Blue Zones
WELL – BEING
INTRODUCTION
S U C C E S S
“To laugh often and love much,
To win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children,
To earn the approbation of hones critics and
endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty,
To give of one’s self,
To find the best in others,
To leave the world a bit better whether by
a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition,
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and
sung with exultation, and
To know that even one life
has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson ( 1803 – 1882 )
A conceptually integrated and broadly affirmed basis for defining a person’s HEALTH does not exist in 2019. The word “Well-Being,” with or without the hyphen, occurs frequently as part of a commitment to consolidate a definition of HEALTH. The philosophical origins for “Well-Being” include the writings of Aristotle and Plato, some 2300 years ago. A concise review of these historical traditions may be found on the website for the STANFORD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PHILOSOPHY, specifically its essay for Well-Being written by Roger Crisp, Ph. D. and last revised September 6, 2017. Neera Badhwar has written an enlarged analysis published as a book in 2014.
The definition of HEALTH applicable to NATIONAL HEALTH represents a description of the humanitarian and scientific realms of Knowledge required to promote the stable expression of a person’s HEALTH including provisions for its ethical, moral, and spiritual attributes. Intentionally, this definition identified the spiritual dimensions for HEALTH as originating from within the person’s Family Traditions. The spiritual origin for a person’s good HEALTH may or may not be connected to a specific religious tradition but rather to the positive impact of its communal character and a shared awareness about the origins of their survival, usually involving the recognition of an ultimate deity.
For the purpose of NATIONAL HEALTH, these considerations become important as we account for the functional, extended longevity occurring for many resident persons living within certain communities. Now recognized as existing worldwide, these communities have an unusual predominance of persons with highly functional existence lasting for many years after their 90th birthday. The identification of these “Blue Zones” represents the efforts by Dan Buettner to located these communities and to publish a series of books by the same name beginning in 2010. Malcolm Gladwell described a similar community in Poseto, New York on the “Introductory” pages of his book OUTLIERS (2008). In short, the unusual attributes of these communities may be described as representing very high levels of bridging, bonding, and linking Social Capital, as maintained by their Family Traditions.
NEW DEFINITION
Well-Being may be defined as
” …Happiness in an objectively worthwhile life. “
Neera K. Badhwar ( 1946 – )
The evolution of a broadly accepted definition for Well-Being reflects the western traditions of beneficence and autonomy during each individual person’s survival. The historical origin of these traditions can be traced to Aristotle ( 384 – 322 BC ). At that time, the world-wide population was probably between 10 and 100 million. Since then, it has increased to 7+ billion, most rapidly during the last 100 years. A millennial understanding of HEALTH will be required as a yard-stick for understanding our worldwide survival, beneficence and autonomy enhanced.
I am most respectful of the book written by Neera K. Bradhwar, Ph. D. and published in 2014. Its title is: “WELL-BEING Happiness in a Worthwhile Life.” It represents the most current and carefully considered analysis of Well-Being. Now 200 years later, the poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson, cited above, could be edited to include a sub-title: “A Worthwhile Life.” I have cited a phrase from Chapter 8 of her book to define Well-Being for NATIONAL HEALTH. The use of this definition then becomes the linchpin for an expanded definition of HEALTH.