Prompt Cast
Bhutan's Gross National Happiness system and its impact on government accountability
TLDR Bhutan has developed a system called Gross National Happiness to measure and quantify happiness, which serves as a framework for government accountability and allows for the identification and resolution of issues affecting the happiness of the population. The system takes into account factors such as time use, living standards, good governance, psychological well-being, community vitality, culture, health, education, and ecology.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Bhutan had its first census four years ago after the king abdicated his throne in favor of a parliamentary democracy.
03:49
Bhutan adopted a guiding principle called gross national happiness, which is based on the belief that happiness comes from within and can be achieved through factors such as time use, living standards, good governance, psychological well-being, community vitality, culture, health, education, and ecology.
07:35
Bhutan has developed a system of matrices and indicators to quantify and measure happiness, including factors such as psychological well-being and the prevalence of positive and negative emotions.
11:50
The Bhutanese use crime statistics and surveys on how safe people feel to measure community vitality, which is part of their Gross National Happiness system.
16:03
Bhutan's Gross National Happiness system serves as a framework for government accountability and allows for the identification and resolution of issues affecting the happiness of the population, even if they fall below the poverty line.
19:44
The World Values Survey asks people two questions about their happiness and satisfaction with life as a whole, and ranks countries accordingly, but there is criticism about how subjective happiness is and the lack of correlation between happiness and factors like per capita GDP.
23:31
Money does bring happiness to a certain extent, but after reaching a certain point, it loses its value and the happiness it can bring.
27:38
Money shouldn't be taken so seriously, as it often leads to a lifestyle that is difficult to maintain and a fear of going backwards in terms of wealth.
31:27
Ben, a listener who was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 20, has been finding comfort and inspiration in the podcast as he undergoes treatment and prepares for a bone marrow transplant.
Categories:
Society & Culture
