Wealth does not equate happiness

Categories: Singapore

A UK-based think-tank, New Economics Foundations had published the the Happy Planet Index (HPI) which attempts to log the progress of nations based on amount of resources used compared to the length and happiness of people's lives. Singapore was ranked 131 out of 178 countries. This is the worst within ASEAN. Vietnam, the best within ASEAN is ranked 12. Malaysia is ranked 40.

The HPI was created with the aim to "address the relative success or failure of countries in supporting good life for their citizens, whilst respecting the environmental resource limits upon which our lives depend." It shows the relative efficiency with which nations convert the planet's natural resources into long and happy lives for their citizens. The nations that top the Index aren't the happiest places in the world, but the nations that score well show that achieving, long, happy lives without over-stretching the planet's resources is possible. The HPI is calculated based on official figures on life expectancy, an index of people's happiness and the ecological footprint.

This HPI is timely because the world is facing a crunch on resources. Our way of live, with its excesses and mainly destructive in nature, cannot be maintained forever. While other indices measure success based on wealth and GDP, which unfortunately seemed unfriendly ecologically, this index attempts to show that success can also be measured in an ecologically-friendly way.

The results is quite revealing. The most developed country, US, only ranked a dismal 171. Japan, most advanced economy in Asia only ranked 153. In contrast, Vanuatu, a tiny island in the Pacific, ranked number 1. This is despite Vanuatu's per capita GDP of US$2900 as compared to US's US$41000. This show that although wealth is important, it is not the key to happiness. Wealth can bring you a lot of things but not quite the happiness we all aim for. Two of the richest man, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, had aptly demonstrated that money is not everything when they pledge their money for charity.

Another conclusion is that the more you have the more you want to have and that means the less happy you tend to be. This may explain why Vanuatu's people are happy with their simple life. To borrow a word from the Buddha, craving does not necessarily bring more happiness, but distress and discontent. This is aptly seen in the modern world where people are materialistics. The more possession one has, the more one wants. However when what is craved for is in possession, then the next craving starts, a never ending circle.

Great infrastructure at the expense of the environment is not the only way to a fulfil happy life. Great pleasure and happiness can be had by just enjoying the natural beauty of the environment. Every tree has its beauty. Even the simply dragon fly has its place in beauty.

No matter how revealing and how much approval is given to the HPI, it is important to note about the deficiencies of this index. By using the life expectancy as an indicator, there is an assumption that longer life span is an indicator of good well-being. This may not necessarily be true. Life satisfaction also does not equate happiness, because "you maybe satisfied with your pay but you may not be happy with it."

Such 'minor' details aside, the HPI is a useful tool to highlight the fact that one can be happy or at least satisfied without the need of a lot of money or at the expense of natural resources. I hope that the HPI will be published at the same time other economic indices are published so that the people can be made to realise that there is another aspect to life's happiness.

Links:
The Independent
Happy Index Map
World Changing