Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Gross National Happiness

I just read this today, a Wikipedia article on the Buddhist Bhutan's economic development framework under the outgoing King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck.

excerpt: The four pillars of GNH are the promotion of equitable and sustainable socio-economic development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of the natural environment, and establishment of good governance. Read more

Thoughts?
What recipes for economic development would bring about the most happiness for the most people? Towards what social goals should nations (e.g. Nigeria, USA) design their economies?

1 comment:

t said...

What is Nigeria about?
That's a better way of saying all that I was asking in this post.

I want us to be about SHARING!

Every Nigerian person, company, office, association, child, woman, church, boy, school - every Nigerian entity that has any resources or money, should give to people who have less. We must not insulate ourselves from the suffering of the person who lives next door, who lives down the street, who lives across the country. We must all build a sense of shared destiny, and show by example that even though we won't all have the same amount of property - that's not going to change - we will give.

Why give? Because it literally saves lives. Because it is good and dignifies us to help someone else. Because it unites us as a society, makes us friends, not rivals.

The idea is not to raise a tax, or make a law. The idea is for us to all adopt this as common practice. Giving: not only for special women's associations and when pressured to do so in church or at the high-table.

The idea is that as a NATIONAL CUSTOM, we'll all give 5% of revenue/profit/income/allowance/? as a well thought-out gift to people with less than one. Five percent to help someone with less.

I normally give a little bit, and I think I usually give thoughtfully, but now I'll give more - 5% is not a small number, and more deliberately.

Previously on UpNaira

 

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