I mentioned John Robbin's latest book, Healthy at 100 (2006), in a previous post, predicting I'd probably reference it again. This is going to be long -- a lengthy quote from Robbins' book -- but I hope you'll read it and perhaps offer some feedback (comments) in response.
More than just a book on food and nutrition, Healthy at 100 touches on all aspects of life that characterize the world's longest-lived peoples. In the quote below, he describes the nation of Bhutan with which I (like most Americans) was relatively unfamiliar. But see what you think:
"The gross domestic product (GDP) is now routinely used throughout the industrialized world as a fundamental measure of a nation's level of success. It is taken for granted that the higher the GDP, the better a country is doing. This use of the GDP has become so ubiquitous that people often don't realize there are alternatives. Unbeknownst to many of us, the small Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has been taking a very different path, with remarkable results.
"Roughly the size of Switzerland, Bhutan is the only independent Buddhist monarchy in the world, and the only country in the world that practices the Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism as its official religion. In April 1987, Bhutan's young monarch, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, was interviewed by the Financial Times. Asked about his nation's economic development, which was among the world's lowest, he replied, 'Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross Domestic Product.'
"Though Bhutan has its problems, King Wangchuck's statement was not an idle remark. Under his leadrship, Bhutan has made Gross National Happiness its official index for evaluating development. As a result, the guiding principles of all Bhutanese policies have been to ensure that prosperity is shared across society, that cultural traditions are honored, the environment is protected, and the government is kept responsive to the real needs of the people. While economists in the West have scoffed at the king's ideas, calling them naive idealism, the results speak for themselves.
"Though household incomes remain among the world's lowest, the people of Bhutan have created one of the world's most intriguing societies. The nation has more monks than soldiers, not a single traffic light or mall, and a profound commitment to education. Forty years ago, Bhutan had no public education system, now there are schools at all levels throughout the country. The literacy rate, which was less than 10 percent as recently as the early [1990's], now tops 50 percent and continues to increase rapidly.
"When the current king took the throne in 1972, there was not a single sanitary hospital in the country. Now, all Bhutanese subjects have access to free healthcare. People entering hospitals with non-acute problems can choose Western or traditional medicine. Government policies ensure that people have a great deal of free time with their families, including maternity leaves. The elderly are provided for both by their extended families and by pension programs provided by the government. In 2005, Bhutan became the first nation in the world to impose a national ban on the sale of tobacco and on smoking in public places.
"As Buddhists, the Bhutanese don't kill animals for food. (If a cow dies naturally, though, they will eat it.) Most of their meals are centered on red rice, accompanied by chili peppers and other vegetables, all home-grown, with occasional cheese from local cows. There is not a single McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, or Pizza Hut in the entire country.
"Perhaps the most remarkable part of Bhutan's commitment to Gross National Happiness is a stunning dedication to preserving the country's natural resources. While the forests of all its neighboring countries have been decimated in recent years, Bhutan retains the highest original forest cover of any nation on earth. The hunting of animals is prohibited, as is fishing in the rivers. Livestock grazing, logging, and mining are strictly controlled and limited. Plastic bags are banned, as are two-stroke engines. There are stringent fuel-quality laws. The nation has an annual holiday to honor the king, but instead of pomp and parades, he has declared the holiday Social Forestry Day, and the people now spend the day planting trees. Consistent with the Buddhist doctrine of respect for all life, a constitution is currently being written which gives inalienable rights to wildlife and trees as well as to people.
"How has all this affected the health of the people? In a stunningly short time, the nation has experienced one of the most dramatic increases in life expectancy in world history. In 1984, life expectancy in Bhutan was 47 years. Only fourteen years later, in 1998, it had leaped to 66 years." (pp. 270-271)
Now -- the down side. Ever the balanced researcher, Robbins notes this in the chapter's endnotes regarding Bhutan's "problems:"
"To protect from being inundated by Nepalese refugees, Bhutan has cultivated an obsessive nationalism. Even Nepalese refugees whose families have lived in Bhutan for generations are not considered to be Bhutanese citizens, and have far fewer rights and privileges. Indeed, many were forced to leave Bhutan in the late 1980s, after census figures showed they would eventually overtake the country. Some of these former residents of Bhutan now live in dingy camps in southern Nepal. And even for Bhutanese subjects, the traditional way of life may not long survive. Television arrived in Bhutan in 2002. Children in this devoutly Buddhist country are now watching Baywatch and Worldwide Wrestling and beginning to clamor for Western consumer products."
So, Bhutan is no Eden.
Here are some things that struck me about this country and about which I would enjoy your comments if you are so inclined:
1. The idea of Gross National Happiness as a national goal. If happiness = contentment, what's right or wrong with this idea?
2. The idea of a national religion. (Americans are used to "freedom of religion." I don't know if non-Bhuddists are allowed to live in Bhutan.)
3. The idea of national policies like a total ban on tobacco sales and smoking in public places.
4. The apparent "benefits" of such a culture: steady rises in literacy and longevity.
5. A national priority ensuring "free time" and "time with families."
6. National prohibitions on hunting and finishing.
7. Inalienable rights for trees and wildlife.
Most of the above is culturally-contrary to our American way of life, though I found myself resonating with much of it. If you're interested in more on Bhutan, there is the Bhutan national web site and the Wikipedia article.
