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 21st 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.
