Happiness Index!

The Prime Minster asking his minsters to measure the success of their policies via a well-being and happiness indicator is a good thing.

Some years ago, I left one country for another because I was unsafe and therefore miserable. Most people, day in and day out work, earn, worship, see family, look after their health, their loved ones and their communities, go to theatre, pubs, clubs, read, cook, entertain ….., the list goes on and on. But all these are things that make them feel some level of contentment. It therefore makes perfect sense that the policies affecting peoples’ daily lives and activities are developed and designed with the publics’ general welfare in mind.

Particularly now as the country’s economy is undergoing some reconstructive surgery and a makeover to bring it up to date and put it in line with the rest of the developed world and this nation’s financial capabilities. Of course lefty cynics will say: “then don’t cut and leave things are they are.” If we ignore the economic implications of not cutting, that thinking is still short sighted and offers people only a temporary short lived joy. While what’s truly needed is a long term sustainable contentment, what pleases people most is the knowledge that what they love and hold dear is safe and secure for the long run.

Happy people are healthy people; they are more productive, easier to work and live with, they most likely run a positive delightful household and therefore tend to raise happy families who will consequently become happy citizens themselves – and because life is a cycle, happiness begets happiness.