Bhutan

[helen99]

rialian was just reading me an excerpt from a book called Simple Prosperity: Finding Real Wealth in a Sustainable Lifestyle by David Wann. The excerpt was about a country called Bhutan. They measure wealth according to something called, "Gross National Happiness."

Maybe it's a result of living independently of words for at least part of the time...

Comments

[jolantru.livejournal.com]

Bhutan is a fantastic place. And they do measure wealth, not on material means, but emotional and spiritual ones. I like it. It is different from the dominant world-view of wealth=money... which I think is ultimately unhealthy for the body.

[helen99.livejournal.com]

Apparently they are on the internet now, and TV was legalized there in 2001. I hope they are able to weather the onslaught. So far so good, it seems, and their relatively unknown philosophy is becoming known and appreciated as a result (which may have been the reason for the decision). I'm hoping for the best.

[dancinglights.livejournal.com]

I keep picking up that book at j. random local bookstore and being quite impressed. And then I think that I *know* most of these things, deep down, and it's reminding me I ought not to be buying so much stuff, thus I wind up deciding not to buy it.

d'oh.

[helen99.livejournal.com]

I pass up many books for that reason. I'll skim a couple of chapters and realize I already know the information, or I already own an unread book on the same subject. I want a house that (in addition to all the usual rooms) has a Library. (And a sewing room and a Rialian room and a workshop with tools and a root cellar and a basement and a dusty old attic and Real Hallways with Secret Passages and a Secret Garden and...). Uhm, and is sustainable! Right.

[dancinglights.livejournal.com]

My imaginary magically sustainable oversized Victorian house which I share with other relationship-units of chosen family by floor has a multi-story round tower library with ladders and a bench for drinking tea, yes it does.

[helen99.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's the one. Funny how it's more often than not the same house (with wondrous new features each time the story is told). I think a group of 3lvz in space-bending combat boot mode could feasibly McGuyver a Victorian so it really did have these features.