Measuring happiness: Is Bhutan really the world’s happiest country? Adventures.

com written by Emma

Thomson, 2018

Bhutan is famously the only country in the world to rank Gross National Happiness (GNH), above GDP.
Everything—from governance and economic development to cultural preservation and environmental
conservation—is decided according to this holistic tenet, designed to measure and protect the collective
happiness and wellbeing of the population. Bhutan has continually been ranked as the happiest country in all of
Asia, and the eighth happiest country in the world according to Business Week. When the UN General
Assembly passed the resolution in 2011, it praised Bhutan and urged other members to follow suit. But how
does a country measure happiness and what’s it like to live that philosophy?

The happiness measure may have held true until modernization. However, today, the numbers are questionable.
Since 2011, the census has been taken three times, with the last one in 2015. Over five months, 7,153 Bhutanese
were interviewed across the country and it was concluded that GNH has grown significantly from 0.743 in 2010
to 0.756 in 2015, showing “overall people’s lives are getting better” and that “a total of 91.2 per cent of
Bhutanese were narrowly, extensively, or deeply happy” (GNH Survey Report).

Trouble is, at that time Bhutan’s population stood at 787,386, meaning just 0.9 per cent of inhabitants were
surveyed. That’s a very small sample. It raises questions on whether GNH is actually a viable philosophy or just
propaganda. The Bhutanese government argues the philosophy acts as ‘a compass towards a just and
harmonious society’ and the questionnaire identifies gaps in happiness—such as that men tend to be happier
than women, and urban, educated residents tend to be happier than rural citizens—and where they can improve
amenities to re-address the balance. Ironically, though, Bhutan ranked 97 out of 156 on the 2018 World
Happiness Report although they attribute this to the survey measuring happiness only via material wealth.

I ask my guide, Sonam Pelden, what he thinks as we join the thrum of locals circling like honeybees around the
Memorial Stupa in Thimphu, built in 1974 in remembrance of Bhutan’s third king. The elder generation are
dropped off by their kids with a packed lunch and spend the day here, spinning the prayer wheels and touching
their prayer beads. “It becomes a community which makes them happy,” says Sonam.

In many ways, GNH seems a natural extension of the Mahayana Buddhism that 75 per cent of the population
follows. “In my opinion, GNH means being satisfied with what you have,” Sonam says. I’d noticed the large
camera resting on the back seat of the car he used for his birdwatching. “But you still want the latest camera and
new lens,” I tease. “Good point,” he says, laughing, “but that’s because we’re human—it’s the human condition
to never be satisfied. The goal is to try and be satisfied.” After a few paces, he adds: “Sadness will always be
there, so GNH helps keep the balance. Perhaps GNH is better defined as ‘development with values’.”

We embark on another tour around the stupa. “Plus, when we speak of happiness, it’s for all the people, not just
the individual,” says Sonam. “The poorer farmers don’t mind because the service they provide supports the
community. In many ways, they’re richer than us because their lifestyle provides everything they need.” And
yet the GNH Survey Report noted: “Farmers are less happy than other professions,” highlighting something of a
disconnect between perception and reality.

I ask Sonam how happy he thinks his fellow countrymen are. “I’d say about 85 per cent,” he replied. While that
may be somewhat optimistic, the ‘unhappy’ 15 per cent is likely to include Nepalese inhabitants. In the 1990s,
around 100,000 Hindu Nepalese—about 28 per cent of the population—were forcibly expelled from Bhutan. It
demonstrated the near-absolute power the king wields and overall, this raises issues of freedom of expression.
Bhutan has a ban on smoking, tattoos, and the sale and consumption of alcohol on Tuesdays. Furthermore,
negative statistics such as the rise in cases of Aids and tuberculosis are suppressed.
But are such restrictions necessary? This is a country that only built its first road, established its postal service
and migrated formal education from the monasteries to the classroom in the 1960s. That founded its banking
system ‘BoB’ (Bank of Bhutan) in 1968. And, after trialing traffic lights in the capital Thimphu, went back to
using hand-waving police because “people didn’t get it.”

