Elmer, a Filipino living in Hong Kong, comments on insurance group AXA's "Life Outlook Index". He wonders whether being happy and optimistic holds back economic progress in the Philippines. For, of eight Asian countries surveyed, the Singaporeans had most insurance and were the most miserable.
So I'd ask whether economic progress is more important than being happy and optimistic. Read "Insurance - The White Man's Burden" and decide.
UPDATE
...and a nice little thread in Market Ticker's forums section, on rat-race dropouts who've taken to the beaches in Hawaii
2 comments:
Hi Sackers - though I'm no longer on your visit list, there was one post on you which attracted some very interesting advice.
Now:
"So I'd ask whether economic progress is more important than being happy and optimistic."
Are they mutually exclusive?
1. I couldn't find your feed address, otherwise I'd put you in the notable blog gallery widget. Can you help?
2. I'm coming to the view that, once very basic needs have been met, happiness is a decision, not a possession. I know that Jesus and the Buddha made the same point many centuries ago, but knowledge and understanding are very different and I'm a slow learner.
We are sold empty pleasures by people who themselves are caught up in the ego-trap, and they employ very skilful writers and artists to perpetuate the netting of nothingness.
The Buddhists say there is a bright light in the void. I saw it once, and for a while knew that nothing else mattered at all.
Post a Comment