Context and Relevance of Happiness Day.
With several alienating incidents around the world amid a one-of-a-kind ‘Tug of war’ ‘like’-like situation among many countries and even the UN, I am preparing to write an article on ‘International Day of Happiness 2025…. Isn’t it too ironic?
Being a peace-loving and law-abiding citizen, I am entitled to write on this topic, but little did I know that I would have to encounter my inner devil in due course.
Yes, the term ‘Happiness’ is such a weird notion.
- We can be happy when we get whatever we desire.
- A child can be happy when he/she gets the toys they ask for.
- Parents may feel happiness when their kids are happy and vice versa.
- A simple pay hike makes millions of salaried people happy, and this in turn easily makes their immediate family members and well-wishers happy.
- Someone who’s feeling hungry might be quite happy with just two meals a day, and a thirsty person could really appreciate a nice, refreshing glass of water.
- There will be a scarcity of words to describe the feelings of an unemployed youth after securing a job.
- Small business houses do feel the same way when they do their business unhindered and peacefully without fearing encroachments from the large business groups.
- A homemaker can be happy when the family members genuinely appreciate her efforts to keep the house running smoothly.
- Teachers feel happiness when their disciples get success in their life.
- An artist, an author, a filmmaker, and all those who have dedicated performing professions- they all feel contentment after the completion of their project.
- A street vendor will be happy when he/she is doing brisk business.
- A young couple can be happy after confirming their relationship.
There may be thousands of reasons for us to be happy, no matter what fate brings us, and the biggest of them is that we are here as a superior race to rule and master the entire universe.
The Devil Side of Happiness
Yes, we are excellent as humans, but unfortunately with our evolution, we did not follow the basic rules of humanity, and ultimately we are proving ourselves to be a big disaster for every positive invention we make here to make our lives better.
Isn’t the idea of ‘Happiness Index’ too overwhelming keeping a close tab on our actions and reactions for what life throws to us.
Even in Bhutan, where this concept was conceptualized just a decade ago, people are unhappy because of their inhibitions to adopt some modern approach to lifestyle.
Our devil sides are more active than our altruist side.
We are happy when our competitors fail, we are happy when our neighbors get bad days, we are happy when teachers catch fever or something like this, we are happy when our opponents face tough days, we are happy when someone who is flourishing in the business suddenly gets into losses.
Our darker tendencies, such as jealousy, greed, and anger, often emerge more frequently than altruistic qualities like kindness, compassion, and generosity. This suggests that, in many situations, we may be more inclined to act on negative emotions and impulses rather than on our instinct to help and uplift others.
Chivalry is a long lost quality now.
When chivalry is out of the scene, love is overpowered by hatred, when mighty is right no matter what they do, when respect for individual integrity is seriously ignored, when kids are being subjected to face war like situations, when our leaders are turning into beast, when influencers are paid for all their boorish shows, when social media platforms are filled with garbage, when women and girls are facing threats sexually, when senior citizens are tortured by their offsprings, when the saints are doing all opposite to what they ought to do, where are the questions of ‘Happiness’?
Gross National Happiness Index (GNH)
Bhutan has embraced the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH), emphasizing the well-being and happiness of its citizens over traditional economic indicators like Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
This approach reflects the nation’s commitment to balancing economic development with cultural preservation, environmental sustainability, and good governance. By prioritizing happiness as a key measure of progress, Bhutan seeks to create a holistic society where individuals lead fulfilling lives and their overall well-being is fostered.
Bhutan is the only nation which is Carbon-negative, in the time when about 107 countries are responsible for 82% of Global Greenhouse Gas emissions.
Although Bhutan elevates the concept of happiness, according to the 2024 data, it was ranked 95th out of 143 countries in the list of happiest countries. Isn’t this a contradiction?GNH
Theme for 2025 International Day of Happiness
Founded in 2012 by the United Nations, the initiative aimed to promote happiness and well-being among people worldwide. However, it struggled to gain traction, largely due to the actions of politicians, leaders, well-known figures, and industrialists who often undermine the social fabric for their own benefit.
This year’s theme is “Caring and Sharing” highlighting caring for one another, and sharing positivity to promote happiness and strengthen relationships with friends, family, neighbors, and everyone. caring and sharing
Unwelcoming the hypocritical world
All the tall talks of the influential people are not lesser than the loud noise making everyone concerned a bit confused, a bit delusional, and mostly out of the radar of whatever they preach and what they deliver for real.
Their empty talk about generosity, equality, harmony, humanity, and all advocacy for a better world is just like eyewash for common people and underprivileged ones.
The arbitrariness and unilateralism of powerful countries and individuals is a major obstacle to making the idea of the happiness coefficient as effective as it should be.
We cannot achieve a stable life, freedom of expression, good health, and a lifestyle free from conflict without social, political, and moral support from all influential sectors. Furthermore, we cannot hope to excel as human beings while corruption continues to dominate the planet.
Partake in the pursuit of happiness.
The reality of the real world isn’t what we are aiming through our green theme based commemorative days.
Most of the people are living in miserable conditions, and the superpower countries are making them pay for issues that do not concern them yet they are being forced to live in a fool’s paradise.
Vying and eyeing the true happiness is all directionless unless we accept to instill what we are preached and what the great UN and its philosophy try to promote.
Let’s pledge to come forward to make this world livable, lovable and literally filth free. This will be our first positive step to celebrate the ‘International Day Of Happiness’ in true words.
