Quality of Life Assessments & Happiness
How does Happiness relate to quality of life?
What is human potential and happiness?
Quality of life (QOL) assessments define happiness as "Having a quality of life and sense of control over one's life conditions when we formulate one's life satisfaction scores. Individuals intuitively weight different sub-components to indicate their wellbeing and happiness. Examples include evaluation of past life, opportunities for the future, overall meaning of their own life & vitality'." (1)
Lack of personal agency, autonomy, control over one's identity and not having control over one's life conditions would likely affect a person's access to wellbeing and happiness. Additionally, having a great job which is high paying but reduces "life meaning" may create unhappiness or even illness over time. For this reason different economic metrics have been recommended to measure a nation's prosperity and productivity which go beyond Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
'There are better measures of net economic growth. GDP as a metric is similar to measuring gross sales without looking at your P & L (profit and loss statement). The GPI (Gross Progress Indicator) is a unique metric which accounts for the health of a nation's economy by integrating social factors & environmental factors which are not necessarily measured by the GDP. ' The "Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) is a transparent productivity measure of governance. For example: “Some models of GPI decrease in value when the poverty rate increases.” (7, 8, 9).
Happiness
Everyone wants to be happy. Such thoughts on happiness date back to ancient times. The teachings of the Buddha, Aristotle, Socrates, Confucius, Plato, Epicurus, Mencius–all these leaders theorized about our life purpose. They contemplated & defined happiness, and set a path forward for achieving it. Their doctrines relate to how humans could cultivate happiness and develop a life of meaning. But what is happiness and how is it defined or felt physically, emotionally or spiritually?
Swami Muktananda asks;
“When you look at a beautiful picture, where do you feel pleasure, in the picture or in yourself?”
Swami Muktananda asks, “When you look at a beautiful picture, where do you feel pleasure, in the picture or in yourself?” This very element of true happiness and joy elucidates that the search for happiness comes from within. Although the dopamine rush of consumerism and hunting can be exhilarating, withdrawal after the high is no fun. The dips in dopamine are what lead humans to spiralling downward into what they are now labelling mood disorders, addictions and mental illness. As a result people are self-medicating with prescription drugs or self-medicating with binge eating addictions, alcohol consumption, nicotine over-use, drugs, gambling, consumerism, sex addiction, wealth building and many other mental afflictions to address our dopamine lows.
In a pandemic, it will likely be a challenge to reduce the trajectory of mind afflictions that are coming let alone trying to stay happy. Nevertheless, it is important to understand the research on wellbeing and how to maintain a basic level of health through proper nutrition, exercise and metacognitive practices.
The United Nations Secretary-General in the meeting on the 2nd of April, 2012 had 56 recommendations for improving the well-being of persons on the planet. “The final report from the Global Sustainability Panel stated the importance of developing a "Sustainable Development Index", or a set of indicators to measure progress towards sustainable development. The panel noted that while material prosperity may be important, it is far from being the only determinant of well-being. (2)
"UN Resolution 66/281: International Day of Happiness's adoption in 2012 marked a new historical milestone in humankind's ultimate quest for happiness. March 20th has been established as the annual International Day of Happiness since 2011. All 193 United Nations member states have adopted a resolution calling for happiness to be given greater priority. In 2011, The United Nations General Assembly established a resolution which recognized happiness as a "fundamental human goal" and called for "a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of all peoples". (1)
The resolution from the Sixty-sixth session, Agenda item 14 which was adopted on the 28th of June in 2012 requested that Member States develop a more balanced approach to "Recognizing the relevance of happiness and wellbeing as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings around the world including poverty eradication, sustainable development and integrate these measures in public policy objectives."
Measuring success by wealth alone has been questioned in the groundbreaking Brundtland Report of 1987 of Denmark, the Human Development Index and the Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress. (4, 5).
“French President Nicholas Sarkozy created a committee with a somewhat ungainly name, ‘The Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress’. The aim of the Commission was to ‘identify the limits of GDP as an indicator of economic performance and social progress, including the problems with its measurement; to consider what additional information might be required for the production of more relevant indicators of social progress; to assess the feasibility of alternative measurement tools, and to discuss how to present the statistical information in an appropriate way’ (5). It asked the paramount question “Do individuals feel satisfied with their life?” When you ask that very question or more importantly “Are you very happy with your life the answers may come back quite surprising.” (4, 5)
‘' The General Assembly, Conscious that the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal, Recognizing also the need for a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes sustainable development , poverty eradication , happiness and the well-being of all peoples, Decides to proclaim 20th of March the International Day of Happiness, Invites all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system and other international and regional organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and individuals, to observe the International Day of Happiness in an appropriate manner, including through education and public awareness-raising activities." (1)
— United Nations General Assembly , Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 28 June 2012
References:
1. Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on the 28th of June 2012 (http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/66/281).
2.http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/ageing/documents/NOTEONHAPPINESSFINALCLEAN.pdf
3.https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/617BhutanReport_WEB_F.pdf
4. http://www.dac.dk/en/dac-cities/sustainable-cities/historic-milestones/1987--brundtland-report-our-common-future/
5. http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/37234/1/Leunig_Measuring_economic_performance_2011.pdf
6. Founded June 28, 2012 The International Day of Happiness Resolution 66/281 was the result of the effort of United Nations adviser Jayme Illien,[5] who conceptualized the idea for a U.N. Resolution that would recognize the pursuit of happiness as a human right and a "fundamental human goal."
7. Anielski, M, M. Griffiths, D. Pollock, A. Taylor, J. Wilson, S. Wilson. 2001. Alberta Sustainability Trends 2000: Genuine Progress Indicators Report 1961 to 1999. Pembina Institute for Appropriate Development. April 2001. http://www.anielski.com/Publications.htm (see the Alberta Genuine Progress Indicators Reports).
8. Anielski, M. 2001. The Alberta GPI Blueprint: The Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) Sustainable Well-Being Accounting System. Pembina Institute for Appropriate Development. September 2001.http://www.anielski.com/Publications.htm (see the Alberta Genuine Progress Indicators Reports)
9. Anielski, M. and C. Soskolne. 2001. "Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) Accounting: Relating Ecological Integrity to Human Health and Well-Being." Paper in Just Ecological Integrity: The Ethics of Maintaining Planetary Life, eds. Peter Miller and Laura Westra. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield: pp. 83–97.
10. Costanza, R., Erickson, J.D., Fligger, K., Adams, A., Adams, C., Altschuler, B., Balter, S., Fisher, B., Hike, J., Kelly, J., Kerr, T., McCauley, M., Montone, K., Rauch, M., Schmiedeskamp, K., Saxton, D., Sparacino, L., Tusinski, W. and L. Williams. 2004. "Estimates of the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) for Vermont, Chittenden County, and Burlington, from 1950 to 2000." Ecological Economics 51: 139-155.
11. Daly, H., 1996. Beyond Growth: The Economics of Sustainable Development. Beacon Press, Boston.
12. Daly, H. & Cobb, J., 1989. For the Common Good. Beacon Press, Boston.
13. Delang, C. O., Yu, Yi H. 2015. "Measuring Welfare beyond Economics: The genuine progress of Hong Kong and Singapore". London: Routledge.
14. Fisher, I., 1906. Nature of Capital and Income. A.M. Kelly, New York.
15. Hicks, J., 1946. Value and Capital, Second Edition. Clarendon, London.
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