源自恒星英语网，翻译详见原网https://m.hxen.com/englishlistening/rumen/huanqiu/2019-12-24/529295.html
Bhutan - The HappyCountry
不丹——幸福的国度
Hello. I'm Marina Santee.
AndI'm Elizabeth Lickiss. Welcome to Spotlight. This programme uses a specialEnglish method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, nomatter where in the world they live.
Whatdo you dream of? What would make you happy? Is it money - being rich? It wouldbe nice to buy the latest modern technology? What about jewels and clothes? ...the list could go on and on. No one can deny that these things are nice but arethey enough? In today's Spotlight programme we ask what makes us really happy.And is it good for countries to make happiness the centre of government policy?
Expertsin the 1970's carried out a study in Britain. They wanted to find outabout how British people felt. They asked people to describe their generalemotional state. The experts found that thirty-four percent of people describedthemselves as happy. They repeated the study in the late 1990's. Thistime only thirty percent of British people claimed to be happy.
Thewealth of the country improved during this time. So the result surprised a lotof people. But the experts were not surprised. They said that this is a commonproblem in western societies. Extra wealth fails to bring extra happiness.
Researchers at the BBC asked British people to answer some questions abouthappiness. They asked, 'Should the government make happiness or wealth the mainaim for the country?'. Eighty-one percent of people stated happiness as a goal.
Theresearchers then asked people to say what happiness meant to them. IlonaBoniwell is from Oxford University. She is an expert on how humans think. Shelooked at the people's answers. Ilona said that good friends and a supportingfamily made people happy. Also that people found it very important to feel safeand sure in their spirit. They needed inner peace.
Inthe kingdom of Bhutan, happiness is the most important goal. The kingdom ofBhutan is in the Himalayas north of India. King Wangchuck rules the country.The King is very clear about the way he wants the country to develop. Heproclaimed that, 'Gross national happiness is more important than grossnational product'. The King believes that the happiness of his people is moreimportant than increasing the wealth of the country. It may be a good goal tohave. But it is very difficult to reach. Not everyone in Bhutan is happy. Thecountry has its fair share of difficulties. But it is the only country in theworld that has happiness at the centre of its government policy.
MrsLem lives in the village of Tempakha in Bhutan. She says it is a happy place tolive. She does not consider wealth to be the answer to gaining happiness. Mostof the people in her community are farmers. They lead a simple life. The landis fertile - it provides enough food. The villages can grow two rice crops ayear. They also grow chillies, tomatoes, beans and aubergines. Mrs Lem says shehas everything that she needs.
Economic developments do happen in the villages of Bhutan. But they happenslowly. The people of Tempakha hope that they will soon be connected to thecountry's electricity system. And they also hope to build a road to transporttheir surplus crops. The King recognises that some economic growth isimportant. But each new development in Bhutan is considered carefully. Will itmake people happier? Will it really make life better?
InBhutan's capital city people see a very different way of life. In 1999 the Kingpermitted television. International media now shows a whole new world to theyoung people of Bhutan. Young people are better informed about the world. Theyare in a better position to develop businesses. But the new technology has alsobrought problems. The young people see a world where wealth seems to buy morehappiness. And the young people want what they see.
Soare the young people of Bhutan seeing a false image?
TheWorldwatch Institute is a respected research organisation. It collectsinformation on world economic, social and health developments. Worldwatch hasstudied the effects of wealth on people's health and happiness. Worldwatchstates that most people in developed countries have enough money. They cansatisfy their everyday needs. They do not need to earn more.
Experts at the Worldwatch Institute say that since 1957 the average Americanhas doubled his wealth. But American people are not happier. Studies show thatonly a third of Americans described themselves as 'very happy'. This is thesame number as in 1957.
Daniel Kahneman is an expert working at the University of Princeton America. Hesays,
"There is a lot of evidence that being richer is not making us happier.The research suggests that after you have a home, food and clothes, then extramoney does not seem make a lot of difference."
InOxford, Ilona Boniwell is concerned. She says that people in developedcountries may have more money. But they have also lost a lot of their hope andhappiness. Ilona wants people to look at their lives in a different way. Shewants people to put more time into creating a strong family. She also wantspeople to spend more time thinking and developing their spiritual selves.
MarkWindsley is a man who agrees with that. Mark tells of his experience. He had agood job, money and power. He had more money than he needed. He could haveanything he wanted. But he was not happy. He felt a huge desire to work harderand harder. The months went by. Mark could no longer deal with the pressure ofwork. He became sick. Doctors said that he had suffered a mental breakdown. Itwas a terrible time. Mark felt alone and afraid. He cried out to God to helphim. At the time Mark says he felt stupid. He did not even believe that God existed.But today Mark describes that time as a turning point in his life. He says thatGod answered his cry. He felt close to God. Mark felt stronger. He knew that hewas no longer alone.
Intime Mark recovered from his sickness. And today he teaches other people tocare for their whole selves. He says,
"Look at the Bible. It is God’s guide as to how to live a healthy life.Christian teaching says that we are made up of three parts - body, mind andspirit. For a balanced and happy life we need an understanding of all threeparts. All the money in the world cannot buy inner spiritual peace. That issomething that God freely gives to those who love and trust him. So my adviceis - take it and enjoy it."
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