According to a recent survey conducted by the NSCB, both Filipino men and women ranked families as their primary source of happiness. Health ranked second and religion ranked third. Income or financial security only ranked 9th and politics, technology, sports, community and cultural activities made it to the bottom five (see embedded video below and survey results here).
Way to go Pinoys! The way I see this, prosperity didn't play much of any role in the Filipino's pursuit of happiness. And it shouldn't be.
As I observed in the US and in Europe, prosperity or increased standard of living doesn't really bring joy to people. I see more discontentment, greed and a sense of entitlement in these countries. In fact, it weakens the family and increase secularization that in return hurts people from acquiring those that really matters most in life, relationships and faith. While people get rich materially, they become poorer in the things that contribute to happiness.
Isaiah got it right with his thousand-year-old question that still applies today, "Why spend your labor on what does not satisfy?"
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(adapted from BreakPoint)
Thanks for this post, jas! For someone living on her own... this is so true.
ReplyDeleteBut i wonder if it's exactly because most of our families are living far away. This might be what they feel but it's not what we see... a lot of absentee parents around.
Nice take on Isaiah. Hope this makes people find the importance of family indeed.
Good point Vikki. At least many knows what (who) brings long-lasting happiness.
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