金钱与快乐新论(What You Dtdn t Know about Money and Happiness)

whatyoudtdntknowaboutmoneyandhappiness

verthepast15years,researchershavestudiedtheconnectionbetweenmoneyandhappiness.theirfindingsshattermanymisconceptions.herearefiveofthemostsurprisingresults.

1.everyoneneedsafewluxuriestobehappy.

asix-figureincomeaffordsafamilymanypleasures--amoreluxurioushome,perhapsatriptodisneylandorafanciercar.butdosuchthingsmakeyouhappier?pleasureisnotthesameashappiness.pleasureisatemporaryrelease.happinesscomesfromexperiencesinwhichone＇smentalandemotionalenergiesareinvested.justashappyfamiliesvaluepleasuresthatinvolvepersonaleffort,sotheyvaluepossessionsthathavepersonalmeaning,likegrandma＇sweddingring.unhappypeople,however,aremorelikelytoprizepossessionsbecauseoftheircostorutility,acarthathandleswelloranexpensivenecklace.

2.happinessisapermanentvacation.

wouldyouquityourjobifyoudidn＇tneedthemoney?manyamericanssaidquittingworkwasanimportantreasontoberich.yetresearchersfindthatworkisoneoflife＇schiefsatisfactionsforpeople,ajob,studiesshow,ismorethanapaycheck.doingsomethingwellcanincreaseconfidenceandself-worth.

3.abigraisewouldmakeyouhappy.

ifjobsaresoimportant,wouldn＇tsalarysizebeagaugeofjobsatisfaction?americansthinkso.asurveyfoundthatalmost70percentoftherespondentssaidtheywouldbehappieriftheirfamilieshadtwiceasmuchhouseholdincome.yetstudiesshowthatjobsatisfactioncomeslessfromhowmuchpeopleearnthanfromthechallengeoftheirjobsandthecontroltheyareabletoexert.workthatdoesn＇tengageapersonwillneverseemrewarding,nomatterhowlucrativeitbecomes.

4.nothingcomfortslikecash.

intimesofcrisis--adebilitatingillnessorlossofone＇shome--moneycancomeinprettyhandy.butforallitsbenefits,itcannotfortifyyouagainsttheinevitablepainandsadnessthatfollowthecrisis.forthat,researcherssay,youneedclosefriendships."humanbeingsarehard-wiredtobesocial

animals"."they＇renotbuilttohandlethingsalone."

5.happinessandwealtharen＇tmutuallyexclusive.

it＇spossibletohaveboth--orneither.butmostbelievethatthosewhohavehappiness,inthelongrun,havemore.evenauthoroscarwildeagreed:"ordinaryrichescanbestolenfromaman.realrichescannot.inthetreasuryhouseofyoursoul,thereareinfinitelypreciousthingsthatmaynot

betakenfromyou."