Comments on: THIMPHU JOURNAL: Recalculating Happiness in a Himalayan Kingdom

By: Shanta Broadnay

Shanta Broadnay — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 07:22:45 +0000

Hi,this is Shanta Broadnay,just observed your web-site on google and i must say this blog is great.may I share some of the Post found in your web site to my local buddies?i’m not sure and what you think?in either case,Thx!

By: Maragaret Weikal

Maragaret Weikal — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:51:29 +0000

You’re right on the money with this post, keep it up!

By: Watch Prince Hindi Movie

Watch Prince Hindi Movie — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 20:33:38 +0000

nice blog post about this topic. this makes me think of a question though, so i dont really understand the relation of this topic and your entire website. it just doesnt go together. But nontheless i found it very readable. Regards, Rizwan

By: seo

seo — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 05:34:09 +0000

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By: BARA KO SAILA HO

BARA KO SAILA HO — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:28:01 +0000

NoLochopas,
I dont understand when you said the comments were biased.Have you ever realised the fact the Govermnent of Bhutan itself is biased? I doubt you are from the north, for instance visit yourself out from your house and you will find the word “BIASED” shouting at you from the road.trees,house,…………..
You need to feel the suffering of the Bhutaneese people both in and out of the country.Stop running after your emotions and try to feel the heartbeat of the rural bhutanese people irrespectuive of their region,language,religion or customs.How brave you are when you praise the handful of lot who use,misuse and abuse the Bhutanese mass?
Should you fight for these helpless lot your efforts will he respected.

By: wiseman

wiseman — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 17:41:14 +0000

Our inability to stand someone results from our lack of cultivation.

Having a wider heart and mind is more important than having a larger house.

Happiness does not come from having much, but from being attached to little.

The universe that we inhabit and our shared perception of it are the results of a common karma. Likewise, the places that we will experience in future rebirths will be the outcome of the karma that we share with the other beings living there. The actions of each of us, human or nonhuman, have contributed to the world in which we live. We all have a common responsibility for our world and are connected with everything in it.

If the love within your mind is lost and you see other beings as enemies

By: Saila Bhutani Bara

Saila Bhutani Bara — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:05:43 +0000

Mr.SETH MYDANS,
Your article on the GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS is worth reading. Should you visit the rural areas in Bhutan and find out the reality of life (where more than two third of its population live in poverty),you would have understood the reality of GNH.Visiting and speaking with the burcrats in Thimphu in their cosy offices will give little (less than 1%) informations,which is far from the real situations.
“Greed, insatiable human greed,” said Prime Minister Jigme Thinley of Bhutan, describing what he sees as the cause of today’s economic catastrophe in the world beyond the snow-topped mountains. “What we need is change,”
Quoting the above lines from your article I feel hard to get in as honourable prime Minister of Bhutan mentioned of economic catastrope today.”Will he or did he really understand the dearth of the “Greed, insatiable human greed,” for power hungry monarch when he made about one sixth of its population homeless in the early ninties irrespective of the origin lhotshampa or sharchhops who are still languishing in dilapiated huts in nepal as refugees?”Today’s PM held a very high profile position in Bhutan then.Even today he is heading the so called ELECTED GOVERNMENT of Bhutan,Will he take immediate necessary measures to repatriate the refugees with honour and dignity?Should he feel the human tragedy he will understand human values and make them feel comfortable from his deeds.we salute him and consider him as our true hero if his government works for it in true sense and spirits.
The goal is not happiness itself, the prime minister explained, a concept that each person must define for himself. Rather, the government aims to create the conditions for what he called, in an updated version of the American Declaration of Independence, “the pursuit of gross national happiness”.
Quoting the above lines from the Prime minister’s view I feel is is a mokery to American Declaration of Independence “the pursuit of gross national happiness”when the reality is far from truth,Many of its subjects still incarnating in prison cells without trial,freedom of expression still controlled,in a nutshell overall fundamental rights under stake back home.It is like old wine in the new bottle.In my view the concept of GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS is all about harsh implementation of the dictorial policies to the people minus fundamental human rights to keep hanging in power.King Jigme was a Hitler in the SAARC region in the ninties and still to be seen what king Jigme Kheshar would be?

By: Raja Swami

Raja Swami — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:49:24 +0000

When an ordinary person dies, he is said to have ceased, died, fallen, gone into the earth etc. The same event is described differently when some elite/chieftain ceases to posses his head and heart. He is said to have ascended to the heavens, gone to greater sphere, greater height, greater authority, greater monopoly and enjoyment etc. The praises does not cease owing to the memory (whether dreadful or dear) even after the existence ceases for those that shook the legal orders and institutions, doing things difficult to explain by any established standard or logic.

But this has happened even to one without experience (the author, SETH MYDANS). It is wonderful. Our GNH is really strong! We love to be appreciated for whatever we do. It’s a great job, author. The sceptics of this noble philosophy simply get exhausted and dispersed!

By: NoLochopas

NoLochopas — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:34:12 +0000

Could we please get some non ethnic-Nepalese Bhutanese to comment here! It’s obvious that the last three comments are from those that were displaced. I can’t help to think that if you’re a refugee you’ll have some sort of bias. GNH is an interesting concept and Mr. Seth you are spot on when you say the Govt. of Bhutan is seeking something greater than GNP or GDP and its dialogs such as these that will help in putting it on the forefront of policy.

By: TARA ACHARYA

TARA ACHARYA — Tue, 12 May 2009 22:49:07 +0000

Hello Mr. SETH MYDANS,
THERE IS NO GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS in BHUTAN.
It was a little bit of know at all .I wish you could go around (walk around )and talk to somebody who seems to be non Buddhist.If you are smart enough you probably will find something different atleast what you think about the way country is being ruled.I am pretty sure if your tourist guide is from kings people, he/she is not gonna let you talk to people who are Nepalese Origin Bhutanese inclussively Hindus.Your guide is not going to understand your language at that very moment,will act like was thinking something else and paying not much of attention to you and will say sorry.If you can ,please take time writing something relating to Nepalese Origin Bhutanese, religious practices, citizenship status of Bhutanese people and all and all.