don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

Yesterday I described the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH), as pioneered in a small Asian country known as Bhutan. GNH represents an attempt to place individual welfare, not the aggregate of all goods and services, as the measure of national progress. With Gross National Happiness, the material, emotional, psychological and even existential needs are all considered, promoted and assessed. After describing the concept yesterday, I mentioned that, at least in a small developing country like Bhutan, the focus on happiness comes at a price.

The "price" is that Bhutan's rulers have reservations about western style democracy, paternalism is strong and freedom is subordinated to regulations that "promote social harmony, stability, unity and contribute to the maintenance of a just and compassionate society." Everyone must dress alike and tourism into the country is tightly controlled. Yet, unlike other countries in the region, all of which have long experienced ethnic struggles, illiteracy, pollution, poverty and corruption, Bhutan society is characterized by pacifism, paternalism and egalitarianism.

While the orientation to happiness is admirable, remarkable and loaded with possibilities highly appealing to wellness seekers, Bhutan remains a bit too controlled to appeal to those of us given to life, liberty AND the pursuit of happiness. All the same, if you can get a visa (not easy) and if you can afford the high costs of official tours, it might be a nice place to visit. However, be advised -- rabble rousing critics may not be welcome. For this reason, I would expect my own chances of getting in are iffy, at best. This might be one more good reason to focus on promoting GNH right here at home, Florida style.

There is a postscript to this story about Bhutan and the concept of the GNH. I sent a draft of this essay to a number of Bhutan organizations found on the Internet. Within an hour, I got a call from one Brent Olson, a Bhutan specialist and tour organizer with Geographic Expeditions in SanFrancisco. Brent told me he enjoyed the essay and, as one who has made about 40 trips to Bhutan, assured me that the nation's commitment to GNH was for real. A diplomat of the first rank, he charmed me completely, then proceeded to gently point out that I was full of it regarding several critical remarks about Bhutan. (He did not say "full of it;" instead he noted politely that I might reconsider certain "misconceptions" about the Kingdom.) For starters, Brent said visas are very easy to secure for travel to Bhutan.

One simply needs to have a preset itinerary organized through a recognized tour operator, like Geographic Expeditions, and once that is in place, visa permission is granted, your visa is stamped into your passport upon arrival in Paro and you pay a $20 visa fee to the official. It is one of the perennial misconceptions of Bhutan that a visa is difficult or nearly impossible to get to travel there. Another popular rumor is that there is an 'official limit' on the number of tourist visas per year. This is NOT true, the government has set numeric goals for the number of tourists to visit each year as a general guideline for development issues, etc., but there is no limit and we have never had anyone turned away who wishes to travel to Bhutan.

Still not finished with me for my cracks about costs and rabble-rousing, Brent added:

"As to the high costs of the tours, this too, is a popular misconception. The actual per day cost of a tour or trek in Bhutan is usually similar (or often less) than what you'd pay to travel elsewhere in the world if you would consider everything that is included in a Bhutan trip such as: all meals, all hotels, all transportation, excellent local guides, drivers, etc. (Think about a visitor to Florida paying for the above.) In addition to these inclusions, you have the added benefit of visiting a country that has been able to (in part thanks to their tourism policy) preserve their natural and cultural environment far better than any of the neighboring countries. As to 'rabble-rousing,' I can assure you that you, as a proponent of Gross National Happiness and a thoughtful and sincere traveler, would be welcomed wholeheartedly in Bhutan! Once you are Mayor of Tampa, perhaps we should organize a fact-finding mission to Bhutan to learn more about GNH!"

Finally, Brent explained that it is difficult for Americans to understand why every country doesn't have "western style democracy." In Bhutan's case, he told me, there are good reasons why the rulers are moving in this direction but in a deliberate manner. One is the example of neighboring Nepal. After a "peoples revolution" in the 80's, democracy was announced, 40 or so political parties sprang up, a struggle for control ensued and, a decade later, a revolution broke out that so far has claimed over 7,000 lives. Bhutan has made significant strides in political progress, but the rulers prefer to bring things along at a deliberate pace. Brent noted that, little by little, villagers are learning to appreciate democratic systems. Eventually, he believes, systems will be in place that will support a style of democracy with similar benefits as those we embrace (and have to keep struggling to preserve.) Until then, the government's focus will remain on protecting the environment, promoting social harmony, stability and so on -- including the level of GNH!

Well, maybe scoring a visa is not so tough after all, maybe a visit is more affordable than my initial research indicated, maybe they're easing their way toward western or Bhutan style democracy and maybe I could raise a little bit of rabble and get away with it over there. I'm certainly encouraged by and appreciative of Brent's advice and may, if elected, head a fact-finding mission someday in order to check out this GNH business. And, why not? Our current Tampa mayor went to Cuba last year to chat up Castro and explore future possibilities involving the cigar trade. Who could object to a fact-finding mission to Bhutan to learn more about implementing GNH concepts in Tampa? That is, if the taxpayers can afford it and my cronies and I can get visas.

In any event, if you live in Tampa, you might want to vote for the Gross National Happiness candidate, namely, yours truly. If you'd like to learn more about traveling to Bhutan, contact Geographic Expeditions, a Bhutan tour and trek operator in the U.S. at (800) 777-8183. For more on GNH, go to the Bhutan website.

Be well and look on the bright side of life.

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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