Posted on 01/26/2005 1:27:05 PM PST by Lazamataz
The economy has been giving off mixed signals for months. It might be time to tune into an entirely different frequency.
A growing body of research on the “economics of happiness” proposes that material wealth is overrated.
These controversial researchers do not say economic growth is undesirable, and they note that unemployed people are almost always unhappy.
But they say policy-makers should pay more attention to what people say about their satisfaction with life as they consider how far to go in the pursuit of unbridled growth.
“The problem we have found is that as (gross domestic product) has gone up, happiness doesn’t go up with it,” said David Blanchflower, a professor of economics at Dartmouth College.
One study by Blanchflower and an associate, based on interviews of 100,000 people over three decades, concludes that despite sharp improvements in living standards “the USA has, in aggregate, apparently become more miserable over the last quarter of a century.”
A critical factor in personal happiness appears to be marriage — or at least a monogamous sexual relationship. A widowed or divorced person would have to make an extra $100,000 a year to be as happy as a comparable married person, Blanchflower and co-author Andrew Oswald estimated.
Blanchflower and Oswald also looked at surveys of sexual activity and found that in general, “The more sex, the happier the person.”
“People who have no sexual activity are noticeably less happy than average,” they declared.
Such research may seem far outside the realm of economics but is gaining wide recognition. In 2002 the Nobel prize in economics was shared by Princeton psychologist Daniel Kahneman for work that has inspired the field of behavioral economics.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
I've been poor but grateful and happy, and I've been rich but needy and unhappy. The difference is a few simple spiritual principles, and a daily connection with my higher power.
ping
“The more sex, the happier the person.”
"Money, is it overrated?"
Well I certainly wouldn't know. But I'd love to find out for myself.
Blanchflower and Oswald also looked at surveys of sexual activity and found that in general, “The more sex, the happier the person.”
And yet, if you have money and exchange it for sex, the government punishes you, and your neighbors shun you.
Send me your money, and then you'll be happy and I'll be happy.
I think they are right about marriage - I married my
husband 15 yrs ago and we didn't have any extra $$ and
we didn't need it - and we are still married and very
happy while living on average incomes. I always trust
God to meet my needs and He always does!
I don't need to be rich
But money can buy a lot of sex. Look at your diamonds and tell me I'm lying!
Money can't buy happiness, but it sure as hell makes misery a lot easier to live with.
Exactly. I'm willing to be a test subject to see how happy I can be with lots of money.
“People who have no sexual activity are noticeably less happy than average,”.
And they needed a study to figure that out? Wonder how many taxdollars that ate up.
Well there is that. ;)
Yeah, remember when a buck was just worth less than it is now?
Neither do I.
Yeah, but the researchers got really happy.
Oh, like that matters! Didn't you read the article? ;^)
I always see these spoiled rotten rich people complaining about how having money causes their problems, being happier when they were broke, etc. Telling me how I don't understand.
But I have NEVER seen a single case where one of them just chucked it all and went back to their "happy place".
I can't believe that I'm saying this, but Laz is right. It's not about the money, or the lack of it. It's about where you are with your own life, and your God.
I'd agree. And you'll have to give us another history of FR. A more updated one for the end of this year.
Is money over rated? NO!
Does money guarantee happiness? NO!
Is it good to have money? Oh Yes!
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