Is wealthy country equal to happy country? The answer is definitely not. According to the “ Gross National Happiness”(GNH) index, economic wellness is only one of the components which contribute the the GNH index. As the happiest nation in the world, Bhutan’s Gross National product is just $1400USD per capita, but they have the sense the contentment, thats why the Kingdom of Bhutan can become the happiest country. Obviously, money is not the prerequisite for joy, no matter on personal level, family level or society level. Undeniably, money is needed to maintain our daily living.
People tries to earn much money as they can at all cost. They may work 16-18 hour per day. Try to imagine, if you are doing some work which is not your interest, even you can earn much money, you will not feel happy, because it is not your ideal job, you will have lack motivation to work hard. Moreover, heavy workload may lead to some health problem. Needless to say, healthy is much more important than wealthy. If you are a billionaire, but you got cancer and need to fight with the illness, you will not be happy even though you have many “ golden paper”. On the other hand, focusing in your work will sacrifice the leisure time.
People is like rubber band, if you pull it hardly, it will break into parts. If you just spend the time on working without relaxation, you will feel nothing but stressful. Money came along with stress, then how can a stressful person become happy? Suppose family is a shelter which protect you from external threats. What if the family changed into a battlefield due to the asset struggling? Hong Kong Yung Kee Restaurant is a famous restaurant which worth about 1. 5 billion. The restaurant is operated by the Kam family and the family members are competing for the Yung Kee Restaurant as its market value is high.
The family was harmonious but since the lawsuit about the possession of Yung Kee started, the shelter broken into pieces. Some people may ever think of born in a rich family , but the above case highlighted “ born in a rich family” which may indicate a bad family relationship. So as friendship and love, having much money is difficult to find your bosom friend and true love, because the people who make friends or in love with you are just love your money but not your character. If money can only bring loneliness to oneself, how can it make people be happy?
Previously, the HK government launched the “$6000 policy”, offer $6000 to each 18 years old or above HK citizen. This policy’s purpose are to respond to the citizen’s demand and create a harmonious society. But this policy had ignored the minority group such as the new immigrants. They did not possess a HKID card as they are not living in HK for 7 years. The policy cannot meet its original purposes. Instead, The policy had incite the contradiction between the majority and the minority. When money cannot bring harmony to the society, how can it be the prerequisite for joy?
Famous investor Buffett had said that, helping the society is much better than spending money on luxurious goods. Buying luxurious goods can fulfill the material needs, but giving a helping hand to others can bring happiness to others while we can have self happiness, it can fulfill our spiritual needs. I hope you can be inspired by the above examples, money is not the prerequisite for joy, happiness does not rely on money but your mindset. We can still be happy without money, but having much money does not mean happy. So, let’s give up the materialism and live for a happier life.
