QUALITY OF LIFE IN AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE
Quality of Life is an issue which concerns the world at Large. When Western Societies discuss about Quality of Life using indicators like employment opportunities, Working Relations, Insecurities, Environmental Degradation, Family Life and Social Relations, Southern Societies could discuss about the same reality from the point of Political instabilities, In access to Education Opportunities, Diseases, Hunger, Scarcity of Basic Needs and Increasing mortality rate.
When Western Societies identify Happiness indicators being Good Governance, Economic Equalities, Democracy, State Welfare and Health Care, Southern Societies could identify Happiness Indicators being Family Relations, Social Relations, Life Assurance, Access to Basic Social Services like hospitals, infrastructures, clean water and others of the like.
It has been interesting to attend the International Conference/Workshop titled; Tuscany: a Global Laboratory on for the Quality of Life, which was held at Florence in Italy, in which different Scholars met to discuss about the Quality of Life and what exactly contributes to it.
More interesting fact is that, though since 1920s, scholars began to write about Quality of Life, the issue was either overlooked or given less concern until 80 years later when the World found the necessity of dealing more seriously about the matter. It is obvious that the phenomenon of materialism which captured most of western societies has not provided true happiness as it was expected. Industrialization has made western countries improve their economy, but observation shows that the rise of GNP of these countries has been going inversely proportional to unemployment, increased environmental degradation, and increased need for healthcare, Creation of stressed work relations, insecurity and many other similar problems.
The workshop could be more inclusive if facts from Africa were taken into consideration. This is because, even though there is a big gap in economical and social development, still things like environmental degradation, increased illegal immigration and access to qualified workforce concerns all humanity at large.
The game could be win-win; in the sense that, Post Materialistic understanding of Happiness would give lesson to Countries in Development not to suffer the consequences of putting money at the centre of development endeavour instead of human beings who are financers and beneficiaries of Development.
On the other hand, Happiness for African societies is found in relation to others. It means being with others in suffering and joy, and sharing the possessions, living together to the extent of ensuring the happiness of those who surrounds you.
These are values which western Societies could benefit from Africa. I am convinced that if similar studies were done in Africa, results could slightly be different and may be there could be some ingredients on the information which Western Scholars have to tell their societies on Strategies of ensuring the Quality of Life.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?
It is not too late to the mass about what brings true happiness. Workshop Like this on the quality of life will benefit not only Policy Makers on creating living and working environment which will increase chances of making people happy, but also the public about their subjective happiness which will inevitably constitute to happiness of the Community.
The Tuscany Laboratory on the Quality of life was indeed enriching and if proposed strategies on Quality of Life will be implemented, there is a greater chance of positive results on the societies as far as happiness is concerned.
This enriching Laboratory could be more inclusive and realistic to all humanity if it had not overlooked perception of happiness in developing countries, specifically those found in Africa in the South Sahara.
The fact that African Countries have passed through miserable era of colonialism during the time when the World of Building Economy, is enough to remind the western states that they are responsible for most miseries of African Societies. European Countries benefited from labour force and resources from Africa to be able to compete with their co-imperialistic regime of 20[SUP]th[/SUP] Century. This history need to pass, and for that to happen, these countries need to work hand in hand with these countries to back up their struggle for survival which was weakened by their occupation of African Continent. Jomo Kenyata, the actual president of Kenya could say ``Africa has been milked to death`` May be he meant that, the economic gap which was created by colonialism is too big between Western and African Countries to the extent that any struggle by these countries to build up their economies will not compete to the Western Economic Growth.
DOES IT MEAN THAT THERE IS NO HOPE OF BETTER LIFE FOR AFRICAN COUNTRIES?
This question of new hope for African countries is complex, because before that there is a need to understand what constitutes better life. Such understanding will lead to discussion about possible strategies to the goal. May be it is the right time now for humanity to change the mindset about the means to development. Materialistic Mentality teaches that happiness is found in material possession, and so it`s possession is vital even if the process of such possession will undermine spiritual, intellectual or cultural value of others. This understanding by imperialist countries made Africa suffer the consequences. Big nations scrambles for what was found in Africa like the Congo Basin, Nile River, Mineral Resources and Natural Resources and Africans were used as means of acquiring these goods, not mentioning that they placed in the market in the same way like commodities.
The world has survived unfair competition in the time when resources were few, which is evident by decolonization process which in reality it meant the change of ownership, from possessing the countries to possessing the economies of such countries. African has been in decades too weak to respond to these external forces and to date, the big nations have paternalistic relations to their former colonies.
This happens because, the growth of economy in western societies has increased competition among states, and for because resources are few within geographical location, the exploitation of African countries uses the umbrella of Foreign Direct Investments which against the expectations of many exploits the resources of African land, Increase environmental degradation, create classes among Africans and destroys the values of African Culture.
The understanding of these elements is vital in order to have the humanity which puts the well-being of others to the centre of everything that is done; to understand that humanity as a whole depends on each other that, our societies will have the quality of life that fits for purpose if every member of the society is happy. The implication of this understanding will be fare competition, responsible investments, and humane work relations.
