I kind of like the out of the box awards the Nobels have given in the past (especially in Literature, where they seem to seek the obscure) but the Peace Prize is clearly the centerpiece award, and I think some care and thought needs to be given to it’s recipients. Obama may some day be worthy of the award, but as of today he is merely a Patriot Act renewing, DOMA defending, Signing Statement supporting shade of a progressive. In fact, I would like to suggest that no one currently involved in military activity be able to win the Peace Prize.

I submit that the prize be awarded each year in perpituity to the nation of Bhutan. In 1972 their king uttered the simple phrase “Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross Domestic Product.” Since then, Bhutan has systematically and doggedly worked towards increasing the happiness of it’s people. This is not some hippy-dippy rainbows & unicorns idea. It is deeply Bhuddist and something the entire government works towards.

Think about that, a government that is actually concerned about the happiness of it’s people, and is serious enough about it to put the resources of the government into better facilitating that happiness (heh, sorry libertarians..) It’s fascinating to me to see a country take the same principles and statistical management we put into capitalism and focus it on something “touchy-feely.” For that effort alone Bhutan deserves the award.

Last 5 posts by Ezra

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