Thursday, 26 August 2010

Economics versus compassion

The financial crisis and change to a right wing government have
created be the greatest test of this question in the UK.

My guess is that economics will win out in government policy however the
evidence may prove me wrong. I remember reading a paper on the
recession's impact on physical and mental health in America. The paper
showed a decline in physical health on the measures used with its lowest
point a year after the recession tipping point. To my surprise the data
showed mental health had the opposite trend.

The authors interpreted it as an increase in social or informal mental
healthcare. American culture has a high sense of personal charity in
the absence of a modern state welfare system. The public stepped into
the breach.

I hope the same happens in the UK until a new government is elected.
True wealth in Gross Domestic Happiness terms is compassion, in my opinion.

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We It comes in part from an appreciation that no one can truly sign their own work. Everything is many influences coming together to the one moment where a work exists. The other is a begrudging acceptance that my work was never my own. There is another consciousness or non-corporeal entity that helps and harms me in everything I do. I am not I because of this force or entity. I am "we"