Politics & Society
Search for the happiest person in Singapore? Nothing more than a marketing stunt
I was amused by the news about a consulting firm in Singapore launching a campaign to search for the happiest Singaporean.
The judging criteria is:
The “chosen one” will be judged on their smile, ability to bring happiness to others and how he or she remains positive. A strong sense of belonging and community is also a prerequisite.
Seriously, judging based on smiles is so superficial. You can have a hideous looking person who has a horrible, physical smile but can still be the happiest person in the world. And how can happiness be quantified anyway? It’s a really subjective issue.
This is nothing more than a marketing stunt… but really, it’ll be interesting and educating for many Singaporeans if they are able to find a genuinely happy person who doesn’t get his happiness from material comforts. I bet there are many people out there, but just that this is a trait seldom found in Singaporeans.
*** Edit: The organiser of this event has posted his response to my article, click on comments to read ***
I agree that bringing happiness to others and a strong sense of community are important – it highlights the fact that we need to move from a ‘me’ to ‘we’ paradigm to be able to attain happiness.
However, most Singaporeans are still not enlightened:
Some of the attributes cited by people Channel NewsAsia spoke to include “being successful”, “money”, “security and love”, and “family support and friends”.
That’s why it comes as no surprise that Singapore ranks pretty low on happiness as “a recent survey found that nine in 10 Singaporeans are stressed out”
Discussion
16 comments for “Search for the happiest person in Singapore? Nothing more than a marketing stunt”
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I would like to nominate Wong Kan Seng. Announced ISD detainee escape in Parliament and still managed a smile. Or was that a smirk?
Ah.. that shouldn’t have happened. Civil servants should be trained on how to project a serious and grave expression when announcing bad news.
I thought every minister pass the test ! With money as their main priorities and their pay pegged to private sector without the accountability and responsibility of the private job, they should be the most happiest, smiling individual in Singapore. Don’t you see the minister always smile so beautifully in TV when he talks and everytime talk positively through rhetoric and euphoria.
So positive, so happy, so smiling and they can only be found in the government top office.
Examples are
http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/03/26/lee_kuan_yew_narrowweb__300×286,0.jpg
http://www.cabinet.gov.sg/NR/rdonlyres/2661D92E-4E84-4384-AECD-33428854DAD2/10101/DPM1.jpg
They should stop wasting our taxmoney on consulting firm because the whole Singapore nation will vote the ministers as the most happiest bunch of monkey in Singapore. Period.
i juz found the unhappiest person in SingaPAPore….he is no other than our “Tak boleh tahan!” Dr Chee
You can’t expect unhappy people to know what true happiness is. They haven’t tasted it.
We’ve got enough of man-hunts. We’ve got our hands full already with Mas Selamat. It would be more meaningful to make at least some Singaporeans happy than hunting for a happy one.
There are many happiest man, how to quantify and qualify ‘happiest’ is beyond my understanding, but any many who has just cleared his shit would be a happiest person.
Hi Folks nice to hear your comments - i’m the guy organising the search for singapore’s happiest - see my comments below:
1. its not just a marketing stunt - interesting that you can speak so definitely without knowing. i’ve lived here for 19 years and i really think singapore has a lot going for it and should be celebrated. but at least you do admit that “it would be interesting to look at happiness beyond material comfort” - thats why I’m doing this to get people thinking about happiness beyond material comfort.
2. “make singaporeans happy not just look for one?” - all the research on happiness says that by expressing gratitude actually makes people happier - so the search itself will make singaporeans happy. so far in one day i have had 80 nominations and you should see some of them. one person said it made her so happy to share how happy here mother was.
3. My search criteria are based on research in positive psychology - so it is possible to measure what happiness is all about
Many thanks to all of you - you’re talking about happiness and what it means - which was my intention. go on - get involved nominate the happiest person you know - http://www.simply-happy.com
Nominate him for Singapore’s Happiest Person.
http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/7182/happymaspeacedz7.jpg
Hi Philip
Thanks for taking the time to respond, the reason why I believed its a marketing thing is because I believe its meant as an event to promote your main event - the conference.
No offense, and I certainly didn’t mean that in a bad way - I’m also an advocate of the idea that happiness is beyond material comfort and achievements, and it would certainly be very interesting to explore on a wider scale just how many Singaporeans are inclined towards such thinking. I’m also a fan of David G. Myer’s research on Happiness.
I will post an edit to my article to let readers know of your response.
I wish you all the success for your event and look forward to finding out who the happiest person in Singapore is.
Philip Merry merrily says; “all the research on happiness says that by expressing gratitude actually makes people happier”, unquote.
Wow! what a simple way to have happiness. So if the people of Singapore show their gratitudes to the Leadership, magically we will have a country full of happier people. Is there happier people when 9 out of 10 feel stressed, whatever that means? Does the word ’stressed’ used by Philip connotes dissatisfaction, unhappiness.
I have not read on the subject of happiness, my opinion stems from direct intuitional feelings, a spontaneous and natural emotional unadulterated, unconditioned and unforced understanding of happiness.
And I am also naturally inclined to suspect that the search for the happiest man in Singapore is intended for social engineering. Say me wrong but I am happy to remain wrong.
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Yeah, I said more meaningful.
To be frank, if I have to spend the money, I’d give it directly to people to make them happy instead of attending the conference to learn how to be happy by making people happy.
I’d take the short cut.
I think Mat Salamat is the most happiest guy in Singapore, that is if he is in Singapore.
The ALLEDGE leader is now roaming in the woods freely with no cuffs .
Thats happiness for him and he smiled his way to freedom
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Of course it is a gimmick! Great minds thing alike my friend: I too pointed it out on my blog around the time this news came out. Mr Merry must have googled his own gimmick to have discovered your entry.
Oh well, if there is a sucker to be had, then such people as Mr Merry will continue to exist. What I am more disappointed with is the mainstream media picking this up as if it is some sort of national campaign. Way too much free publicity for this sham, in my opinion.
In any case, Mr Merry will certainly be the happiest of all - free major publicity, a successful stunt, and misinformed public who will flock to this let-me-tell-you-what-you-already-know (pricey) event.
Complacent citizenry I hear? Spot on….