Culture, Liberty and Happiness

In: Media and public culture: proceedings of the Second International Seminar on Bhutan Studies. Thimphu, Centre for Bhutan Studies 2007, pp. 40-69 . ISBN 99936-14-41-6

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Abstract

The author's intention here is to explore mainly the relationship between culture and globalization, and also to a limited extent the ties and differences, if any, between cultural liberty and happiness. This paper attempts to relate the concept of cultural liberty to the idea of Gross National Happiness. The author underlines strongly that the culture discussed is not about the particular culture of Bhutan; it is about culture in general and in abstract. Likewise happiness referred to here is not about happiness in Bhutan, although Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness provides the frame for seeking solutions for some of the contemporary problems, not only in Bhutan but also elsewhere in the world. The perspective of Gross National Happiness, however skeletal its concepts may be, is used in this essay to view and analyse contemporary problems beyond Bhutan.