No Daphne – you are missing the point! The Adrian White study is no more measuring happiness than the Da Vinci Code is the revealed word of God!

White measures satisfaction in relation to a country’s GDP and its conclusions are to be expected. Yes, money and wealth can indeed buy you healthcare, education, sex, a great body, a splendid car, a convenient marriage, the best living space in Malta and yes, even a comfortable cancer death, but I am afraid it can’t buy your happiness. Oh how we wish it could!

Happiness is generated from within the individual. It is more about perception of life than actual living conditions. The Maltese people – God bless their little cotton socks (a happiness saying – please forgive me!) still have this inner facility to feel happy in spite of all the things they seem to do wrong in your eyes; always grumbling; shouting obscenities at visitors; building eyesores under extremely hazardous conditions and so on. But yes – they are happy. What a great compliment to this island race. What a great people they are. In fact there is nothing like a good argument to provoke a person to extreme happiness!! Get it?

David Andrew

SLIEMA