Researchers Say Happiness Costs $75K

SpuriousLogic writes "Does happiness rise with income? In one of the more scientific attempts to answer that question, researchers from Princeton have put a price on happiness. It's about $75,000 in income a year. They found that not having enough money definitely causes emotional pain and unhappiness. But, after reaching an income of about $75,000 per year, money can't buy happiness. More money can, however, help people view their lives as successful or better. The study found that people's evaluations of their lives improved steadily with annual income. But the quality of their everyday experiences — their feelings — did not improve above an income of $75,000 a year. As income decreased from $75,000, people reported decreasing happiness and increasing sadness, as well as stress. The study found that being divorced, being sick and other painful experiences have worse effects on a poor person than on a wealthier one."

Comments

cheap shot

[emkyooess]

Tomorrow's headline: "Democrats call for a new $75,000 living wage. Supported by research."

Re:cheap shot

[Plastic Pencil]

Republicans respond and after a year and a half worth of debate and Glenn Beck's tears, Obama and Democrats settle for $7,500, despite miraculously retaining a majority in the House and Senate.

Re:Dimensional analysis, please

[pushing-robot]

You should really make more money.

More Likely...

[MarcQuadra]

More likely that all sorts of white upper-middle class trustifarian college students start demanding $75,000 for everyone, to the chant of "Happiness is a human right!"

Then come the 'experts' at House and Senate hearings:

"Over 240 million Americans go to bed every night without Happiness. Americans are unhappy right here on our own shores! We must end Sadness! When I was in college, I was unhappy. After my accident, I got a $75,000 settlement from the university, and from then on I was happy. I come here to tell you that if every American had the same $75K opportunity I did, we could end Sadness forever."

Re:Mathmatics of dissatisfaction

[MikeFM]

Have you ever tried to get an advanced stylesheet to work in IE? Some sort of advanced training, and a kindly god, is needed.