Megan Blunt - Author Chemotherapy, cakes and cancerThe British Independent On Sunday Newspaper has today published a Happy List
Which as they say is "celebrating those Britons who have given back, enhanced the lives of others and realised that in an acquisitive society there's a crying need for values other than mere materialism.
This list is as it says an antidote to The British Sunday Times Rich List which is published to great fanfare every year"
As the Independent points out a list of people who make a positive difference to other peoples lives is more interesting than a list of those who have devoted their lives to making money
"The list is, of course, a wholly artificial exercise, but our hope is that the 100 people here represent values that need trumpeting, and make for role models more worthy than £50,000-a-week footballers, their shopaholic partners and those who have done nothing more demanding than inherit lots of money."
The criteria used were "those who make the lives of strangers happier, that this is their prime motive in doing what they do (as opposed to a side-effect of it), and that their example deserves celebrating. And, after considering the conditions under which community happiness tends to flourish, we elected to look for candidates in 10 categories: philanthropy, charity, mental well-being, physical health, pleasure (ie those in the media and culture who make us feel better), environment, innovation, volunteers and time-givers, community activity, and entertainment."
The list is new and contains names unknown to many
How nice that such a list has been created along with insights into what they all do
How pleasant that we can celebrate something other than money for a change
Think how much of our media is to do with money
The media in and of itself exists to make money
Advertisers are there to make money
Politicians are often talking about money
Articles on fashion, cooking, homes, cars and the rest are often about money one way or another
Unfortunately most of us are obliged to spend money all day long as everything today from communications to water to travel is about money
It would be interesting to measure the happiness of the people on the two lists
No contest!
It is difficult to imagine making money as bringing much happiness compared to the satisfaction that is brought by helping others
And in your life are you helping others?
Are you bringing happiness to others?
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