UN World Happiness Report
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Dr Mir Baiz Khan
This first-ever UN report on world happiness reveals that “it may be
nice to have more money but not so nice to crave it.” The report
highlights that focused quest for material gain is a sensible
approach to raise household income to improve the life conditions of
the poor. At a national scale, with the increase in the Gross
National Product (GNP) of a poor country, it is expected that the
many deprivations such as lack of food supplies, remunerative jobs,
access to health care, safe homes, safe water and sanitation, and
educational opportunities of the poor can be ameliorated. The report
asserts that “as incomes rise from very low levels, human well-being
improves.” However, it is not the same once it reaches above meeting
the basic needs. The report with reference to the rich counties
states that the affluence has created ‘its own set of afflictions
and addictions.” Obesity, adult-onset diabetes, tobacco-related
illnesses, eating and psychosocial disorders, and addictions to
shopping, TV, and gambling are examples of these afflictions and
addictions and the report calls them “disorders of development”.
While reading the report, I was pondering as to what relevance the
findings of it have to the context of Chitral where a large segment
of population continues to face a vicious circle of poverty. At the
same time, Chitralis have come a long way to improve their quality
of life thanks to their appreciation of and drive for education. If
one thing can be panacea to cure this human potential dilapidating
condition that, in my conviction and experience, is education. But
education seen as means of increasing material prosperity only is a
mistake; it can and should be a prime means to prevent the
“disorders of development” as well. In other words, increase in
material wealth without the ethics of its use can be more burden
than blessing. The ethic is to use the increase income for
improvement of one’s own quality of life and happiness and
contribute to the happiness of those who don’t have sufficient to
meet their basic needs of life instead of causing oneself and the
society afflictions and addictions with the excess of it.
Recently, serious concerns have been expressed through the Chitral
News and other media that there is a rapid increase in youth drug
addiction in Chitral. As I read through the pages of the report, my
mind increasingly wondered about this social issue in the Chitrali
society. Is this a symptom of increase income that is engendering
this menacing social habit? I asked myself. My speculation is that
consumption of alcohol and other drugs cost money and without it the
youths cannot have access to it. Do these drug addict youths have
source of income of their own or they simply plunder their parents
hard earned increased income at the cost of their own health and to
the misery of their parents? If this is the case then, the crisis is
not just social and economic but also spiritual and ethical because
the youths lack proper understanding of their social and spiritual
values in managing wealth. Lack of understanding the healthy use of
increased wealth is a failure not of the youths of Chitral, rather a
failure of parents and those who are responsible for inculcating in
them the spiritual and ethical values that are crucial to develop a
balanced personality. “Aristotle and the Buddha advised humanity to
follow a middle path between asceticism on the one side and craving
material goods on the other”, the report emphasizes.
The notion of middle path is not new; it is there in all faiths but
sadly it is more talked than practiced. If the concerns expressed
about the drug addiction are serious, then, in education of youths
there should be increased emphasis on the values and ethics both in
the quest of wealth and its use to enhance their understanding of
the happiness of mind and soul beyond superficial sensual pleasures.
-- Dr Mir Baiz Khan, Toronto Canada, 25 May 2012
Comment 1
It is a
pleasure that Dr sahib is thinking about the social norms and values
of his homeland's society and also conscious about the future of
youth, as they have to take the responsibly of nation in future. As
I have seen and realise the maximum ratio of drug addicted youth are
educated and do this on the name of fashion and pride. A large
number of students studying in Peshawar University are involved in
drug addiction. Bara bazar and Charsi hotel is the main theme of
their conversation whenever they talk about their university life. I
can not blame all those who are studying in Peshawar but maximum
number of student of Peshawar University are doing this. so we can
not say that only uneducated person are involved in drug usage. The
student welfare organisations have to take notice this issue.
-- Zakaria Ayobi, Garm Chashma 26 May 2012.
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