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Doesmoneybuyhappiness?

Doesmoneybuyhappiness?Not.Ah,butwouldalittlemoremoneymakeusalittlehappier?Manyofussmirkandnod.Thereis,webelieve,someconnectionbetweenfiscalfitnessandfeelingfantastic.Mostofuswouldsaythat,yes,wewouldliketoberich.ThreeinfourAmericancollegiansnowconsiderit“veryimportant”or“essential”thattheybecome“verywellofffinancially.”Moneymatters.

Well,arerichpeoplehappier?Researchershavefoundthatinpoorcountries,suchasBangladesh,beingrelativelywelloffdoesmakeforgreaterwell－being.Weneedfood,rest,shelterandsocialcontact.

Butasurprisingfactoflifeisthatincountrieswherenearlyeveryonecanaffordlife’snecessities,increasingaffluencematterssurprisinglylittle.Thecorrelationbetweenincomeandhappinessis“surprisinglyweak,”observedUniversityof

EvenlotterywinnersandtheForbes’100wealthiestAmericanshaveexpressedonlyslightlygreaterhappinessthantheaverageAmerican.Makingitbigbringstemporaryjoy.Butinthelongrunwealthislikehealth:itsutterabsencecanbreedmisery,buthavingitdoesn’tguaranteehappiness.Happinessseemslessamatterofgettingwhatwewantthanofwantingwhatwehave.

Hasourhappinessfloatedupwardwiththerisingeconomictide?Arewehappiertodaythanin1940,whentwooutoffivehomeslackedashowerortub?Whenheatoftenmeantfeedingwoodorcoalintoafurnace?When35percentofhomeshadnotoilet?

Actually,wearenot.Since1957,thenumberofAmericanswhosaytheyare“veryhappy”hasdeclinedfrom35to32percent.Meanwhile,thedivorceratehasdoubled,theteensuicideratehasnearlytripled,theviolentcrimeratehasnearlyquadrupled(evenaftertherecentdecline),andmorepeoplethanever(especiallyteensandyoungadults)aredepressed.

Icallthissoaringwealthandshrinkingspirit“theAmericanparadox.”Morethanever,wehavebighousesandbrokenhomes，highi