If Bhutan becomes richer, do you think Bhutanese will become happier?

 

Bhutan is a small land-locked country sandwiched between two great nations of Asia where people are content with what they do and what they earn for their living. Country’s vision Gross national happiness depicts that country as a whole thrive together to be happy not focusing on Gross national product. Being rich doesn’t always mean everything. It is obvious that it can buy a luxurious and comfortable life but not a happy one. If Bhutan becomes richer, Bhutanese will not be happier because happiness is not based off of money, money does not buy happiness but rather it brings problems, stress, insecurities, threats, and anxieties. Happiness is a feeling we find within ourselves as human beings.

People believe if they had more money it would make them happier. Certainly having more money can make things easier at times, but it cannot take away all worries in life. Research has been done that money does not do anything to make people happier once their basic needs are covered. It’s an illusion to think that a celebrity or a rich businessman is happier than the average family man or woman. Hillary Nguyen (2005) claims that “as a child, I always thought that money made everything better. Until my family went broke and we no longer could do the things we used to be able to do or desired to do. We had to start watching what we spent and how we spent. After this experience, I’ve learned that I no longer needed money to be genuinely happy. Most people don’t know this and still haven’t figured it out.”

Being rich is not the cause of happiness, but insecurities and threats. In our society, people often put great emphasis on materials and possessions. If we are rich and we have more money, we constantly fear losing it. We are insecure that anytime we will be attacked and robbed. Our lives are in threats because in 21^st century world people do anything for money. They even slaughter man for it. Thus, money is not the cause of happiness, but insecurities and threats.

More money can lead to causing more stress and anxieties. If Bhutanese becomes richer, they will start worrying about spending money thinking that their wealth will be reduced. People will start putting great efforts on becoming even richer causing them to be in stress thinking about how to make more money. Futrelle (2006) claims that “more money can lead to more stress. The big salary you pull in from your high-paying job may not buy you much in the way of happiness. But it can buy you a spacious house in the suburbs. Trouble is, that also means a long trip to and from work, and study after study confirms what you sense daily: Even if you love your job, the little slice of everyday hell you call the commute can wear you down. You can adjust to most anything, but a stop-and-go drive or an overstuffed bus will make you unhappy whether it's your first day on the job or your last.”

According to D.H. Lawrence, author of “The Rocking Horse Winner,” money provides everything but happiness. In “The Rocking Horse Winner,” Lawrence portrays a young boy named Paul who tries to win his mother’s love by gambling for money. Paul’s mother is very materialistic and solely relies on money for happiness. The theme of Lawrence story demonstrates how the love of money can be destructive.Many believe that becoming rich would make them happier in life; but does money really provide true happiness? Having the money to provide food, clothing, and shelter is essential for everyone’s well-being and happiness, but after these basic needs are fulfilled more money just offers materials not necessarily happiness. Today research explains that becoming rich does not necessarily provides happiness.According to Brooke (2010), “The relationship between happiness and income is complicated, and after a point, tenuous. It is true that poor nations become happier as they become middle-class nations. But afterthe basic necessities have been achieved, income is only lightly connected to well-being. Inother words, after a certain point, extra money does not correspond to extra happiness. TheUnited States is much richer than it was 50 years ago, but this has produced no measurableincrease in overall happiness. On the other hand, it has become a much more unequalcountry, but this inequality doesn’t seem to have reduced national happiness.”

 

It is crazy to believe that becoming rich can reduce stress and worry because most people want it live slightly above their current means and stress about bills, belongings, and health regardless the amount of income. For example, one study stated, “people report needing 40 percent more to reach a level they consider sufficient. If you earn Nu. 50,000 per year, you will need Nu. 70,000. But if you get a raise and make Nu. 70,000, you will soon need about Nu. 90,000. The more you have, the more you find you need” (Brooks). According to Buddhist great scholar Gelsey Migchhu thogme, our needs and wants are infinite. The more we have, the more desirous we become. We tend to want more causing stress and depressions when we fail to accomplish it. He asserts that becoming richer is the cause of becoming unhappier.

Bhutanese could be richer, but also be the depressed because we will not enjoy what we do for living. Money doesn’t buy sincere happiness. Money can only make us happy to an extent. It is not something that everyone can receive every day. Money cannot fix the problems, depressions, or low self-esteem. But it can be a major source for stress, insecurities, and threats. Money can buy a lot of things, comforts and luxuries, but it will never be able to buy happiness. Therefore, if Bhutan becomes richer, Bhutanese will not be happier.

Of Your Own Choice

While most people in Bhutan would view being of your own choice as a matter of joke, many friends, like my own, believe that being who you are and doing things of your own choice help shaping your life better and more fun. This is because life is a matter of chance and we rarely get this wonderful opportunity. We must live this life fruitfully enjoying every tic-toc of the time doing things of our own choice. We should be aware of who we are and must be ourselves all the time. At the same time, it does not mean that we shouldn't listen to our parents and elders. We must listen to them but we must also learn to filter and analyse because at the end, the ultimate result is going to hammer on us, not them.

Being your own kind and doing things of your own choice will better your life mentally and physically. You would not have to cry over a split milk regretting for the things which you didn't wish to do.In words of Bob Marley, "wanting to be someone else is the waste of person you are." Every individual is born with different talents , different potentials and different capabilities. You might never know what potential you have in you  when you do things according to others direction or commands. You will regret when you attain your 80s and after looking behind in your life to see what you have done and what you have been all these years. You would see nothing other than a Hypocrite. And at that very moment, you are going to be sorry for your life resembling not the way you wanted or desired. Do things Of Your Own Choice.