The Grant Study at Harvard is one of the longest running longitudinal studies in psychology/neuroscience, and specifically human development. The study started out in 1938, and followed 268 Harvard graduates throughout their lifespan. The purpose of this 75 year study was to see what it really takes for someone to live a happy life. In order to do this, the study measured an extremely large set of psychological, social, familial, and physical traits.
In a nutshell, acquiring more money +power doesn’t correlate to greater happiness.
[quote]nebil12 wrote:
The Grant Study at Harvard is one of the longest running longitudinal studies in psychology/neuroscience, and specifically human development. The study started out in 1938, and followed 268 Harvard graduates throughout their lifespan. The purpose of this 75 year study was to see what it really takes for someone to live a happy life. In order to do this, the study measured an extremely large set of psychological, social, familial, and physical traits.
In a nutshell, acquiring more money +power doesn’t correlate to greater happiness.
Is this anything new? I’ve seen similar things all the time. Most recent was something like in the US money can buy happiness up to 75k a year (live comfortable and not stress about money) but anything more than that did not correlate to more happiness.
I hate shit like this. In logical reality it comes down to the individual person and their environment.
I know for a fact that the majority of stress I have is because of my financial situation. I’m not a bad person because I want more money, I’m not a bad person because I work to make more money. But yes…If I did have more money I wouldn’t have the stress I have now. That doesn’t mean I wont have stress. But I’m interested in what those stresses would be.
Studies like this dont take into account the type of person they are.
A lot of people would be happy with more than 100k but there are those who are never happy and always yearn for more and strive to work harder to get ahead.
If you need a reason to be happy, the moment you lose that reason you will fail to be happy. This is why most people are not generally happy people. Happiness is a decision, a choice or better yet put, a level of awareness combined with a choice.
As for money, money does not buy happiness. I buys time and ease. And not ‘money’ per say but ‘weath/afluence’ or ‘financial freedom’ rather. Money allows for better quality of life, medical care, vacation etc. These things increase the qaulity of your life, levels of enjoyment and happiness are still decisions by the individual.
[quote]CroatianRage wrote:
The only thing that can control your emotions is you. If you want to be happy be happy. I bet people who understand this are more happy.[/quote]
I can agree with the general ‘money doesn’t buy happiness’. But the study has a pretty glaring flaw. They followed ONLY Harvard graduates. That’s a pretty obvious problem with a study that’s supposed to be applicable to the human race in general, right? That’s a pretty elite, specific demographic. Tell this to the average 9-5 blue collar guy who simply lacks the mental capabilities that a Harvard grad has, he may disagree. #1stworldproblems
[quote]flipcollar wrote:
I can agree with the general ‘money doesn’t buy happiness’. But the study has a pretty glaring flaw. They followed ONLY Harvard graduates. That’s a pretty obvious problem with a study that’s supposed to be applicable to the human race in general, right? That’s a pretty elite, specific demographic. Tell this to the average 9-5 blue collar guy who simply lacks the mental capabilities that a Harvard grad has, he may disagree. #1stworldproblems[/quote]
I had a similar response typed up but deleted it for the simple fact that if this flaw requires explanation, it won’t register to the people who require it.
It’s like talking to a buddy of mine. He’s a trust fund kid. Never worked a day in his life and wants for nothing. He’s rattling on one night about not getting as much as he wanted for selling his condo in Miami. His financial manager is an asshole and yadda yadda yadda.
I had to interrupt him for a moment to tell him that I had lost my job that week. With a mortgage payment due and a sick 4month old who was just in the hospital with a flu, so please pardon me for NOT GIVING A FUCK about the sale price of his condo.
[quote]Waittz wrote:
If you need a reason to be happy, the moment you lose that reason you will fail to be happy. This is why most people are not generally happy people. Happiness is a decision, a choice or better yet put, a level of awareness combined with a choice.
As for money, money does not buy happiness. I buys time and ease. And not ‘money’ per say but ‘weath/afluence’ or ‘financial freedom’ rather. Money allows for better quality of life, medical care, vacation etc. These things increase the qaulity of your life, levels of enjoyment and happiness are still decisions by the individual. [/quote]
I agree Waittz.Also The older I get the less I need to be/feel happy as well.Funny how your view’s on what makes you happy change over the years.
Have you ever tried frowning while riding a Jet-ski?[/quote]
Haha, like jet-skis are so expensive.[/quote]
Jet skis themselves may not be expensive, but having enough money to ride a jet ski as much as you want is actually rather difficult. They burn a lot of gas and then you have to not actually need a job.
Have you ever tried frowning while riding a Jet-ski?[/quote]
Haha, like jet-skis are so expensive.[/quote]
Jet skis themselves may not be expensive, but having enough money to ride a jet ski as much as you want is actually rather difficult. They burn a lot of gas and then you have to not actually need a job. [/quote]
wait what? you have to not need a job to ride a jet ski on a regular basis? That makes absolutely zero sense, unless you’re talking about riding a jet ski literally all day every day, something nobody wants to do. If I wanted to ride a jet ski every weekend, or even every few days, I have the means to do it. That doesn’t mean I don’t need my job…