Saturday, July 05, 2008 So: Happy no more By Jocy So Unraveling
FILIPINOS have repeatedly claimed to be a bunch of happy people. No matter how many typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mudslides, and droughts smack us senseless; no matter how inept many of our politicians are in all matters except graft and corruption; and no matter how high prices are for rice, transportation, and other basic commodities, we still grin and bear it all.
Many have wondered whether Filipinos slap on a happy face to numb the pain, delude themselves, or escape the responsibility to righting wrongs and improving their situation.
Some have commented that it does the Philippines no good that we cling to an unwavering sense of hopefulness and joy. Others say it is to our credit that we can rejoice in the face of adversity, that it is that ability that makes us endearing. After all, Paul did tell the Philippians to rejoice, rejoice, and rejoice.
A recent report shows, however, that Filipinos are no longer the most elated group of folks in the world.
The World Values Survey asked 350,000 people from 52 countries two questions: Taking all things together, would you say you are very happy, rather happy, not very happy, not at all happy? and "All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole these days?"
Wow Philippines landed in the bottom half at 38th, while tiny Denmark, a democratic and wealthy European nation more known in pop culture as where Julia Stiles moved to in "The Prince and Me" topped the list.
So, we're not that happy. Or, we're not as happy as we thought we were. I am not that surprised.
As much as I know Pacquiao's knockout lifted our spirits and the stock market, there is a general sense of gloominess. You feel it in the weight of people's shoulders as they line up early in the morning for their NFA rice. You see it in the news photographs of families mourning for their loved ones. You hear it in the voice of fathers, mothers, teachers as they discussed the recent news of a young coed being gang raped in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
That's the fleeting nature of happiness. It buoys us up momentarily, triggered by an unexpected miracle, ray of light. But, it is not rooted on something more fundamental. As easily as we get that blissful high, we come crashing down.
When Spain won the Euro 2008 football (soccer) competition, a man interviewed on TV said this will have a great effect on the national psyche. After years of economic uncertainty and political troubles, Spaniards can be jubilant. Their national team silencing Germany, Italy, Russia and other nations will undoubtedly translate to better times for businesses.
Or will it? And if it does, for how long?
If you go back to the global survey, what makes a country happy is not a victorious athlete or team. It is not a local movie, singer, or company doing good globally. It is not even the long-held belief that they are the happiest people on the world.
The researchers said there is a strong correlation between national happiness and peace. Peace is something that takes a long time to achieve and massive effort to sustain and safeguard. It is something we, as Filipinos, still have to continuously, unwaveringly strive for.
We might not be going through all-out conflicts like Somalia, Afghanistan or Iraq. But Muslim insurgents kidnapping media people, NPA and rogue military personnel harassing farmers and business people in the provinces, still unknown criminal elements massacring innocent bank employees and civilians, and young students, minors, and supposedly hopes of the nation gang raping a fellow student inside the university campus reveal that we are not at peace. We are actually at war, often with ourselves.
However, I think our not topping the happiest survey is a hopeful sign, a sign that we had NOT allowed our supposed ability to be jolly all the time smack us senseless.
We recognize the problems that exist and we will not close our eyes to that anymore, hoping that our happiness will help us through. Our hope lies in the chance to actively do something, and not in the ability to passively just grin and bear it all.
(Jocy L. So teaches at Davao Christian High School.)