More than just a book on food and nutrition, Healthy at 100 touches on all aspects of life that characterize the world's longest-lived peoples. In the quote below, he describes the nation of Bhutan with which I (like most Americans) was relatively unfamiliar. But see what you think:
"The gross domestic product (GDP) is now routinely used throughout the industrialized world as a fundamental measure of a nation's level of success. It is taken for granted that the higher the GDP, the better a country is doing. This use of the GDP has become so ubiquitous that people often don't realize there are alternatives. Unbeknownst to many of us, the small Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has been taking a very different path, with remarkable results.
"Roughly the size of Switzerland, Bhutan is the only independent Buddhist monarchy in the world, and the only country in the world that practices the Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism as its official religion. In April 1987, Bhutan's young monarch, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, was interviewed by the Financial Times. Asked about his nation's economic development, which was among the world's lowest, he replied, 'Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross Domestic Product.'
"Though Bhutan has its problems, King Wangchuck's statement was not an idle remark. Under his leadrship, Bhutan has made Gross National Happiness its official index for evaluating development. As a result, the guiding principles of all Bhutanese policies have been to ensure that prosperity is shared across society, that cultural traditions are honored, the environment is protected, and the government is kept responsive to the real needs of the people. While economists in the West have scoffed at the king's ideas, calling them naive idealism, the results speak for themselves.
"Though household incomes remain among the world's lowest, the people of Bhutan have created one of the world's most intriguing societies. The nation has more monks than soldiers, not a single traffic light or mall, and a profound commitment to education. Forty years ago, Bhutan had no public education system, now there are schools at all levels throughout the country. The literacy rate, which was less than 10 percent as recently as the early [1990's], now tops 50 percent and continues to increase rapidly.
"When the current king took the throne in 1972, there was not a single sanitary hospital in the country. Now, all Bhutanese subjects have access to free healthcare. People entering hospitals with non-acute problems can choose Western or traditional medicine. Government policies ensure that people have a great deal of free time with their families, including maternity leaves. The elderly are provided for both by their extended families and by pension programs provided by the government. In 2005, Bhutan became the first nation in the world to impose a national ban on the sale of tobacco and on smoking in public places.
"As Buddhists, the Bhutanese don't kill animals for food. (If a cow dies naturally, though, they will eat it.) Most of their meals are centered on red rice, accompanied by chili peppers and other vegetables, all home-grown, with occasional cheese from local cows. There is not a single McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, or Pizza Hut in the entire country."Perhaps the most remarkable part of Bhutan's commitment to Gross National Happiness is a stunning dedication to preserving the country's natural resources. While the forests of all its neighboring countries have been decimated in recent years, Bhutan retains the highest original forest cover of any nation on earth. The hunting of animals is prohibited, as is fishing in the rivers. Livestock grazing, logging, and mining are strictly controlled and limited. Plastic bags are banned, as are two-stroke engines. There are stringent fuel-quality laws. The nation has an annual holiday to honor the king, but instead of pomp and parades, he has declared the holiday Social Forestry Day, and the people now spend the day planting trees. Consistent with the Buddhist doctrine of respect for all life, a constitution is currently being written which gives inalienable rights to wildlife and trees as well as to people.
"How has all this affected the health of the people? In a stunningly short time, the nation has experienced one of the most dramatic increases in life expectancy in world history. In 1984, life expectancy in Bhutan was 47 years. Only fourteen years later, in 1998, it had leaped to 66 years." (pp. 270-271)
Now -- the down side. Ever the balanced researcher, Robbins notes this in the chapter's endnotes regarding Bhutan's "problems:"
"To protect from being inundated by Nepalese refugees, Bhutan has cultivated an obsessive nationalism. Even Nepalese refugees whose families have lived in Bhutan for generations are not considered to be Bhutanese citizens, and have far fewer rights and privileges. Indeed, many were forced to leave Bhutan in the late 1980s, after census figures showed they would eventually overtake the country. Some of these former residents of Bhutan now live in dingy camps in southern Nepal. And even for Bhutanese subjects, the traditional way of life may not long survive. Television arrived in Bhutan in 2002. Children in this devoutly Buddhist country are now watching Baywatch and Worldwide Wrestling and beginning to clamor for Western consumer products."
So, Bhutan is no Eden.
Here are some things that struck me about this country and about which I would enjoy your comments if you are so inclined:
1. The idea of Gross National Happiness as a national goal. If happiness = contentment, what's right or wrong with this idea?
2. The idea of a national religion. (Americans are used to "freedom of religion." I don't know if non-Bhuddists are allowed to live in Bhutan.)
3. The idea of national policies like a total ban on tobacco sales and smoking in public places.
4. The apparent "benefits" of such a culture: steady rises in literacy and longevity.
5. A national priority ensuring "free time" and "time with families."
6. National prohibitions on hunting and finishing.
7. Inalienable rights for trees and wildlife.
Most of the above is culturally-contrary to our American way of life, though I found myself resonating with much of it. If you're interested in more on Bhutan, there is the Bhutan national web site and the Wikipedia article.
P.S. for any who read this far. I ended up with an extra copy of Robbins book and would be happy to send it to anyone who would like it.
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