THE DARK SIDE OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
From the perspective of the old paradigm, matter is the only thing that exists. In other words, reality is composed ⎯solely⎯ of what we can experience through our five physical senses. Hence, we only measure and value the tangible and quantitative aspects that constitute our lifestyle. And of course, this list is headed by money, which has become the ultimate goal of the existence of most human beings.
In parallel, the triumph of the philosophy of materialism has consolidated the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the most important and reliable economic statistic to measure the progress and development of a country. In essence, it is a figure that represents the total value of production and economic activity carried out by all public institutions, private organizations and civil society, including income and family consumption, investment of companies, spending by state administrations and national exports.
Thus, the GDP would come to be like the great accountant of each country. In fact, it publishes its figures on a quarterly basis, allowing analysts to obtain the data that interests them most: the growth rate. And it is that in the old paradigm the health of a nation is valued based on its economic and financial expansion, which is measured through monetary transactions.
As sophisticated as this measurement process may be, GDP does not account for the economic inequality of the inhabitants of a country. Nor does it measure the impact that the economy has on the emotional well-being of human beings and the environment. The irony is that in the event that a country suffers a flu epidemic or is the victim of various natural disasters, all the money invested in vaccines and hospitals to cure the affected citizens – as well as in rescue and reconstruction teams to alleviate the effects in the affected areas⎯, will increase the GDP statistics of said nation.
Due to the influence that the prevailing materialistic thought has on us, in general we believe that our happiness is linked to what we do and what we have⎯what is outside⎯, completely marginalizing what we are and feel. That is, what is inside. That is why contemporary society has been built on four pillars: work (as a means to earn money), consumption (as a means to obtain pleasure), image (as a means to appear) and entertainment, which allows us ⎯temporarily ⎯ alleviate the pain that leads us to lead a purely materialistic existence, often devoid of purpose.
THE DARK SIDE OF GDP
“GDP measures anything except what makes life worth living.”
(Robert F. Kennedy)
In addition, having been conditioned under the belief that we are worth based on what we have and achieve, we tend to choose professions aimed at achieving social status and professional recognition. This is the reason why many dedicate much of their time and energy to their work; they conceive it as a professional race ⎯both speed and long distance⎯, relegating the rest of the dimensions of their life to the background.
For others, these external goals are not part of their daily priorities, so instead of living to work, they work to live. His work motivations consist of guaranteeing his economic security and stability; they perceive their employment as a process to pay the bills. Hence, they are interested ⎯especially⎯ in the amount they charge at the end of the month, as well as in the hours they must meet during the week.
In these two cases, the professional function is performed as a means to satisfy material needs and desires. That is to say, they are oriented to satiate one’s own interest. They hardly take into account the purpose of said activity in relation to the rest of human beings and the biosphere. By denying their transcendent part ⎯the one that goes beyond and through each one of us⎯, many end up recognizing that what they do does not make sense.
And since work takes up almost a third of their lives, they end up taking their discomfort home. Not surprisingly, dedicating eight hours a day to mechanical activities ⎯lacking in creativity⎯ tends to enhance and accentuate our disconnection and our automatism. Due to this process of alienation, we are starring in an ironic paradox: as a society we have more material wealth than ever, but we are spiritually much poorer. Faced with this context, the question is inevitable: we have everything, but do we have ourselves?
