In December, this column came up with a piece on "Happiness as a Government Framework."
This highlighted the landlocked Himalayan Bhutan as the first country to come up with a national policy on happiness for the people's welfare.
If other countries thrived on Gross National Product (GNP) Index to measure its economic achievements, Gross National Happiness (GNH) index is Bhutan's priority. Its leaders believe that the populace should be happy enough to love their country.
Happiness As A Course
Dr. Tal Ben Shahar, a positive psychology expert, established the Happiness Academy Studies (HAS) that gathered the thinking of world scholars.
Their research showed that, indeed, happiness is not just a natural or assimilated emotion. The feeling, like any human activity, has a scientific basis. Hence studying happiness has its technological basis and effect on society.
HAS claims to be the world's first-of-its-kind academically-managed fully-accredited graduate and certificate courses. These are also online and fees are not reasonably priced.
HAS offers Master of Arts in Happiness Studies, Certificate in Happiness Studies and the Happier School Program. The course costs around $17,700. Other certificate courses are charged accordingly.
The masteral course "focuses on educating leaders who are committed to the cultivation of wellbeing in themselves and others, to the fulfillment of society's potential for both happiness and goodness."
The certificate studies "provides the knowledge and tools to generate happiness on the individual, interpersonal, organizational and national levels, includes academic lectures and live webinars" taught in different languages.
While the school program is a comprehensive multi-grade/year educational intervention program "with the purpose of helping an entire school community — students, school staff and parents — attain higher levels of happiness."
Happiness Revolution
Claimed to be composed of students from 85 countries, Ben-Shahar claims the HAS community leads what he calls the Happiness Revolution.
In giving importance to offering the course, HAS' forward-thinking educational programs are designed "based on science". According to Ben-Shahar, while the science behind happiness is deemed genetic and inherited, it is also affected by environmental factors.
With deeper studies on happiness, Ben-Shahar said HAS community of leaders are trained on the five elements essential to life —Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Relational, and Emotional — or SPIRE. Therefore, Happiness Revolution is initiated by HAS graduates within their group, class, business. organization, and community.
Bhutan's Happiness Framework
Bhutan is an original, I should say.
As early as 1972, the term GNH Index was coined by the fourth King of Bhutan, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck. Bhutan established the world's very first Ministry of Happiness, a line government agency.
"The concept implies that sustainable development should take a holistic approach to notions of progress and give equal importance to the non-economic aspects of wellbeing and happiness."
The GNH framework impinges on the people's psychological welfare, health, time use and balance, education, cultural diversity and resilience, good governance, community vitality, ecological diversity and resilience, and living standard.
Everything in Bhutan, most especially national policies, are hinged on the populace's happiness. Otherwise, they believed there is no purpose for the government to exist.
HAS Not The Innovator
Probably, Ben-Shahar had the mentality that he is the originator of the Happiness Revolution.
HAS formalized the academic courses but still, the innovator on happiness as a general policy is Bhutan. This was emulated by United Arab Emirates, Venezuela and India— that also have a Ministry of Happiness.
Except for Australia, Happiness Ministries of other countries had been successful in implementing its policies.
Sometime ago, there was a move to investigate the fully-funded ministry. According to the Canberra Times, the country faced "an epidemic of loneliness, depression and suicide."
The Ministry of Happiness was mandated to probe on the causes and to "find rational, achievable and funded solutions that looked beyond the typical remedies."
Starting 'Em Young
Why not emulate the Bhutan approach?
This small country is just 38,394 square kilometers big with a populace of less than 800,000. Even then it continues to have success in implementing its happiness policy. This is probably because Bhutan is generally controllable and manageable.
While the country has a Gross Domestic Product as of 2023 is $15 billion, according to the World Economics. Even then, Bhutan places 153rd among the poorest in the world.
Does this ranking matter?
Bhutanese are contented and happy as the genuine precursor of a robust Happiness Revolution. They succeeded as Bhutan educators started 'em young.
(email opinyon.luchie@gmail.com or luchiearguelles@yahoo.com)
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