During my final days in Bhutan, I lodge at a homestay in the remote Haa Valley. Jigme, my host’s 10-year-old
nephew, shows me how to whizz down the wooden bannisters and later, at dinner, he shuffles across the
wooden floorboards to sit next to me. I ask what happiness means to him. “Happiness is when you make
something to share with others,” he replies, rather profoundly, before changing the topic to discuss his love of
David Beckham.

But can Bhutan share its model with other nations? “It works because our country is small,” says Sonam. Randy
Durband, CEO of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, agrees: “For practical reasons, few nations could
follow their model because of Bhutan’s dramatic isolation. Perhaps a small destination could follow it, but not
entire nations.” Of course, happiness is a slippery state of being—by its very nature, it comes and goes. Trying
to achieve it on a countrywide scale, then, may seem naïve; even impossible. Sceptics may accuse Bhutan of
practising rose-tinted politics, yet their government has never denied the importance of GDP—rather, they
rearranged its position in the hierarchy of needs. Bad news always beats good to the headlines, and so too is it
easier to pick holes in and argue about a fledgling do-good philosophy. As Sonam freely admits: “It’s
complicated, but at least they’re trying a new model.” And in today’s increasingly fractured political and social
landscape, perhaps this is an argument that’s worth having.

1. To help you out the article has been divided into 4 large sections
2. Please write the main ideas for each chunk of the text
3. Please write the summary for the article
Now let us chunk it:

Text Main idea

Bhutan is famously the only country in the world to rank Gross National According to the happiness tests,
Happiness (GNH), above GDP. Everything—from governance and economic overall happiness in Bhutan is
development to cultural preservation and environmental conservation—is very high. However the collected
decided according to this holistic tenet, designed to measure and protect the data is questionable. Only a very
collective happiness and wellbeing of the population. Bhutan has continually small part of inhabitants were
been ranked as the happiest country in all of Asia, and the eighth happiest asked. Also, Bhutan is not also
country in the world according to Business Week. When the UN General one of the happiest countries, but
Assembly passed the resolution in 2011, it praised Bhutan and urged other one of the poorest as well.
members to follow suit. But how does a country measure happiness and
what’s it like to live that philosophy?

The happiness measure may have held true until modernization. However,
today, the numbers are questionable. Since 2011, the census has been taken
three times, with the last one in 2015. Over five months, 7,153 Bhutanese
were interviewed across the country and it was concluded that GNH has
grown significantly from 0.743 in 2010 to 0.756 in 2015, showing “overall
people’s lives are getting better” and that “a total of 91.2 per cent of
Bhutanese were narrowly, extensively, or deeply happy” (GNH Survey
Report).

Trouble is, at that time Bhutan’s population stood at 787,386, meaning just
0.9 per cent of inhabitants were surveyed. That’s a very small sample. It
raises questions on whether GNH is actually a viable philosophy or just
propaganda. The Bhutanese government argues the philosophy acts as ‘a
compass towards a just and harmonious society’ and the questionnaire
identifies gaps in happiness—such as that men tend to be happier than
women, and urban, educated residents tend to be happier than rural citizens
—and where they can improve amenities to re-address the balance.
Ironically, though, Bhutan ranked 97 out of 156 on the 2018 World
Happiness Report although they attribute this to the survey measuring
happiness only via material wealth.
I ask my guide, Sonam Pelden, what he thinks as we join the thrum of locals Guide of Bhutan, Sonam Pelden
circling like honeybees around the Memorial Stupa in Thimphu, built in 1974 says that money is not always
in remembrance of Bhutan’s third king. The elder generation are dropped off relevant and happiness is not
by their kids with a packed lunch and spend the day here, spinning the prayer always material, but rather
wheels and touching their prayer beads. “It becomes a community which making other people happy.
makes them happy,” says Sonam. However survey’s data doesn’t
agree with guide’s words.
In many ways, GNH seems a natural extension of the Mahayana Buddhism
that 75 per cent of the population follows. “In my opinion, GNH means
being satisfied with what you have,” Sonam says. I’d noticed the large
camera resting on the back seat of the car he used for his birdwatching. “But
you still want the latest camera and new lens,” I tease. “Good point,” he says,
laughing, “but that’s because we’re human—it’s the human condition to
never be satisfied. The goal is to try and be satisfied.” After a few paces, he
adds: “Sadness will always be there, so GNH helps keep the balance. Perhaps
GNH is better defined as ‘development with values’.”
We embark on another tour around the stupa. “Plus, when we speak of
happiness, it’s for all the people, not just the individual,” says Sonam. “The
poorer farmers don’t mind because the service they provide supports the
community. In many ways, they’re richer than us because their lifestyle
provides everything they need.” And yet the GNH Survey Report noted:
“Farmers are less happy than other professions,” highlighting something of a
disconnect between perception and reality.

I ask Sonam how happy he thinks his fellow countrymen are. “I’d say about The author claims that the small
85 per cent,” he replied. While that may be somewhat optimistic, the percentage of those who are
‘unhappy’ 15 per cent is likely to include Nepalese inhabitants. In the 1990s, unhappy in Bhutan might
around 100,000 Hindu Nepalese—about 28 per cent of the population—were include once expelled because of
forcibly expelled from Bhutan. It demonstrated the near-absolute power the the restrictions Hindu Nepalese
king wields and overall, this raises issues of freedom of expression. Bhutan people. He wonders if those
has a ban on smoking, tattoos, and the sale and consumption of alcohol on restrictions are necessary in the
Tuesdays. Furthermore, negative statistics such as the rise in cases of Aids country which is relatively
and tuberculosis are suppressed. young.

But are such restrictions necessary? This is a country that only built its first
road, established its postal service and migrated formal education from the
monasteries to the classroom in the 1960s. That founded its banking system
‘BoB’ (Bank of Bhutan) in 1968. And, after trialing traffic lights in the
capital Thimphu, went back to using hand-waving police because “people
didn’t get it.”

During my final days in Bhutan, I lodge at a homestay in the remote Haa The locals of Bhutan say that
Valley. Jigme, my host’s 10-year-old nephew, shows me how to whizz down happiness is altruism. According
the wooden bannisters and later, at dinner, he shuffles across the wooden to them, this model of happiness
floorboards to sit next to me. I ask what happiness means to him. “Happiness works because it is a small
is when you make something to share with others,” he replies, rather country. The experts agree and
profoundly, before changing the topic to discuss his love of David Beckham. think that other small nations
could follow Bhutan’s model.
But can Bhutan share its model with other nations? “It works because our Sceptics might think that Bhutan
country is small,” says Sonam. Randy Durband, CEO of the Global is making everything look better
Sustainable Tourism Council, agrees: “For practical reasons, few nations than it actually is, but the locals
could follow their model because of Bhutan’s dramatic isolation. Perhaps a do not lose their optimism about
small destination could follow it, but not entire nations.” Of course, their country.
happiness is a slippery state of being—by its very nature, it comes and goes.
Trying to achieve it on a countrywide scale, then, may seem naïve; even
impossible. Sceptics may accuse Bhutan of practising rose-tinted politics, yet
their government has never denied the importance of GDP—rather, they
rearranged its position in the hierarchy of needs. Bad news always beats
good to the headlines, and so too is it easier to pick holes in and argue about
a fledgling do-good philosophy. As Sonam freely admits: “It’s complicated,
but at least they’re trying a new model.” And in today’s increasingly
fractured political and social landscape, perhaps this is an argument that’s
worth having.
Attach your summary here:

Emma Thompson informs that according to the happiness tests, Bhutan is the happiest country of Asia.
However the collected data is questionable because only a very small part of inhabitants were asked. Also, the
author highlights that Bhutan is not also one of the happiest countries, but one of the poorest as well. Guide of
Bhutan, Sonam Pelden says that money is not always relevant and happiness is not always material, but rather
making other people happy. However survey’s data doesn’t agree with guide’s words. The author claims that
the small percentage of those who are unhappy in Bhutan might include once expelled because of the
restrictions Hindu Nepalese people. He wonders if those restrictions are necessary in the country which is
relatively young. The locals of Bhutan say that happiness is altruism. According to them, this model of
happiness works because it is a small country. The experts agree and think that other small nations could follow
Bhutan’s model. Sceptics might think that Bhutan is making everything look better than it actually is, but the
locals do not lose their optimism about their country.