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Arturo Fitz Herbert, director of the Graduate School of Communication and of the Master's Program in Communication Management in Organizations of the Universidad Austral, participated as an author of the article Flourishing in Argentina: Evidence from the Global Flourishing Study (GFS) across socioeconomic groups and levels of religiosity, together with the researchers from the Institute of Philosophy of the Universidad AustralClaudia Vanney and Belén Mesurado, within the framework of an international project led by Harvard researchers.
The research analyzed a representative sample of 6.724 Argentine adults and found a striking result: the country obtained levels above the average of the 22 participating countries in psychological well-being, social well-being and prosocial behavior, although it fell below in the socioeconomic dimension.
In the words of Fitz Herbert: “ Flourishing is more than happiness; it is the ability of people to live meaningfully, developing their life projects to the fullest . A large part of Argentinians find more meaning in life than the average person in other countries and also feel good in their social relationships and with the community, but they have a markedly higher concern than average about making ends meet and about material security.”
To explain the results, Fitz Herbert mentions a recent scene that transcended the purely sporting aspect. After the match against England in the World Cup, Lautaro Martínez said that his goal had a meaning that went far beyond the result: it was a way of acknowledging the effort his parents had made to help him fulfill his dream and also a consequence of how fatherhood changed his perspective on football.
"I think there's a very strong key there: Argentinians maintain family and community relationships that in many cases are very healthy, allowing them to find meaning in sacrifice and enjoyment in good times," the researcher explained.
"I believe that the intrinsic value we generally place on people in our culture is an aspect that must be protected."
The study also found associations between religiosity and various indicators of flourishing . In this regard, Fitz Herbert stated: “The Harvard team has demonstrated that religiosity has a positive impact on flourishing, and this is something that also characterizes Argentinians, since more than 80% of people believe in God.”
“Religious beliefs help make sense of difficult times, perceive a transcendent meaning in life, and foster a concern for relationships with others. Religion also helps in daily life because it creates a sense of community. Furthermore, we live in a society that has been free of armed conflict for several decades and enjoys a much higher level of security than others. We only need to compare ourselves with other countries in the region to realize this,” explained the director of the EPC.
One of the main contributions of the Global Flourishing Study is to show that well-being does not depend solely on economic conditions, but that a fulfilling life is necessarily multidimensional.
"The economic aspect is important, but it's just one dimension among others. That's why it's also very important to dedicate time to family, friends, and the community; to strive for a healthy lifestyle; and to engage in reflective activities that allow one to find meaning in life; and, for those who are believers, to practice their religion," Fitz Herbert noted.
She believes this approach also offers tools for thinking about public policy and community life. “GDP growth alone doesn’t bring more happiness. We also have to think about how we live together, how we empower the most vulnerable groups to achieve autonomy, and how we build community ties.”
The economic context in which the research was conducted is key to interpreting the results, although it does not by itself explain the levels of well-being observed: "Even when economic concern is very high, one can find a way to be content with their life and develop a personal, family and community project."
“We have something very valuable that we must safeguard: the notion that everyone deserves respect, regardless of their social or economic standing. I believe that not only the way we treat each other, but also the indignation we often feel when someone shows contempt for another person, is something we must protect. I think the intrinsic value we generally place on people in our culture is an aspect that must be safeguarded ,” Fitz Herbert concluded.
Read the full article: https://www.internationaljournalofwellbeing.org/index.php/ijow/article/view/5955/1313
