Money Doesn't Buy Happiness

In the June Issue of "The American" magazine, Arthur C. Brooks in his article, "How to Succeed in Life...By Really Trying," points out that money does not buy happiness that success does. Brooks points out that, "Americans have on average gotten much richer over the past several decades than they were in previous generations. The inconvenient truth, however, is that there has been no meaningful rise in the average level of happiness. In 1972, 30 percent of Americans said they were very happy, and the average American enjoyed about $25,000 (in today's dollars) of our national income. By 2004, the percentage of very happy Americans stayed virtually unchanged at 31 percent, while the share of national income skyrocketed to $38,000 ( a 50 percent real increase in average income)."

The same is true in other developed countries. In Japan even though after the Second World War the country grow richer it's happiness rate stayed the same at 2.7 on a scale of 1-4.

Brooks points out that economic growth can in some cases create unhappiness. Post- Soviet Russia is an example of this phenomenon. "Some developmental economists believe that cases of a few lucky entrepreneurs suddenly amassing large fortunes raised unreasonable expectations among ordinary Russians, creating a sense of extreme unfairness and leaving them deeply dissatisfied with their meager lot. And in this way, money created unhappiness."

The article does point out that money does help to a certain level. People living in the poorest nations of the world are the most unhappy. "But once countries get past the prosperity level that solves large-scale health and nutrition problems, income disparity pales in comparison with other factors in predicting happiness, such as culture and faith.

So why doesn't money being enduring happiness? The answer is due to what psychologists call "adaptation." We adapt to our circumstances very quickly. We get pleasure from money but the positive effect leaves quickly and the only way we can be happy is to get more money and more money. It is a never ending cycle. To stay happy with money we constantly need more of it.

Another interesting thing Brooks' article points out is, "We really don't care about having money for its own sake, we do care about having more money than others. In other words, my money only makes me happy when I notice that I am richer than you. Brooks further explains that, "What the data tell us is that richer people are happier than poorer people because their relative prosperity makes them feel successful.

Success or the feeling of success, Brooks points out, creates more happiness than money. And money many times is a by product of success. As Brooks points out, "If you and I feel equally successful but you make four times as much as I do, we will be equally happy about our lives."

To me the message of the article was that money doesn't buy happiness, but maybe success will. And success or the feeling of success is what is important and it is different for each of us. Being able to pursue happiness is a right given in our Constitution. and I believe that one of the ways to success is to discover your passion or purpose and than give it as a gift to the world.

So money doesn't buy happiness but finding your passion or purpose and sharing it successfully might.

Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com