Ending Poverty and War...Solution?

Victorious

I think I have found something I would like to endorse.

There has recently been a couple of threads on this subject. One by me with a similar title.

I think I finally found a way or path that I can endorse. There still may be some problems to bone out. But I believe in this.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/dec/01/bhutan-wealth-happiness-counts

What do you think? Do not be discouraged if I do not say so much. I want to hear your unbiased opinion.

Cheers!

Victorious

There are a couple of videos on this site.

http://www.gnhbhutan.org/about/

Victorious

This site is dedicated to research about GNH.

http://www.grossnationalhappiness.com/

vinlyn

My skepticism isn't in the general principles mentioned, which seem well intended. My skepticism is around the following: "Despite its focus on national wellbeing, Bhutan faces huge challenges. It remains one of the poorest nations on the planet. A quarter of its 800,000 people survive on less than $1.25 a day, and 70% live without electricity. It is struggling with a rise in violent crime, a growing gang culture and the pressures of rises in both population and global food prices."

Let's put it this way, I look at what they are doing as being similar to an experiment in a laboratory. Let's say it's a medical lab. You hopefully don't devise a new drug, mass produce it, and start administering it to the masses. You continue to refine the experiments, do drug trials, and eventually you may have a drug suitable for the masses.

It would seem as if Bhutan is at the very beginning of that process. I give them a lot of credit for looking at things from a different perspective.

Victorious

But... as a counterweight.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Bhutan

There seems to be freedom of speech and religion but the latter is not practiced.

Victorious

@vinlyn said:
My skepticism isn't in the general principles mentioned, which seem well intended. My skepticism is around the following: "Despite its focus on national wellbeing, Bhutan faces huge challenges. It remains one of the poorest nations on the planet. A quarter of its 800,000 people survive on less than $1.25 a day, and 70% live without electricity. It is struggling with a rise in violent crime, a growing gang culture and the pressures of rises in both population and global food prices."

Let's put it this way, I look at what they are doing as being similar to an experiment in a laboratory. Let's say it's a medical lab. You hopefully don't devise a new drug, mass produce it, and start administering it to the masses. You continue to refine the experiments, do drug trials, and eventually you may have a drug suitable for the masses.

It would seem as if Bhutan is at the very beginning of that process. I give them a lot of credit for looking at things from a different perspective.

Valid points all. Specially that about crime. If the entire society is into maximizing happiness then why is there a rise in violent crimes?

I will look into it. Thanks.

vinlyn

It's very interesting, @Victorious. Thanks for posting it.

lobster

In the UK it is part of official government policy. Yeah baby!
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/user-guidance/well-being/index.html

Victorious

@lobster said:
In the UK it is part of official government policy. Yeah baby!
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/user-guidance/well-being/index.html

I came to think of Bhutan after hearing about the UK initiative! Good on yer UK!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_Without_Growth

Victorious

About crime rate in Bhutan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Bhutan.

karasti

I didn't read all the links because I am familiar with Bhutan but wasn't sure if it was touched on (I did read the first one that opened the thread) that Bhutan is a declared Buddhist nation. Buddhism is their state religion and while other religions are allowed, they state pretty openly their desire to hold onto Buddhist culture. I was interested to learn more about their court system but wasn't able to find much of what I was looking for which was more detailed information about court proceedings and so on.

Anyhow, it would be interesting to talk to the people there. Our sangha group leader travels a lot and has spent time in Bhutan for quite extended periods. And yes, according to him the people do not have much by western standards, but they are fairly happy. So, you can't really put happiness into dollars, obviously, despite what we tend to believe. The US has plenty of dollars and we're pretty way down the global happiness scale, lol. It's interesting how much we attach happiness to money, even though we logically know better, we still can't help ourselves. Like me with cadbury eggs.

But also, there are countries around the world that have some really, really good ideas as well. Trying to apply them on a larger scale though would be quite difficult. Finland for example actually gives money to citizens in order to equal out pay differences. If you work but don't make enough on their scale, they simply send you more money. You don't even have to apply for it (I believe) it is just sent to you. They are much more balanced, their education system is one of the best in the world. They are much higher on the global happiness scale along with most of the rest of Scandinavia who hold the same values. But attempting to apply the same principles in countries with not only much larger populations but much, much larger land sizes becomes much more complicated and difficult.

Shoshin

"In Bhutan pigs do fly" I watched this doco on Bhutan's GNH a few years ago and cracked up when I heard this...( start at 3 minutes in to get the full picture) The Bhutanese have a sense of humour.... (I think the Bhutanese people were/are on the right track with the GNH- and Western countries could all take a leaf out of their book)