Happyness Meter

I read a story once, where a king was totally shocked to see a poor man happily whistling at work, whereas he himself, being king with so many riches, was unhappy. He consulted a minister about it, and then the minister advised him to keep a bagful of 99 gold coins in front of his door at night. When the man woke up in the morning, he was delighted to find the bag of coins! But he counted it, only to find to his dismay that one gold coin was missing, to make a 100. After that, he became irritable, he worked much harder at work, came home lesser and spent lesser time with his family, thereby becoming miserable. This is what happens in most cases, when people get money. Most people forget the real reason why they are earning money - to be happy and to enjoy with their families. Luxury and stability eventually becomes an addiction, and people stop enjoying their day-to-day lives, thereby becoming more and more miserable. Also, asians have a very solid spiritual background, which teaches them renunciation and detachment from physical and material goods, which is also helping them stay happier I think

From what I read, it could be because of the impersonal relationship among western people that drives them to loneliness and depression. Unlike Filipinos who are closely knit and therefore get a lot of family support, westerners are more individualistic and enjoy being alone. Asians are also known for their happy disposition amidst crises. Like Filipinos can still sing in karaoke bars, troop to churches, hold concerts, laugh at life's misfortunes, etc.