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Standard of living must be measured in more than one dimension

Mar 09, 2014 Letters

Dear Editor,
Because I make a yearly trip to this country I may be in a better position than most Guyanese to look at what is going on in our society and make an objective evaluation.
On this occasion, I believe that I have encountered an environment that seems to have forgotten to some extent the cultural and religious values with which we Guyanese have been traditionally nurtured.  I was pleasantly surprised by all the new buildings, domestic and business, that have been constructed since I was here last, and the apparent larger spending power of people generally.  However, below this superficial progress, I have observed that Guyanese have become absorbed in the rat race which is so manifest in the metropolitan countries, and this does not bode well for the development of principled living in our society, and the peace and harmony which we all desire for the future of our nation.
It is understandable that people are striving to achieve a good standard of living, and the happiness and significance that this can bring.  That is normal, but it seems that they are being duped to believe that material progress will satisfy these needs and forget that this can only be temporary, and not really fulfilling their human aspirations in a real and permanent manner.  This not only drives them to use up their physical and mental resources towards acquiring more and more possessions, but they would also be tempted to neglect the urgings of their conscience to act morally to achieve this result.  This tendency to want to “keep up with the Joneses” can only result in fractured relationships, a materialistic outlook in life and violations of moral and civic laws.
Standard of living must be measured in more than one dimension, and the way we live out the values which we have inherited, and which really contribute to our well-being, must figure in this assessment.
May we use the spirit of this season of Lent to undertake some amount of sacrifice which can empower us to recapture the essence of the principles and values we need for real and lasting progress, re-inculcate these in our lives, and so win the race to an ethical way of life that really matters.
Roy Paul

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