A recommended essay in the Otago Daily Times (Nov. 7, 2022): Nobel Prize laureates’ take on lasting joy yields wisdom
Author Gil Barbezat, emeritus professor of medicine, goes in search of happiness. Some highlights:
* Acquiring happiness has long been an elusive human aim.
* Where do people get their joy and happiness in the age of dead-end echo chambers where many provide mis- or disinformation?
* Caring for others, including the biodiversity and climate of our precious planet, is what leads to more lasting joy.
* The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World is an international bestseller that provides an interesting and challenging alternative. The book records the proceedings of a week spent with two Nobel Peace laureates, the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, debating the topic. Both of them overcame severe adversity. They reached a commonly held conclusion. The personal qualities of these two men stand out in such contrast to so many other current world leaders.
* Application of the described eight basic pillars of joy into daily life is surprisingly helpful. Four are qualities of the mind and four are qualities of the heart.
* What do we need to persuade humanity that there are better ways than those of selfishness and greed?
In the final paragraph Barbezat comments that human destiny faces many challenges that require teamwork and understanding to achieve peaceful coexistence.
What do we owe to our descendants?
What do we need to persuade humanity that there are better ways than those of selfishness and greed?
Finding happiness in creating supportive attitudes between one another while caring for our precious environment are lifestyle choices with clearly demonstrable practical benefits.