Anatomy Of Happiness

2730 Words11 Pages
Ricardo Castro
Anatomy of Happiness
Kim Savelson
RBA Final Draft
The Paradox of Happiness
“Taking al things together, would you say you are: very happy, quite happy, not very happy, not at all happy”—“All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole now?”—“On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the happiest, how happy are you at this current moment in your life” (Bond 2)—these are just a few of the questions that are asked in these so-called happiness surveys. From these surveys, scholars and researchers attempt to determine which countries in the world are the happiest. Gross National Happiness, or GNH, has become an important factor in determining the well being and success of a country. Thus, leaders of these nations are trying to promote and maximize the greatest happiness for their citizens. However, how they are interpreting these studies and acting upon them raises some doubts in the way these studies are conducted.
Referring to the questions asked in the survey, there is one noticeable and resounding similarity between them—they all revolve around that of the individual. For example, they all aim at one’s individual happiness, as opposed to the overall well being of a community. Taking a look at the Chinese, a culture that emphasizes the happiness of the group over the individual, happiness is defined not as your own personal achievements and accomplishments, but rather “the inner well being and contentment, as well as the feeling of harmony with the external world. It is also trust, safety, and stability” (Lo 2). Moreover, the Chinese fail to mention anything to do with the individual or how “you” are doing, which strictly contrasts with the inherent definition of happiness imposed by conductors of these happiness studies. As a result, there appears a stark disconnect between those asking the questions and those

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