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All this seems to be conjecture. Maybe its true that their economy will falter hard, maybe not. I wish we could hear from actual Bhutanese people rather than l

All this seems to be conjecture. Maybe its true that their economy will falter hard, maybe not. I wish we could hear from actual Bhutanese people rather than look at statistics. I suspect the reason people leave is more complex than this.

incomingpain 2y ago
Problem: Young bhutanese are fleeing the country and its a huge problem. Government: "we're doing such a great job, people want to leave." That's the conjecture, or is it more comedy?
- no_wizard 2y ago
  It boils down to applying western logic to a non western country. I get a little suspect that the statistics aren’t telling the full story. I do think the government optimizing for happiness doesn’t equal optimizing for fulfillment, which isn’t always the same thing. So people leave, despite perhaps a generally good happiness vibe. It’s like people who leave a Western European country for the US, because they feel their home countries can’t provide the experience they’re looking for. Then again, it’s perhaps all a facade
  - konschubert 2y ago
    It's all facade. The fact that people are leaving in droves tells you all you need to know. Unless the argument is that people are happier when imprisoned.
    - no_wizard 2y ago
      I don’t think anyone is comparing Bhutan to prison? That isn’t an apt comparison. I’d be more interested in what young Bhutanese people have to say. If it’s economic opportunity they seek then it can be dealt with locally (and they seem to recognize that), if it’s something deeper that would also be very interesting to know. Humans aren’t as rational as some like to believe
- mdp2021 2y ago
  > flagged for having my opinion You'll sooner be bashed for gratuitous drama. On topic: people both need meaning and creature comforts. No meaning, they'll wait for death; no comfort, they'll move, that was the brain is there for.

incomingpain 2y ago

Problem: Young bhutanese are fleeing the country and its a huge problem. Government: "we're doing such a great job, people want to leave." That's the conjecture, or is it more comedy?

no_wizard 2y ago
It boils down to applying western logic to a non western country. I get a little suspect that the statistics aren’t telling the full story. I do think the government optimizing for happiness doesn’t equal optimizing for fulfillment, which isn’t always the same thing. So people leave, despite perhaps a generally good happiness vibe. It’s like people who leave a Western European country for the US, because they feel their home countries can’t provide the experience they’re looking for. Then again, it’s perhaps all a facade
- konschubert 2y ago
  It's all facade. The fact that people are leaving in droves tells you all you need to know. Unless the argument is that people are happier when imprisoned.
  - no_wizard 2y ago
    I don’t think anyone is comparing Bhutan to prison? That isn’t an apt comparison. I’d be more interested in what young Bhutanese people have to say. If it’s economic opportunity they seek then it can be dealt with locally (and they seem to recognize that), if it’s something deeper that would also be very interesting to know. Humans aren’t as rational as some like to believe
mdp2021 2y ago
> flagged for having my opinion You'll sooner be bashed for gratuitous drama. On topic: people both need meaning and creature comforts. No meaning, they'll wait for death; no comfort, they'll move, that was the brain is there for.