http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/opinion/sunday/dont-indulge-be-happy.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all

 

This is a long article but I felt it was well worth reading. Made me think about what I have and what I do with it.

 MamaJ, I cut and pasted the link, and got message that said there was no site that matched this link. ?? Can you help?It might be my server, since this happens frequently - or would it e Firefox?

 its fire fox seaturtle Im using it right now go to fire fox typ in the link google and click on it as soon as the link finds you then the hyperlinks will get you threw this is what I have to do half the timesome times firfox will not use certain channels like that but will use google.

Perhaps you could summarize?

read it- maximum "happiness" atttained at about $75K in yearly income, comfortable. (This is in the US.) Buying things does not make us happy, if three people won the lottery, the one who spent money on themselves would be less happy than the one who saved and spend sparingly, and the person who gave it all away. Sharing creates more happiness than having.

I found it interesting, I strive to attain being able to pay my bills, I should maybe try to think of the moeny differently, as I don't anticipate being in the comfort range anytime, actually. Need to get more comfortable with having less.

Sorry to those of you having issues with the link! I use Firefox and it's working for me, so I have no idea what's wrong with it. If you can google and find it that way, it really is worth reading!

Some points that really hit home for me:

We derive more happiness from spending on experiences than we do from spending on things. I definitely have observed that one in my own life.

Individuals making $25K a year thought they would be twice as happy if they made $55K a year -- but people making $55K a year are only about 9% more satisfied than those making $25K. It seems that once we have enough money to be comfortable, satisfaction doesn't increase much as income does. 

The whole concept of "underindulgence" was fascinating to me. The quote from the article was "the banquet is in the first bite." There are studies that show when we restrain ourselves from indulging in a treat (chocolate or soda were given as examples), when we *do* finally have that treat, we enjoy it even more.

 

The page opened for me. I use Internet Explorer myself.

tracyinmn:

read it- maximum "happiness" atttained at about $75K in yearly income, comfortable. (This is in the US.) Buying things does not make us happy, if three people won the lottery, the one who spent money on themselves would be less happy than the one who saved and spend sparingly, and the person who gave it all away. Sharing creates more happiness than having.

I found it interesting, I strive to attain being able to pay my bills, I should maybe try to think of the moeny differently, as I don't anticipate being in the comfort range anytime, actually. Need to get more comfortable with having less.

 

Tracy I liked your email this I do like alot thanks.

 

Dear Forumites, Here's a related article, also from the Sunday Review section of the NY TIMES. It's about why "why conservatives are happier than liberals." It's by an official of a conservative institution (the President of the American Enterprise Institute), so a bit biased, but anyhow .... *** http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/opinion/sunday/conservatives-are-happier-and-extremists-are-happiest-of-all.html?_r=2 *** Yours in Him, Deborah & Heart

Deborahmichelle:

Dear Forumites, Here's a related article, also from the Sunday Review section of the NY TIMES. It's about why "why conservatives are happier than liberals." It's by an official of a conservative institution (the President of the American Enterprise Institute), so a bit biased, but anyhow .... *** http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/opinion/sunday/conservatives-are-happier-and-extremists-are-happiest-of-all.html?_r=2 *** Yours in Him, Deborah & Heart

 

Deborah, thanks for sharing this. I think you're right about the bias -- but I also think it would be pretty difficult to have an unbiased opinion on something like this!

"Whether religion and marriage should make people happy is a question you have to answer for yourself. But consider this: Fifty-two percent of married, religious, politically conservative people (with kids) are very happy — versus only 14 percent of single, secular, liberal people without kids."

But what about the single, secular, conservatives without kids? Or what about the married, religious liberals with kids?