Progress and happiness It seems to me that, while all the progress in each category is remarkable, it is still important to involve groups that emphasize non-material categories like GNH. As is the case everywhere if the population is not happy no amount of material goods will matter in the long run. Keeping material welfare in perspective with a firm spiritual foundation is what I see as one of your goals.
Fledgling Democracy It is fascinating and instructional to learn about alternative democracies. They provide an excellent counter-point to our own system. I believe we can better understand our own system by studying other democracies the same way I learned more about English grammar by taking Latin, with its different structure, than just studying English grammar. You gain a better perspective by viewing and understanding other systems. These alternative systems might be understood as you would comprehend one color viewed as a contrast to others in the same picture.
Your view is... ... a scintillating mix of culture and experience. To become so immersed in such a diverse environment has to be a magnificant trip. As you probably have found, writing about these things give them a much deeper dimension. Revealing the intricacies of local politics further broadens my perspective of how people relate to their environment and each other. You also touch on economic factors that are part of the big picture that is painted in the book "The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for our Times" by Jeffrey Sachs. A very essential element of any economy is the infrastructure designed to enhance it. We are looking forward to more of your writings.
Thank you You are doing great work. thanks for your in-depth discussion and explanation of what you are doing and what is being done. You are thorough and very thoughtful with great insight. Those pictures are gorgeous. Much love and many blessings and indeed Happiness for you Eric...
Hello friend.
Thanks for sharing. I look forward to reading your entries and then hearing first hand when/if you return home. I know that writing about such a vastly different culture that you have only just come to can be monumental...just take it all in.
XO
Tarayana entry Dear Eric,
Rukha looks stunningly beautiful. Your paragraph on communal construction of homes in Tarayana brought back memories from Santa Anita La Unión (Guatemala), the small community I spent some time in. In the late ´90s all of the families came together to organize the construction project, and then drew family names out of a hat to decide which family would get which lot. They traded with each other if they were unhappy with their pick, and it seems to have worked out great. Everyone is very proud of their respective houses, yet that element of equality remains. Anyway, it was really great to read your Rukha entry. You do a great job of sucking the reader in and making us feel as if we are right there with you. Take care, hope you´re well.
Sincerely, from Peru,
Ali
good on you Hey Eric. Good to see you visiting all these places and people. I hope you are not too homesick. I was wondering how is Bhutan implementing GNH now that it is 'in centrestage' and our gnh-movement.org website advertises.
Take good care
Petr
HOLA Hey Eric, I love reading about your adventures and discoveries....and am glad you are getting about and getting involved....look forward to hearing more soon....safe travels, B
Eric,
thank you for all of your insight. I liked your explanation of individualism vs. communalism and how this plays out in your everyday interactions with others. I am glad you are finding that your path, whether linear or not, is taking you in amazing directions. I hope this finds you well. Sending good wishes from Peru--
Ali
Actually... Scot, sorry to give you the impression that there's not much hassle. Actually, it took quite a bit for Tarayana to get me the visa to actually be in Bhutan and there was a special permit to get me to Samtse. The first Queen is the President of Tarayana, so I think that helped me get around. You could probably wander around the Phuentsholing border area, but any extensive travel throughout Bhutan is pretty well regulated. Enjoy Texas. -Eric
from txas in xmas Great to hear your stories of Bhutan, sounds like it could actually be possible to travel there without much hassel. Well I am craving a bit of the 1800's right now, as I am in the heat of religious spending and silent cultural tryanny-texas in christmas. Your journey sounds beautiful, thanks for sharing.
bewell
Scot
economic sanity It's great to hear about an economic structure based on honesty, integrity and patience. How civilized! Your descriptions of how it affected you personally are particularly interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Crossroads In The Himalaya: Buddhist Communities Between Cultural Conservation & Neo-Liberalism. On this Adventure Learning Grant I traveled to Thailand for the 3rd Conference on Gross National Happiness and am traveling in Himalayan communities (Bhutan and India's Himachel Pradesh and Ladakh) to compile a multi-media narrative impression of the interaction of these unique cultural systems within a global economic political structure that provides new challenges to traditional cultural values. Through volunteerism with indigenous NGOs working on issues of development and ... full info
dog gone
m j a
stirred, not shaken!
thank you for your stirring thoughts!