Quality of Life is an issue which concerns the world at Large. When Western Societies discuss about Quality of Life using indicators like employment opportunities, Working Relations, Insecurities, Environmental Degradation, Family Life and Social Relations, Southern Societies could discuss about the same reality from the point of Political instabilities, In access to Education Opportunities, Diseases, Hunger, Scarcity of Basic Needs and Increasing mortality rate.
When Western Societies identify Happiness indicators being Good Governance, Economic Equalities, Democracy, State Welfare and Health Care, Southern Societies could identify Happiness Indicators being Family Relations, Social Relations, Life Assurance, Access to Basic Social Services like hospitals, infrastructures, clean water and others of the like.
It has been interesting to attend the International Conference/Workshop titled; Tuscany: a Global Laboratory on for the Quality of Life, which was held at Florence in Italy, in which different Scholars met to discuss about the Quality of Life and what exactly contributes to it.
More interesting fact is that, though since 1920s, scholars began to write about Quality of Life, the issue was either overlooked or given less concern until 80 years later when the World found the necessity of dealing more seriously about the matter. It is obvious that the phenomenon of materialism which captured most of western societies has not provided true happiness as it was expected. Industrialization has made western countries improve their economy, but observation shows that the rise of GNP of these countries has been going inversely proportional to unemployment, increased environmental degradation, and increased need for healthcare, Creation of stressed work relations, insecurity and many other similar problems.
The workshop could be more inclusive if facts from Africa were taken into consideration. This is because, even though there is a big gap in economical and social development, still things like environmental degradation, increased illegal immigration and access to qualified workforce concerns all humanity at large.
The game could be win-win; in the sense that, Post Materialistic understanding of Happiness would give lesson to Countries in Development not to suffer the consequences of putting money at the centre of development endeavour instead of human beings who are financers and beneficiaries of Development.
On the other hand, Happiness for African societies is found in relation to others. It means being with others in suffering and joy, and sharing the possessions, living together to the extent of ensuring the happiness of those who surrounds you.
These are values which western Societies could benefit from Africa. I am convinced that if similar studies were done in Africa, results could slightly be different and may be there could be some ingredients on the information which Western Scholars have to tell their societies on Strategies of ensuring the Quality of Life.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?
It is not too late to the mass about what brings true happiness. Workshop Like this on the quality of life will benefit not only Policy Makers on creating living and working environment which will increase chances of making people happy, but also the public about their subjective happiness which will inevitably constitute to happiness of the Community.
The Tuscany Laboratory on the Quality of life was indeed enriching and if proposed strategies on Quality of Life will be implemented, there is a greater chance of positive results on the societies as far as happiness is concerned.
This enriching Laboratory could be more inclusive and realistic to all humanity if it had not overlooked perception of happiness in developing countries, specifically those found in Africa in the South Sahara.
The fact that African Countries have passed through miserable era of colonialism during the time when the World of Building Economy, is enough to remind the western states that they are responsible for most miseries of African Societies. European Countries benefited from labour force and resources from Africa to be able to compete with their co-imperialistic regime of 20[SUP]th[/SUP] Century. This history need to pass, and for that to happen, these countries need to work hand in hand with these countries to back up their struggle for survival which was weakened by their occupation of African Continent. Jomo Kenyata, the actual president of Kenya could say ``Africa has been milked to death`` May be he meant that, the economic gap which was created by colonialism is too big between Western and African Countries to the extent that any struggle by these countries to build up their economies will not compete to the Western Economic Growth.
DOES IT MEAN THAT THERE IS NO HOPE OF BETTER LIFE FOR AFRICAN COUNTRIES?
This question of new hope for African countries is complex, because before that there is a need to understand what constitutes better life. Such understanding will lead to discussion about possible strategies to the goal. May be it is the right time now for humanity to change the mindset about the means to development. Materialistic Mentality teaches that happiness is found in material possession, and so it`s possession is vital even if the process of such possession will undermine spiritual, intellectual or cultural value of others. This understanding by imperialist countries made Africa suffer the consequences. Big nations scrambles for what was found in Africa like the Congo Basin, Nile River, Mineral Resources and Natural Resources and Africans were used as means of acquiring these goods, not mentioning that they placed in the market in the same way like commodities.
The world has survived unfair competition in the time when resources were few, which is evident by decolonization process which in reality it meant the change of ownership, from possessing the countries to possessing the economies of such countries. African has been in decades too weak to respond to these external forces and to date, the big nations have paternalistic relations to their former colonies.
This happens because, the growth of economy in western societies has increased competition among states, and for because resources are few within geographical location, the exploitation of African countries uses the umbrella of Foreign Direct Investments which against the expectations of many exploits the resources of African land, Increase environmental degradation, create classes among Africans and destroys the values of African Culture.
The understanding of these elements is vital in order to have the humanity which puts the well-being of others to the centre of everything that is done; to understand that humanity as a whole depends on each other that, our societies will have the quality of life that fits for purpose if every member of the society is happy. The implication of this understanding will be fare competition, responsible investments, and humane work relations.
