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Rob_Hugo@PortNWI read an article in time magazine about how Philipinos scored top on the levels of happiness out of Asian countries. After reading this article I started thinking about the Asians I have met recently. I've met a lot of since moving to the Los Angeles area and I must say that of all of them the Philipinos indeed score the highest in being friendly and happy on my own personal experience. Have any of you found this to be true?
AnonymousAt my Middle School in Carson, I have a good number of Filipino students, some of whom are recent immigrants. The article you referenced describes self sufficiency and resilience as being two common character traits of Filipinos.
I have to say I believe this part of the article is true and that it is at least in part responsible for the high academic achievement and rapid adjustment most of these students display.
It amazes me when I think how difficult it would be to take on such a challenge myself. I have seen quite a few students come into my classroom with little or no English and quickly develop the skills to succeed. I wish I could
I am not as confident in my ability to judge the general happiness level of the American-Filipino population, but I find the idea intriguing.
AnonymousGood evening Onunwa,
Oh yes! I have found this to be true. I have worked with them in the past. There was a lab in Tarzana most of whose workers were Philipinos(graveyard shift, not easy to endure). I spent at least 8 hours a day with them for 3 years. I also worked with them at the Santa Clarita post office distribution center(again graveyard shift, painful job), where their population outnumbers other nationalities. I can vouch for your claim.
clay dubeI love the question -- who are the happiest Asians?
You may find the results of a massive comparative survey underwritten by Pew in 2002. The Asian portion of the survey is summarized with charts, etc. at: http://www.international.ucla.edu/asia/article.asp?parentid=2748 . Incidentally, among all the world's peoples, Filipinos had the most positive impression of the US.
AnonymousI wonder how valid the survey is. Even though the question itself is quite intriguing, how can you place much value on a survey like that? How can you say 0.01% (or maybe less) represents the nation? However, one thing I noticed: the more one has, the unhappier s/he is. "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." -- a lesson I learned this morning.
I have a Philipino colleague, but he doesn't seem to be happier than I am; I haven't noticed that my Philipino students are happier than any other ethnic students.
AnonymousI'm pretty happy. I've worked in schools with large numbers of Chinese students and they seemed quite happy. I know of other types of Asians that are happy too.[Edit by="vhui on Jul 29, 8:57:32 AM"][/Edit]
AnonymousI think happiness is a state of mind and being. How can we judge happiness? Some days, I notice my Korean students are happier than my Chinese students. On other days, I think maybe my Japanese students are happier than my Philipino students. Some days I notice my principal is happier than I am. Other days, I'm happier than he is. Point: The whole thing sounds a bit over-the-top.
AnonymousYou are very funny. I couldn't stop laughing when I read your article. This forums needed someone like you to contribute some happiness. I'm happier now that I read your comment. I am totally with you! I know that sometimes my cat seems happier than I am especially when I fed her a can of tuna. But if she was a Siamese cat, could she be a happier cat, or if she was a Himalayan, would she be much more happy? It is kind of a silly arguement. And here I am writing about it. I guess the whole point is to discuss just about anything of Asia.
AnonymousLast week, I ran into a graduate psychology student at McGill University in Montreal, who told me that he was being sent to research the rising depression rate in China. He says that the number of reported depression cases in China is now up to par with the U.S, which is a very significant growth. I found this bit of information very interesting
AnonymousWho would not be depressed about their pet dogs being killed in inhumane manner? Who would not be depressed to have such a brutal government leaders in today's society? I hope, at least, they are all depressed about it!!
Anonymousseveral interesting things may apply regarding rates of depression in China increasing. One is that some of the change may lie in the word "reported" When depression is a matter of shame, and not understood to be a medical issue but a sort of 'slacking off,' few people report it.
Another factor: Doctors may be better trained to recognize signs or ask questions to screen potentially depressed people. With heart disease, the combination of heart disease and depression greatly increases the chance of heart attack. Doctors in the US and Europe use survey type questions (if you say yes to 7 out of 10..)
to diagnose deppression. Perhaps their Chinese counterparts now have better diagnostic tools than previously.
Still it is interesting to hypothesize about China being swept in to the capitalist "more more" and wonder if an aquisitive culture or a culture in transition predisposes the population to a higher rate of depression. (Depression has some genetic factors that interact with the environment.)
AnonymousI asked a Pillipino Science teacher who has been in the country three weeks what her reaction was to the happiness thread. She agreed and said. "We don't entertain problems. Whatever life brings to us, that is what we expect." As a teacher I long for such resiliency.
AnonymousWe flew into the Hefei, Anhui Airport in East Central China and the people at the airport looked very haggardly and almost depressed. The people wre very nice however when we got to our hotel in the middle of the city and seemed much happier there.
Another thing I noticed was the attitude of Chinese soldiers (there were a lot of them there) was somewhat dismissive of the group of Americans I was traveling and almost met us with scowls even though we tried to meet them with smiles. I waas wondering if they looked at us as the enemy.
On the other hand, I had a really neat experience with some 9-10 year old kids at the Hefei Zoo, where I shook one hand and then I was treated like a rock star. Just recently after going to the Buddhist Temple in LA with the East Asia Seminar, I wonder if they thought they were shaking hands with the Happy Buddha Maitreya due to my size and smile.[Edit by="rspringer on Sep 19, 8:30:55 PM"][/Edit]
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