(Published in Business Mirror under the Mirror Image column, October 20, 2009)
All of us, in one way or another, have been affected by the super-typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. But in the televised news reports that I’ve watched, it never failed to amaze me that Filipinos could still laugh and smile while being interviewed by news reporters in front of their wrecked homes. Even American soldiers on a rescue mission seemed to be wondering why affected Filipinos were all smiling, giving them “high-fives,” amid the catastrophe.
If you think about it, there is a truism in the proverbial mababaw ang kaligayahan (literally translated “shallow happiness” or “easy to please”). To many of us Filipinos, happiness is watching Wowowee and reveling in the antics of Willie Revillame and his bevy of curvaceous dancers. Happiness is patiently lining up in a lotto outlet, waiting for one’s turn to get hold of a ticket to one’s dreams. Happiness is treating one’s family to a weekend lunch, spending a hard-earned minimum day’s wage in a burger joint.
Are these true examples of happiness? The latter has been the metaphor of Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, in his book Happier. Aptly called the “Hamburger Model” of happiness, he categorizes situations into four types of hamburgers, depending on the benefit or detriment to one’s present or future.
The first type is the vegetarian burger. This describes a tasteless vegetarian burger made only with the most healthful ingredients, which would afford one future benefits, in that one would subsequently feel good and healthy, and present detriment, in that one would not enjoy eating it. One example of this situation is a hard-working employee, working long hours to get the job done to build some savings to secure a future like owning a house. But he is not enjoying his job and finds it a daily grind.
The second type is the junk-food burger. This is a tasty hamburger that would yield present benefits, and that one would enjoy it, but future detriment, in that one would subsequently not feel well. This is exemplified by a hedonist who seeks pleasure and avoids pain, like a person who indulges in drinking, drugs and sex, not thinking about tomorrow.
The third type is the worst of all possible burgers, which is both tasteless and unhealthy—in eating it, one would experience present detriment, in that it tastes bad, and suffer future detriment, in that it is unhealthy. This describes a person who has lost the drive and lust for life; someone who neither enjoys the moment nor has a purposeful future.
The last type is the ideal burger which exemplifies the happiness archetype. Happy people who knowingly perform activities that would bring them enjoyment in the present and would also lead to a fulfilling future. This means finding enjoyment in our jobs now while saving some money for the future. Instead of asking “Should I be happy now or in the future?” one should ask “How can I be happy now and in the future?”
So what explains the happiness of Filipinos in the face of adversity? What explains the results of surveys year after year that show Filipinos are one of the happiest people on earth? A 2007 Survey Research Hong Kong showed in its Asia-wide happiness survey that despite poverty, 94 percent of Filipinos were more contented with their lives than other Asians.
In adversity or not, Filipinos find happiness in the moment through their families, good health and religion. This is according to the 2007 study of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), which showed that Filipinos ranked family as the most important source of happiness. This is testament to our culture of sociability and conviviality; that we find solace in the company of others, be they immediate family or a family of friends.
How about the future? The 2007 and 2009 study, called AXA Life Outlook Index, stated that Filipinos were the most optimistic people in Asia. Consistent with the NSCB findings, this may be the result of our religiousness—the belief that God will take care of us in the future, that in the future we will see our grandsons and granddaughters who will bring us immeasurable joy. That’s why crisis after crisis, Filipinos are able to spring back to face another day and live for the future.
It’s truly laudable that Filipinos are finding the ideal hamburger of happiness—enjoying the moment and living a purposeful life for the future. But it’s also unfortunate that politicians are taking advantage of this Filipino trait for selfish gains. Poverty has afflicted generations of Filipinos as a result of callous corruption and patronage politics. But because we are mababaw ang kaligayahan, we are content and happy with what we have. Still, we deserve greater happiness now and in the future.
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“Mirror Image” is a rotating column featuring writers from the DLSU Professional Schools Inc. See link to Business Mirror article
Reynaldo C. Lugtu Jr. teaches management and marketing courses in the MBA Program of Graduate School of Business, De La Salle University. He may be e-mailed at rlugtu2002@yahoo.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or visit his blog at http://rlugtu.blogspot.com.
