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A Splendid Isolation: Lessons on Happiness from the Kingdom of Bhutan
What does Bhutan understand about happiness that the rest of the world does not? Award-winning journalist and author Madeline Drexler recently traveled to this Himalayan nation to discover how the audacious policy known as Gross National Happiness plays out in a fast-changing society where Buddhism is deeply rooted—but where the temptations and collateral damage of materialism are rising. Her reported essay blends lyrical travelogue, cultural history, personal insights, and provocative conversations with top policymakers, activists, bloggers, writers, artists, scholars, religious leaders, students, and ordinary citizens in many walks of life. This book is sure to fascinate readers interested in travel, Buddhism, progressive politics, and especially the study and practice of happiness.
- GenresTravelNonfictionBuddhism
73 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 3, 2014
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142 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 10, 2020
Today, the wealthy world is showing Bhutan not only what it doesn’t know it wants, but also what it doesn’t know it eventually won’t want: the gluttony and waste, electronic distraction and social anomie, earbuds and diabetes, frantic schedules and regrets for lost time, the too-muchness of what doesn’t matter and the not-enoughness of what does. Boastful of having never been colonized by an outside power, Bhutan is being insidiously overtaken, not exactly by greed, as the official line goes, but by false need.
A Splendid Isolation is an overview of the ever-changing country of Bhutan and the government-instituted Gross National Happiness policy.
I expected more of a focus on happiness in the text, but it’s more about the cultural contradictions that make life in Bhutan beautiful yet challenging.
Read for class.
A Splendid Isolation is an overview of the ever-changing country of Bhutan and the government-instituted Gross National Happiness policy.
I expected more of a focus on happiness in the text, but it’s more about the cultural contradictions that make life in Bhutan beautiful yet challenging.
Read for class.
April 22, 2017
While on a trip to Bhutan, I was made aware of this book. After spending ten days in the country, I appreciated the contents of the variety of essays written by Drexler. Her essays provide an examination of a variety of aspects of Bhutan, specifically the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) as viewed from different perspectives within the country. This book is written for a specific audience--people interested in Bhutan, people who will or who have traveled to Bhutan.
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February 28, 2016This short non-fiction (essay) examines, from an outsider's perspective, the Bhutanese model of Gross National Happiness. It is a fascinating concept and the author provides a balanced account of the state of affairs in Bhutan to determine the success of the policy. One chief stumbling block seems to be the definition of happiness, determining what it is that makes all people happy. Outside influences also seem corrosive with consumerism worming it's way into the remote nation. Certainly the aim is admirable but it seems that Bhutan has a long way to go to achieve its goal.
March 2, 2016
At only 59 pages, this was a trifle, but a tasty one, cataloguing a journalist's impressions of this tiny Himalayan kingdom and what it may (or may not) teach economics-driven Westerners about the pursuit and definition of happiness. I appreciated all of Drexler's interviews with the locals, most of whom seem well aware of how tricky it is to balance economic development with personal/spiritual wellbeing.
August 21, 2023
After reading a book about someone who travelled to Norway to better understand why Norway ranks among the happiest countries, I became interested to better understand how Norway's happiness is measured and if there are any alternative ways to measure happiness.
The World Happiness Report provides one way to measure happiness. Bhutan decided to develop their own way to measure happiness called Gross National Happiness (GNH). As the author says, "The Bhutanese have not necessary found the answers but they are asking original questions." She puts it succinctly when the author says "...the operative question is how can this national become materially modern without losing its soul."
The philosophy of GNH can be seen in another way too. As the author further states, “Bhutan’s GNH perspective turns this solo orientation upside down. It emphasizes not the individual but the collective, and how government can create the 'enabling conditions' for people and society—they cannot be separated—to be happy.”
One concrete example of the value of GNH was when there was a lot of enthusiam for Bhutan to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) to get economic benfits. However, when this course of action was run through the GNH filter, it was realized that joining the WTO would require letting a lot of unhealthy junk food brands sell their products in the country. The GNH filter showed that the negative effects on overall happiness were not worth the economic benefits.
However, it's far from simple. Different people have different ideas on what happiness means. A few examples:
1. In the capital of Bhutan, happiness is increasingly being defined in terms of consumerism.
2. Meanwhile, an older villager in Bhutan defined happiness as: "As long as we have fire when we need it, water when we need it, warm food on the table, tasty curry, what else do we need?”
3. There was the a young Bhutanese woman who went to a university in America. When she came back, she was more ambitious, but not sure if this was a good or bad because she was more often discontented and wanting more.
4. In Thimphu, there are 700 bars and one public library. Liver disease caused by drinking is the top killer in Bhutan.
5. At least in some cases, the airport was found to be filled with TVs being imported into Bhutan, to the surprise of many tourists expecting a place where spiritual happiness precludes the need for TVs.
The book also mentions several other happiness metrics worth exploring to see different perspectives, including the OECD Better Life Index and the Vermont Genuine Progress Indicator.
