I was just reading an article by a Korean Priest who had a very interesting take on a book he read on the happiness quotient of Koreans. He noted that a person who wins the gold medal is the happiest. You would think the one who won the silver would be the second happiest but it does not seem to follow. He is looking at the one who won the gold and is disappointed while the bronze winner is looking behind at all those that did not make it and is very happy.
In Korea this "gold medal stress syndrome" seems to apply to other areas also. The example was given of a person who is making 5 or 6 thousand dollars a month. If his salary is decreased for some reason he is disappointed as we all would be. The reason however for the disappointment comes because he looks at those who are making more than he is instead of seeing all those that are way behind in the wage scale. It is a good lesson that it does very little for our happiness to compare ourselves with others as our Lord made so clear on so many different occasions.
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