Gross National Happiness, a term first used by Bhutan's King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, is defined as "an attempt to define quality of life in more holistic and psychological terms than Gross National Product." Wiki According to Wikkopedia, "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." Wiki
GNH is extremely subjective because many different things make people happy. To make GNH objective, the world needs to design key elements of a country that a majority of the world agrees influences well being. For example in 2006 Med Jones proposed these 7 measurements for GNH
" 1. Economic Wellness: Indicated via direct survey and statistical measurement of economic metrics such as consumer debt, average income to consumer price index ratio and income distribution
2. Environmental Wellness: Indicated via direct survey and statistical measurement of environmental metrics such as pollution, noise and traffic
3. Physical Wellness: Indicated via statistical measurement of physical health metrics such as severe illnesses
4. Mental Wellness: Indicated via direct survey and statistical measurement of mental health metrics such as usage of antidepressants and rise or decline of psychotherapy patients
5. Workplace Wellness: Indicated via direct survey and statistical measurement of labor metrics such as jobless claims, job change, workplace complaints and lawsuits
6. Social Wellness: Indicated via direct survey and statistical measurement of social metrics such as discrimination, safety, divorce rates, complaints of domestic conflicts and family lawsuits, public lawsuits, crime rates
7. Political Wellness: Indicated via direct survey and statistical measurement of political metrics such as the quality of local democracy, individual freedom, and foreign conflicts." Wiki
This list of factors that influence a countries overall "well being" is a good start to assigning a value for GNH. As the debate continues, the factors are surely to become more complex and "accurate".
Despite the objective methods being applied to GNH, it remains a subjective tool. For example a country could justify deporting or exterminating all of its mentally ill and then report a high GNH. The idea of GNH is still fresh and has yet to be defined.
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Yeah, I'm starting to think measuring GNH is impossible
[Please do not delete this posting.]
Gross National Happiness, a term first used by Bhutan's King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, is defined as "an attempt to define quality of life in more holistic and psychological terms than Gross National Product."
-->Gross National Happiness, a term first used in 1972 by Bhutan's King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, is "an attempt to define quality of life in more holistic and psychological terms than Gross National Product."
-->[I don't think GNH can be defined as "an attempt." It is a concept. You might say the the concept "represents an attempt," but a concept is not an attempt.
Wikkopedia
-->Wikipedia
GNH is extremely subjective because many different things make people happy.
-->because happiness cannot be attributed to a single factor or set of factors.
To make GNH objective, the world needs to design key elements of a country that a majority of the world agrees influences well being.
-->To define GNH objectively, we would have to agree on a set of measurable criteria that consistently indicate presence or absence of happiness.
-->For example, in 2006 Med Jones proposed these seven measurements for GNH:
[Then indent the list without quotation marks.]
influence a countries overall "well being"
-->influence a country's overall "well being"
the factors are surely to become more complex and "accurate".
-->the factors are sure to become// will surely become
... "accurate."
The last paragraph seems out of place -- as if there are two separate conclusions.
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