Gross National Happiness

Youngstown Moxie has been writing about the meaning of wealth and value:

"In the U.S. we have fallen prey to what I call happiness propaganda. The pervasive idea , perpetuated by the media, that unless one is engaged in the activity of consumerism, one can't possibly be happy. It goes without saying that in order to be a consumer one must have economic wealth., and the consumer must spend an inordinate amount of time accumulating that economic wealth. (i.e. usually doing something they despise for eight hours or more a day).

In the United States the word wealth has generally come to mean economic value. However, the word "wealth" actually derives from the English word "weal" which means well-being or welfare. "

Read more of this great post here.