The World Happiness Report provides one way to measure happiness. Bhutan decided to develop their own way to measure happiness called Gross National Happiness (GNH). As the author says, "The Bhutanese have not necessary found the answers but they are asking original questions." She puts it succinctly when the author says "...the operative question is how can this national become materially modern without losing its soul."
The philosophy of GNH can be seen in another way too. As the author further states, “Bhutan’s GNH perspective turns this solo orientation upside down. It emphasizes not the individual but the collective, and how government can create the 'enabling conditions' for people and society—they cannot be separated—to be happy.”
One concrete example of the value of GNH was when there was a lot of enthusiam for Bhutan to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) to get economic benfits. However, when this course of action was run through the GNH filter, it was realized that joining the WTO would require letting a lot of unhealthy junk food brands sell their products in the country. The GNH filter showed that the negative effects on overall happiness were not worth the economic benefits.
However, it's far from simple. Different people have different ideas on what happiness means. A few examples:
1. In the capital of Bhutan, happiness is increasingly being defined in terms of consumerism.
2. Meanwhile, an older villager in Bhutan defined happiness as: "As long as we have fire when we need it, water when we need it, warm food on the table, tasty curry, what else do we need?”
3. There was the a young Bhutanese woman who went to a university in America. When she came back, she was more ambitious, but not sure if this was a good or bad because she was more often discontented and wanting more.
4. In Thimphu, there are 700 bars and one public library. Liver disease caused by drinking is the top killer in Bhutan.
5. At least in some cases, the airport was found to be filled with TVs being imported into Bhutan, to the surprise of many tourists expecting a place where spiritual happiness precludes the need for TVs.
The book also mentions several other happiness metrics worth exploring to see different perspectives, including the OECD Better Life Index and the Vermont Genuine Progress Indicator.
September 30, 2018
A quick and not terribly deep read on the subject of Bhutanese Gross National Happiness. Drexler admits that she was only there for 22 days though she did pack a fair amount into those 3 weeks, at least as far as interviewing notables in the Thimphu area. (Venturing east might have been advised.) The book is already 4 years old and I suspect observations might be even more pronounced at this time. The theme is really two-pronged: what the concept of happiness vis-a-vis GNH means to different Bhutanese citizens and whether modernization will change the essential character of the people. Re the latter, where has it not? I would say that it is a foregone conclusion, and Drexler alludes to that. The bigger question is how it will change. The Bhutanese government is attempting to implement controlled modernization but it is a beast without restraint. Whether Bhutan can do what other countries have not been able to do -- either because they didn't attempt it or because the beast was unshackled before they even thought of muzzling it -- remains to be seen. Notwithstanding the result, it is a worthy effort.
I would recommend this book most especially for those heading to the kingdom. Observing the experiment real time would be of interest.
I would recommend this book most especially for those heading to the kingdom. Observing the experiment real time would be of interest.
August 31, 2017
A brief discussion of the concept of Gross National Happiness, (GNH) written by a journalist who stayed there for several months interviewing key people. It's a fascinating concept, and as the author says "it is almost impossible to separate Bhutanese culture from the spiritual riches of Bhuddhism. Bhutan was a GNH country before there was GNH". She also concludes that with GNH Bhutan has cultivated an idealistic self-image that is about to shatter, but adds that they have much to teach us. Can they maintain their culture now that their isolation is not complete? It will be interesting to see.
August 9, 2020
I've read several books about Bhutan over the last couple of years and find the place intriguing. I came across this book and ordered it, not realizing how short it was. When it arrived in the mail I was surprised at how small the book is. Only 59 pages! I was disappointed, to be honest. But I started reading it and really liked it a lot. The book didn't need more pages and fluff to fill those extra pages. There's a lot of good info packed into a small number of pages. I ended up loving this book. It's a quick read, gives you a great overview of Bhutan and the Gross National Happiness (GNH) concept, as well as things to consider from the cons side of focusing on GNH. Two thumbs up!
July 3, 2018
A short book, more of an essay really. Interesting reflections - based on the author's short visit and interviews - on the meaning of 'Gross National Happiness' in practice on the ground in Bhutan.
As a world we seem stuck on the horns of a dilemma. The non-measurable things that make us most happy appear to be the first things we abandon when development takes place and people catch the bug of materialism. The answer cannot be to leave people in grinding poverty! How to circumvent our self-sabotaging human nature???
As a world we seem stuck on the horns of a dilemma. The non-measurable things that make us most happy appear to be the first things we abandon when development takes place and people catch the bug of materialism. The answer cannot be to leave people in grinding poverty! How to circumvent our self-sabotaging human nature???
September 26, 2023
I read this while travelling in Bhutan, so it provided rich and interesting insights that I could test against my own experience of the Bhutanese and their nation. Backed with data and verifiable local (and in some instances highly qualified) input I found the essay to be trustworthy and well put together. A must read before visiting Bhutan.
January 23, 2018
Interesting, especially as a primer for a trip to there that I am considering for 2019.
March 9, 2019
Unbiased Insight
An unbiased in insight about Bhutan and its GNH. A good and easy read for critical thinking reader. . .
