We must be direct when talking about economic matters. We must also hit hard at the roots of the present crisis - which is a false view.
The Buddha teaches that ditthi, meaning the view or concept, determines everything else that follows. If our view is wrong, or micchaditthi, our deeds will be wrong, leading us straight to disaster.
But if we begin with the right view, the deeds that follow will be righteous, thus leading us to well-being. This is why the Buddha specifies that the right view precedes everything else in the Noble Eightfold Path, the path that leads to the cessation of suffering.
The present global economy is wrong because it springs from a wrong and fragmented view which enshrines money as the ultimate goal. In search of big money, we do not hesitate to oppress, exploit, or destroy just about anyone and anything that we can turn into money. It does not matter if we do it at the expense of our own health, our humanity, families, communities, cultures, the environment, other people or other countries. For only making money counts.
Money obtained in this fashion is sheer greed. The world which is driven by money is therefore full of conflicts and destruction. So much so that the whole world has become exhausted and distressed. Nowadays, humanity is sinking deeper into suffering, lassitude and worry because life is full of uncertainties. Economic situations are unpredicatable and highly fluctuating. Our human nerves cannot cope with this kind of intense stress, leading to neurosis, psychological problems, suicide, drug addiction and a myriad of other social violence. They are the results of an economic system which is obsessed with money.
This is a deficient system. Money should be the tool to enable people, society and the environment to live in harmony. It should not be the cause of crisis as it is now. The world must rethink its view on money and make it a tool to support goodness. If we want to change ditthi, or the fundamental view of economic development, we must change the way we measure it.It is a truth is that the behaviour will turn out the way it is measured. This truth applies to both objects and life forms.
Take education. The method of examination will determine the behaviour of the students. If the university entrance examination measures one's ability to memorise, then the education of the students nationwide will be geared towards memorisation. Students, therefore, will be weak in thinking and doing.
Electrons, for example, can be both particles and wave energy at the same time. They will appear as particles if measured so. And as waves if measured as such.
The measurement, then, determines the behaviour.
Nowadays, we measure progress by money. People's behaviour, then, is governed by money-making motives. That is why GDP, or gross domestic product, is used as an indicator of a country's economic growth.
To change the concept of development, we must change its indicator. GDH must be more important than GDP.
H is happiness or well-being.
Happiness is more all-encompassing than P, which is production only. It incorporates mutual caring, loving families, strong communities, healthy environment, vibrant culture and self-reliant economy.
We might call it an economic indicator Thai-style.
There were a group of American tourists who complained about the traffic jams. When asked why they kept coming back every year, they answered because the Thais are happy people.
We Thais used to be happy people. We are called the Land of Smiles. People who are happy generally want to make others happy too, which in turn, makes them happier. Happiness depends on how we view the world and on our attitudes in life. It does not come from money alone.
If we compete on GDP standards, we can never win against the Unites States because the scale of its economy is mammoth. Bigger things pull in smaller ones. If we play their game by their rules, we will end up doomed and penniless.
It might be another matter altogether if we use the happiness indicator. We might already be happier than the Americans. Or we can make ourselves happier. That is, if we measure happiness on:
- mutual caring and generosity
- family togetherness
- strong communities
- cultural confidence
- healthy environment
- self-sufficient economy
If we can develop these factors of happiness effectively, we can even become a model to help the Americans learn to be happy too.
A self-sufficient, or fundamental, economy is not about money alone. It means an economy which is interconnected with the well-being of our minds, families, communities, culture and the environment. It is a holistic economy. An economy of balance. An economy of morality.
It is the state of balance which prevents a breakdown.
Losing balance leads to a crisis.A fundamental economy is one that benefits everyone in society, not only the rich few whose missteps can bring the whole country down. The fundamental economy aims at empowering the base of society. With a strong foundation, our whole country can grow steadily and permanently.
A fundamental economy focuses on society's strengths.
A strong society bolsters the economy, make politics ethical and sustains morality.
Society can become strong through grouping of the citizens in various forms. They can range from groups, clubs, foundations, associations, co-operatives, communities or a civil society. Here, we'll call them "community".
A strong community is the one which can solve its problems by itself, be they about their own self-reliant economy or social, cultural, educational, environmental or public health matters.
There are plenty of fundamental businesses that local communities can do. They include integrated or mixed farming, handicrafts, village businesses, cottage industries and many other services.
Integrated farming is a shift from mono cash crop farming - rice, sugar cane, cassava plantations, for example - which destroy the environment and plunges farmers into debt. Integrated farming aims to provide farmers with year-round food security first and foremost.
Instead of growing one cash crop, farmers grow different crops such as rice, vegetables, fruit and herbs, as well as obtaining firewood and timber for their own use, and raising fish and poultry on the side. By doing so, they will have enough to eat and can sell the surplus so they can get out of debt and save.
In the process, the land will turn green with trees, a boon to both the environment and the economy. And the older the farmers get, the easier life will be for them because their trees will be bigger, thus yielding more produce. It's like having bank savings yielding interest every day.
Being able to produce one's own food and medicinal herbs is not only economical, it is good business. Thai fruits, for example, are among the world's best. They can bring us foreign currency from export while creating employment and sustaining the environment. We should think of something like producing instant tom yam of good quality and packaging to sell on the world market. Just an example of how we could connect industry and export business with local communities.
Meanwhile, the communities can group themselves to work on community business together. For example, they can set up village-run gas stations or food businesses. Among the possibilities are chemical pesticide-free food, all sorts of preserved food, medicinal herbs, handicrafts, and many other tools or household wares that the villages can produce themselves.