All of us, in one way or another, have been affected by the super-typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. But in the televised news reports that I’ve watched, it never failed to amaze me that Filipinos could still laugh and smile while being interviewed by news reporters in front of their wrecked homes. Even American soldiers on a rescue mission seemed to be wondering why affected Filipinos were all smiling, giving them “high-fives,” amid the catastrophe.
If you think about it, there is a truism in the proverbial mababaw ang kaligayahan (literally translated “shallow happiness” or “easy to please”). To many of us Filipinos, happiness is watching Wowowee and reveling in the antics of Willie Revillame and his bevy of curvaceous dancers. Happiness is patiently lining up in a lotto outlet, waiting for one’s turn to get hold of a ticket to one’s dreams. Happiness is treating one’s family to a weekend lunch, spending a hard-earned minimum day’s wage in a burger joint.
Are these true examples of happiness? The latter has been the metaphor of Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, in his book Happier. Aptly called the “Hamburger Model” of happiness, he categorizes situations into four types of hamburgers, depending on the benefit or detriment to one’s present or future.
The first type is the vegetarian burger. This describes a tasteless vegetarian burger made only with the most healthful ingredients, which would afford one future benefits, in that one would subsequently feel good and healthy, and present detriment, in that one would not enjoy eating it. One example of this situation is a hard-working employee, working long hours to get the job done to build some savings to secure a future like owning a house. But he is not enjoying his job and finds it a daily grind.
The second type is the junk-food burger. This is a tasty hamburger that would yield present benefits, and that one would enjoy it, but future detriment, in that one would subsequently not feel well. This is exemplified by a hedonist who seeks pleasure and avoids pain, like a person who indulges in drinking, drugs and sex, not thinking about tomorrow.
The third type is the worst of all possible burgers, which is both tasteless and unhealthy—in eating it, one would experience present detriment, in that it tastes bad, and suffer future detriment, in that it is unhealthy. This describes a person who has lost the drive and lust for life; someone who neither enjoys the moment nor has a purposeful future.
The last type is the ideal burger which exemplifies the happiness archetype. Happy people who knowingly perform activities that would bring them enjoyment in the present and would also lead to a fulfilling future. This means finding enjoyment in our jobs now while saving some money for the future. Instead of asking “Should I be happy now or in the future?” one should ask “How can I be happy now and in the future?”
So what explains the happiness of Filipinos in the face of adversity? What explains the results of surveys year after year that show Filipinos are one of the happiest people on earth? A 2007 Survey Research Hong Kong showed in its Asia-wide happiness survey that despite poverty, 94 percent of Filipinos were more contented with their lives than other Asians.
In adversity or not, Filipinos find happiness in the moment through their families, good health and religion. This is according to the 2007 study of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), which showed that Filipinos ranked family as the most important source of happiness. This is testament to our culture of sociability and conviviality; that we find solace in the company of others, be they immediate family or a family of friends.
How about the future? The 2007 and 2009 study, called AXA Life Outlook Index, stated that Filipinos were the most optimistic people in Asia. Consistent with the NSCB findings, this may be the result of our religiousness—the belief that God will take care of us in the future, that in the future we will see our grandsons and granddaughters who will bring us immeasurable joy. That’s why crisis after crisis, Filipinos are able to spring back to face another day and live for the future.
It’s truly laudable that Filipinos are finding the ideal hamburger of happiness—enjoying the moment and living a purposeful life for the future. But it’s also unfortunate that politicians are taking advantage of this Filipino trait for selfish gains. Poverty has afflicted generations of Filipinos as a result of callous corruption and patronage politics. But because we are mababaw ang kaligayahan, we are content and happy with what we have. Still, we deserve greater happiness now and in the future.
-------------------
“Mirror Image” is a rotating column featuring writers from the DLSU Professional Schools Inc. See link to Business Mirror article
Reynaldo C. Lugtu Jr. teaches management and marketing courses in the MBA Program of Graduate School of Business, De La Salle University. He may be e-mailed at rlugtu2002@yahoo.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or visit his blog at http://rlugtu.blogspot.com.
Comments
i way enjoing reading it, thanks