The Estonian Bank of Happiness

According to this article, here's how things work at the Estonian Bank of Happiness:

"To become a client, an Estonian must register online, listing the useful things that he can do for others (eg, grocery shopping, walking a dog, fixing cars) and those that he would like done unto him (eg, having a suit darned or windows cleaned).

"...The bank is hoping to create virtuous arcs, rather than circles, of unadulterated altruism all over Estonia, with the feeling of goodness serving as its own reward. The helper also receives tangible evidence of his kindness: a "banknote" - printable from the bank’s website = offered by the grateful recipient in lieu of money, inscribed on the back with the date and nature of the deed. The note can then be passed on to another good Samaritan. And there is no system of equations to codify how one deed compares with another; the system will be self-regulatory."

When one is referring to countries that exemplify happiness, one is generally not referring to Estonia. Perhaps one doesn't know that much about either.


via Alexander Kjerulf

from Bernie DeKoven, funsmith