We must be direct when talking about economic matters. We must also hit hard at the roots of the present crisis - which is a false view.
The Buddha teaches that ditthi, meaning the view or concept, determines everything else that follows. If our view is wrong, or micchaditthi, our deeds will be wrong, leading us straight to disaster.
But if we begin with the right view, the deeds that follow will be righteous, thus leading us to well-being. This is why the Buddha specifies that the right view precedes everything else in the Noble Eightfold Path, the path that leads to the cessation of suffering.
The present global economy is wrong because it springs from a wrong and fragmented view which enshrines money as the ultimate goal. In search of big money, we do not hesitate to oppress, exploit, or destroy just about anyone and anything that we can turn into money. It does not matter if we do it at the expense of our own health, our humanity, families, communities, cultures, the environment, other people or other countries. For only making money counts.
Money obtained in this fashion is sheer greed. The world which is driven by money is therefore full of conflicts and destruction. So much so that the whole world has become exhausted and distressed. Nowadays, humanity is sinking deeper into suffering, lassitude and worry because life is full of uncertainties. Economic situations are unpredicatable and highly fluctuating. Our human nerves cannot cope with this kind of intense stress, leading to neurosis, psychological problems, suicide, drug addiction and a myriad of other social violence. They are the results of an economic system which is obsessed with money.
This is a deficient system. Money should be the tool to enable people, society and the environment to live in harmony. It should not be the cause of crisis as it is now. The world must rethink its view on money and make it a tool to support goodness. If we want to change ditthi, or the fundamental view of economic development, we must change the way we measure it.It is a truth is that the behaviour will turn out the way it is measured. This truth applies to both objects and life forms.
Take education. The method of examination will determine the behaviour of the students. If the university entrance examination measures one's ability to memorise, then the education of the students nationwide will be geared towards memorisation. Students, therefore, will be weak in thinking and doing.
Electrons, for example, can be both particles and wave energy at the same time. They will appear as particles if measured so. And as waves if measured as such.
The measurement, then, determines the behaviour.
Nowadays, we measure progress by money. People's behaviour, then, is governed by money-making motives. That is why GDP, or gross domestic product, is used as an indicator of a country's economic growth.
To change the concept of development, we must change its indicator. GDH must be more important than GDP.
H is happiness or well-being.
Happiness is more all-encompassing than P, which is production only. It incorporates mutual caring, loving families, strong communities, healthy environment, vibrant culture and self-reliant economy.
We might call it an economic indicator Thai-style.
There were a group of American tourists who complained about the traffic jams. When asked why they kept coming back every year, they answered because the Thais are happy people.
We Thais used to be happy people. We are called the Land of Smiles. People who are happy generally want to make others happy too, which in turn, makes them happier. Happiness depends on how we view the world and on our attitudes in life. It does not come from money alone.
If we compete on GDP standards, we can never win against the Unites States because the scale of its economy is mammoth. Bigger things pull in smaller ones. If we play their game by their rules, we will end up doomed and penniless.
It might be another matter altogether if we use the happiness indicator. We might already be happier than the Americans. Or we can make ourselves happier. That is, if we measure happiness on:
- mutual caring and generosity
- family togetherness
- strong communities
- cultural confidence
- healthy environment
- self-sufficient economy
If we can develop these factors of happiness effectively, we can even become a model to help the Americans learn to be happy too.
A self-sufficient, or fundamental, economy is not about money alone. It means an economy which is interconnected with the well-being of our minds, families, communities, culture and the environment. It is a holistic economy. An economy of balance. An economy of morality.
It is the state of balance which prevents a breakdown.
Losing balance leads to a crisis.A fundamental economy is one that benefits everyone in society, not only the rich few whose missteps can bring the whole country down. The fundamental economy aims at empowering the base of society. With a strong foundation, our whole country can grow steadily and permanently.
A fundamental economy focuses on society's strengths.
A strong society bolsters the economy, make politics ethical and sustains morality.
Society can become strong through grouping of the citizens in various forms. They can range from groups, clubs, foundations, associations, co-operatives, communities or a civil society. Here, we'll call them "community".
A strong community is the one which can solve its problems by itself, be they about their own self-reliant economy or social, cultural, educational, environmental or public health matters.
There are plenty of fundamental businesses that local communities can do. They include integrated or mixed farming, handicrafts, village businesses, cottage industries and many other services.
Integrated farming is a shift from mono cash crop farming - rice, sugar cane, cassava plantations, for example - which destroy the environment and plunges farmers into debt. Integrated farming aims to provide farmers with year-round food security first and foremost.
Instead of growing one cash crop, farmers grow different crops such as rice, vegetables, fruit and herbs, as well as obtaining firewood and timber for their own use, and raising fish and poultry on the side. By doing so, they will have enough to eat and can sell the surplus so they can get out of debt and save.
In the process, the land will turn green with trees, a boon to both the environment and the economy. And the older the farmers get, the easier life will be for them because their trees will be bigger, thus yielding more produce. It's like having bank savings yielding interest every day.
Being able to produce one's own food and medicinal herbs is not only economical, it is good business. Thai fruits, for example, are among the world's best. They can bring us foreign currency from export while creating employment and sustaining the environment. We should think of something like producing instant tom yam of good quality and packaging to sell on the world market. Just an example of how we could connect industry and export business with local communities.
Meanwhile, the communities can group themselves to work on community business together. For example, they can set up village-run gas stations or food businesses. Among the possibilities are chemical pesticide-free food, all sorts of preserved food, medicinal herbs, handicrafts, and many other tools or household wares that the villages can produce themselves.
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