel happy with their lives. Thus, when the Bhutanese are asked if they are happy, most of them answer “yes.” With the spread of smartphones, we are now able to connect with anyone at any time, but I wonder if we can really help and support each other by thinking of each other as family. If you were asked the same question, how would you answer?