Tuesday, December 18, 2012

vivir bien vs. el buen vivir

living well vs living the good life (or living the high life if you want the distinction to be super clear)
This is a distinction frequently made by movements in Latin America.  Today I saw it oddly translated here, in an article that says,
"Evo Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, called for a new age to begin December 21, 2012. Speaking at the United Nations in September, Morales said the date signals an end to individualism and capitalism and a turn toward the collective good. That's a common theme for Morales, who often speaks of 'vivir bien,' a phrase that can be translated as living well. 'Vivir bien' is often defined by the Andean nation's leaders as pursuing the collective good in balance with the Earth, and contrasted with 'living better,' which is seeking to amass wealth at the expense of the planet or other people 
 BUT there are other uses PLEASE SEE COMMENTS AND ADD TO THIS DISCUSSION!