I read a study a long time ago which measured levels of happiness in very different socio-cultural settings: The survey interviewed the top earnest in Forbes' lists and also some of the poorest people in the slums of India. Surprisingly enough, the slum dwellers had a higher level of happiness than the richest, most successful people in the world.
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At the time this was completely shocking to me. How could the richest people in the world not be the happiest? How could be ridden by difficulties and disease find any level of happiness?
I've thought about this for a long time and the only thing that I could think of were the variables:
- What did the richest figures have to give up in order to achieve their level of success?
- What kind of voids can "purchasable" items fill? and for how long?
- What kind of bonds do adversity forge that could overcome physical and emotional distress?
- If happiness is so independent of financial and recognized success, Why does our society put so much effort, so many tears, sacrificed so many missed moments in order to reach a certain point of success?
- Even if you reach a higher level of achievement and personal wealth, Is it ever enough?
- Do people ,then, stop trying with so much effort and determination to posses material things or peer recognition and focus their energy into nobler causes?
- Is this "quasi-socialist" approach really the answer?
- Is being a non-comformist the fuel that drives progress, or the flame that ignites unhapiness and despair?
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