The Good Life

According to the dominant ideology, everyone wants to live better and enjoy a better quality of life. In general the quality of life associated with the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of each country. GDP represents all the material wealth a country produces. Then, according to this criterion, the best performing countries are the United States, followed by Japan, Germany, Sweden and others. GDP is a measure invented by capitalism to stimulate increased production of material goods consumption.

In recent years, in view of increasing poverty and urbanization favelizada the world and even a sense of decency, the UN introduced? Human Development Index (HDI). It includes intangibles such as health, education, social equality, caring for the environment, gender equity and others. It has enriched the meaning of "quality of life?, Which was understood in a very materialistic enjoys a good quality of life who consume more and better.

Ahead of all countries are Bhutan, wedged between China and India, the Himalayas, very poor materially, but formally established the "? Index of Gross National Happiness?. This is not measured by quantitative criteria, but also qualitative, as a good government authorities, equitable distribution of surplus subsistence agriculture, extraction plant and selling power to India, good health and education, especially , good level of cooperation of all to ensure social peace.

In the indigenous traditions of Abya Yala, American Indian name for the continent, instead of "living better? speaks of "the good life?. This category entered into the constitutions of Bolivia and Ecuador as the social objective to be pursued by the government and throughout society.

The "live better? is an ethic of unlimited progress and challenges us to a competition with others to create more and more conditions to "live better?. However, some can "live better?, Millions of people have had to live badly. It is the contradiction of capitalism.

By contrast, the "good life? points to an ethical enough for the whole community and not only for the individual. The "good life? is a holistic and integrated human being, immersed in the great earth, which includes not only humans, but also to air, water, soil, mountains, trees and animals, is to be in deep communion with Pachamama (Earth), with the energies of the universe, and God.

The central concern is not to accumulate. In addition, Mother Earth gives us everything we need. With our work we supply what she by excessive aggression can not give us or help you produce decent enough for everyone, even for animals and plants. The "good life? permanent is to be in harmony with all, celebrating the sacred rites continually renew cosmic connection with God.

The "good life? invites us to consume no more than the ecosystem can support, to avoid producing waste that can not safely absorb and incites us to reuse and recycle everything we used. It will be a frugal consumer recyclable. Then there will be shortages.

In this time of searching for new ways to mankind the idea of ​​"good living? has much to teach us.

Leonardo Boff

Philosopher and writer