（附音效檔）We've plenty of reasons to be happy

Audio Clip :   www.zello.me/heQ

(The Standard P.4  24 Dec 2012) As that old Beatles tune goes, money can't buy me love. And it certainly can't buy happiness.

Hongkongers rank(社會階層) in the middle of an international happiness index, while people in Panama(巴拿馬) and Paraguay(巴拉圭(南美洲之一國名)) are on top of the world among 148 counties.

It's not surprising that Panama and Paraguay lead the happiness table. In fact, Latin America(拉丁美洲) is home to eight of the world's top 10 happiest countries, according to the latest Gallup survey.

What surprised most people is that Singapore - with its wealthy (but overworked) population - is the unhappiest.
 

Instead of the traditional forms (代替傳統的做法) that measure the quality of life: Growth Domestic Product (增長國家的產量) and Human Development Index (人類發展指數), the international pollster measured "positive emotions."

The survey was conducted (實施) last year in 148 countries, with about 1,000 people in each place being asked five questions about what positive experiences people had the day before - including if they had been well-rested, treated with respect, if they had smiled or laughed a lot, and whether they'd done or learned anything interesting.

Interesting enough, people in China are a lot happier than Hongkongers, as the mainlanders tied for 33rd place (名次), while the SAR tied for 70th.

So the big question is why - since we enjoy more freedoms? Some blame (指責) the government, pointing an accusing (歸咎於) finger at Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying.

I don't want to dwell on(詳細論述) politics now, but its high time (適當時候) that both CY and his officials(官員) act(要做些實務) to rectify (矯正) the situation - to make the people of Hong Kong happier.

For our part, we should stop blaming (停止指責) others. Though we cannot control the environment, we certainly (確實) can do our best with what is within our control. For instance, while we can't prevent what our boss tells us to do, we certainly can decide what to work on.

Hongkongers shouldn't measure happiness on whether they have a Chanel or Prada bag, or gourmet food. According to Gallup (蓋洛普), US economists(經濟學者) have found that domestically (在家庭方面), income only affects daily happiness when people earn up to US$75,000 (HK$585,000) a year. Anything higher than that doesn't make much difference for the well-being (福利) of American citizens.

A similar happiness survey(一份類似的快樂指數調查報告) in Hong Kong found that middle-class people earning less than HK$40,000 monthly are the least satisfied(感到最少的滿足) with their lot in life (生活中的命運).

The main thing is to be happy. For it's not the expensive food you eat, or the fine wine you drink when with your loved ones - it's the opportunity of being able to dine(進餐) together. As long as (只要) the food is tasty and wine good, be happy.

As for parents, they should stop being results orientated(注重成績) and forcing(強迫) their children to do what they think is best.

There's always time to play and time to study. Parents often mix these together. For example, why insist (一定要) on your children learning how to spell when they want to play a computer game?

Or why force (迫使) them to take piano lessons when all they want to do is sing?

Christmas is the time to be happy, so what better time to start than now? Don't worry - be happy.

Merry Christmas!

Mary Ma