Τα τρία συστατικά της ευτυχίας είναι κάτι να κάνεις, κάποιον ν’ αγαπάς και κάπου να πιστεύεις.
The three ‘foundations’ of happiness are having something to do, someone to love and something to believe in. I call them my numbers 1, 2 & 3.
I am not quite sure which famous ancient Greek philosopher I can attribute this quote to but it helps me to determine priorities in life and form a prism through which I view the world, including Government pronouncements.
Just prior to Christmas, I read with interest that Scott Morrison ducked off to Afghanistan to wish Australian troops well for Christmas. Having the rotating incumbent PM pictured in khaki is apparently good for (political) business.
In 2018, the overwhelming majority of Australians have absolutely no idea whatsoever as to why Australian troops are still in Afghanistan – 17 years after first being deployed! If in fact, there (still) is a higher purpose to this deployment, it is certainly not well defined nor understood.
By contrast, in WW1 Australian society as a whole rallied en masse to serve ‘King and Country’. Of 5 million Australians, almost 400,000 enlisted. This represented almost 40% of the male population between the ages of 18-44, of whom 60,000 died – an astounding sacrifice.
Overwhelmingly, the reason that so many enlisted willingly, was because – rightly or wrongly – society believed in the cause. Life had a higher purpose. It was a no. 3.
And as did the Spartans in ancient times, Australian society deemed the cause worth dying for – ή ταν, ή επί τας.
Significantly, all who fought in the Australian Army in WW1 were volunteers!
Just as we might volunteer an afternoon of our time for a radio-thon for example and sometimes get our uppity noses out of joint because of the inconvenience, Australian society of the era deemed the cause worthy enough to volunteer a generation of men’s lives!
This was way back, before the iPhone was invented which, some would argue, has singularly morphed swathes of society into introverted new age ‘zombies’ consumed by the next dopamine inducing beep.
This was before economic liberalism was set loose, converting generations of rational thoughtful citizenry into consumers who’s waking moments are devoured by aspirational attainment – more stuff please.
But I digress.
As a nation, in 2018, we are obsessed by the overall condition of our GDP and by extension, our small piece of the pie. To that end, we’re all working, doing stuff and being busy – focusing on no. 1.
For twenty six continuous years, Australia has done a remarkable job bettering every previous year’s benchmark and many Australians have little appreciation of anything other than buoyant economic conditions.
This ravenous pursuit of the GDP Holy Grail has been funded by the biggest debt binge in history. By placing so many psychological eggs in the GDP basket, we almost ignore our GNH – Gross Happiness Index – which is more dependent on love and belief.
In writing dozens of Christmas cards this year, I found myself wishing all those with whom I corresponded in this Neanderthal way, love, health and happiness and seldomly material bounty.
Eυχόμαστε υγεία, αγάπη και ευτυχία και σπάνια, καλά κέρδη.
Nature hates a vacuum and the lack of a defined greater good results in individuals searching for ‘meaning’ themselves. Australia’s auspicious per capita primacy in personal debt, ‘recreational’ drug use, gambling addictions and epidemics of alcoholism, family violence, sexual offences, stress, loneliness and depression are evidence enough that we are struggling to find it.
How do these afflictions compare to all those badies we’re fighting in khaki, Mr PM?
Family violence alone is responsible for the death of one woman per week and one man per month! How do we neatly account for that on our GDP spreadsheet?
Aren’t these everyday issues a greater enemy and more pressing than that which has kept Australians tied up in Afghanistan for almost two decades?
Ever the optimist, I sense a change in mood in Australian society.
Whenever humans secure basic material wellbeing, we have sought to move up the value chain and ask that most fundamental of questions… why?
Personally, I am constantly reminded by Socrates that “a life not considered, is a life not worth living”.
For previous generations, religion, country and even the monarch dominated people’s belief system. Society has however, become increasingly more secular and in 2018 ‘Queen and Country’ may make a nice magazine cover but not a rallying cry.
So what is the cause which will drive our belief system and to which we would be prepared to devote our time (not give our lives), delivering happiness and contentment?
After all, isn’t that what each of us is yearning for in our own, quiet, private moments and wish upon each other at Christmas and New Year?
Is it a compact with indigenous Australians? Is it environmental sustainability? Is it displaying basic humanity to those more in need (e.g. children held in refugee camps or the homeless) or is it a combination of the above or something else entirely?
For those who have even a passing interest in the state of our nation, in whose hearts there remains an unanswered whispering, I urge you to view Dr Kerryn Phelps’ recent Maiden Speech to Parliament. It is compelling.
In fact, I will call it an ITS TIME moment in modern Australian history.
Wishing you all well in pursuit of your numbers 1, 2 & 3 in 2019.