An unbiased in insight about Bhutan and its GNH. A good and easy read for critical thinking reader. . .
June 2, 2018
First of all - this is not a self-help book on happiness. It’s an essay on the reflections made by the people of Bhutan - one of the most isolated countries in the world - and their American interviewer, with focus on the Bhutanese philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH).
GNH and Bhutan have been hailed as the way forward, a new paradigm and saviour for the direction of the economy and humanity. Although this seems like a heavy load on a tiny country and its people, living below the peaks of the Himalayas, they don’t actually say that they’ve found the way, or that Bhutan lives according to its GNH philosophy. What is says is they aim for GNH.
So, what’s the deal with GNH? It’s an applied Balanced Scorecard (check out Kaplan & Norton for more on this) in which you do the standard economic evaluations to find an investments Net Present Value (NPV), which - according to Wall Street - defines if a project deserves a Yay or Nay from its investors. An economist will even try to convince you that non-monetary or non-economic factors (such as the environmental impact or mental health) can be included in the NPV by, say, adding some coefficient to the CO2 emissions or by including an estimate of increased costs for additional capacity in psychiatric institutions, caused by the investment. What the NPV isn’t really too good at is measuring the perceived quality of life, the impact on people due too stress etc. GNH, as a philosophy and government strategy, uses NPV calculations as an initial assessment, but then does qualitative evaluations on other factors, such as psychological wellbeing, time use, culture, ecological diversity, etc.
Does GNH cause instant happiness? No, it appears not. It has to find the equilibrium between captalism’s focus on material goods (hey, access to food, education, hospitals, military defense and good roads are a definitive thumbs up) vs its stress/impact on people, culture and the environment. To me it boils down to security and materialism vs zen.
“In Bhutan, which is ranked 140 of 186 countries in the 2012 UN Human Development Index, the operative question is how this nation can become materially modern without losing its soul.”
GNH and Bhutan have been hailed as the way forward, a new paradigm and saviour for the direction of the economy and humanity. Although this seems like a heavy load on a tiny country and its people, living below the peaks of the Himalayas, they don’t actually say that they’ve found the way, or that Bhutan lives according to its GNH philosophy. What is says is they aim for GNH.
So, what’s the deal with GNH? It’s an applied Balanced Scorecard (check out Kaplan & Norton for more on this) in which you do the standard economic evaluations to find an investments Net Present Value (NPV), which - according to Wall Street - defines if a project deserves a Yay or Nay from its investors. An economist will even try to convince you that non-monetary or non-economic factors (such as the environmental impact or mental health) can be included in the NPV by, say, adding some coefficient to the CO2 emissions or by including an estimate of increased costs for additional capacity in psychiatric institutions, caused by the investment. What the NPV isn’t really too good at is measuring the perceived quality of life, the impact on people due too stress etc. GNH, as a philosophy and government strategy, uses NPV calculations as an initial assessment, but then does qualitative evaluations on other factors, such as psychological wellbeing, time use, culture, ecological diversity, etc.
Does GNH cause instant happiness? No, it appears not. It has to find the equilibrium between captalism’s focus on material goods (hey, access to food, education, hospitals, military defense and good roads are a definitive thumbs up) vs its stress/impact on people, culture and the environment. To me it boils down to security and materialism vs zen.
“In Bhutan, which is ranked 140 of 186 countries in the 2012 UN Human Development Index, the operative question is how this nation can become materially modern without losing its soul.”
October 28, 2016
Been thinking of visiting Bhutan and started reading this book expecting it to be a travel guide, but got more information than expected - which is good! It is a compilation of essays are commentary on socio-economic, political, historical analysis of Bhutan. Having lived in US and India, and after exepriencing US's conservative libertarianism and Indian society's emphasis on culture and values, I could visualize Bhutan and it's growing pains. Recommended if you are considering visiting Bhutan.
June 29, 2014
An interesting take on GHN in Bhutan. I will have more to say after visiting the country, but it seems to be a good introduction to the country. I find it good because it introduces a complex set of dynamics that make-up everyday life. The author expresses the diversity and the connectedness of Bhutan in a way that i find fascinating.
February 27, 2015
The book (essay) is absolutely no more or no less than what it promises to be. With an acceptable bias and great finesse, Madeline explores and reflects on her interviews and observations of Bhutanese society. If I could have changed one thing, it would be to include even more insight from the locals living in the still rural areas.
February 28, 2016
A first hand account on how the people of Bhutan think about GNH and its practicality. The essay offers locals' perspective on the matter which can be different than what the outsiders perceive GNH to be. It is a good read for those who are interested in going to Bhutan and would like to get some background on the country before they go.
April 12, 2015
Egentlig en lang artikkel, som diskuterer Bhuthans General Happiness Product som konsept, og kontrasterer det med realitetene i dagens Bhutan. Som artikkel fortjener den mer en 3'er, men dette er en tynn bok - også innholdsmessig - selv om det er mange interessante observasjoner her.
June 11, 2014
Excellent! A lyrical and thought-provoking look at Bhutan, a place where happiness is something people think about all the time.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews