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“A New Measure of
Well-Being from a Happy Little Kingdom”
By ANDREW C. REVKIN NY Times October 6th, 2005
1. READ “A New Measure of Well-Being
From a Happy Little Kingdom” at:
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20051006thursday.html
ANSWER the following questions:
a. In what way do industrialized nations typically measure happiness, according
to the article?
b. How is Bhutan attempting to change the way the happiness of its citizens is
measured?
c. What factors will they consider?
d. What is their overall goal and in what way does it compare with the goals of
those who wrote the
Declaration of Independence?
e. What does the term "soft ideals" refer to in comparison with "hard-nosed
number crunching?"
f. What Buddhist concept does Lyonpo Jigmi Thinley refer to as addressing the
broader needs of human well-being?
g. Why might this concept have been dismissed as naive idealism, according to
the article?
h. In what way have studies indicated that economic well-being does not always
equate with happiness?
i. What evidence does the article offer to support that notion?
j. How does the 1998 Harvard study provide further evidence to support that
claim?
k. How are Princeton and the Bureau of Labor Statistics attempting to attain
more accurate measures of happiness?
l. What similar study are researchers in Britain developing and what specific
factors will they consider?
m. What purpose should a sound economy serve, according to Hans Messinger ?
n. What individual experience does Mr. Messinger suggest impacts society?
o. How and why does Ronald Colman want to change the way certain indicators are
measured?
p. In what way does Kurt J. Bauman say that some analysts are "missing a lot of
the picture?"
q. In what way does Siddiqur Osmani suggest that happiness is relative?
r. What initiatives are Bhutanese officials proposing to improve the living
conditions of their citizens?
2. CHOOSE ONE of the following extension activities and complete:
| 1. Using The New York Times multimedia graphic,
"A Plateau of Happiness"
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/10/03/science/04happy.large.jpg
, research four countries listed in the graphic and write a critical
analysis exploring why each might rank where they do in terms of their
relative happiness. How might the G.D.P. factor into the happiness of
each nation's citizens? Write an analysis of your findings and include
interesting facts such as population and average income. |
| 2. How would you improve the quality of life in
your community? Write a critical reflection on this question, citing
real examples of factors that increase and decrease the quality of life
in your community. Include suggestions for how you and others might work
to improve conditions that you feel should be better. If possible, take
some action that might improve the quality of life for your community or
that might contribute to your own happiness. |
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