Set Point Theory

There’s a theory in psychology called the “hedonic treadmill” which says that most people have a happiness “set point” that they are destined to maintain  the same level of general satisfaction  throughout their lives , no matter what decisions they make.

Things that you might expect to make someone very happy (winning the lottery , securing a prestigious scholarship) or very sad (losing a limb ) actually tend to not have a dramatic long term effect on a person’s happiness. In other words, people are pretty resilient. Or, put another way, we’re forgetful.

 We think how how happy we would be if we got a big raise and how much easier our lives would be with a bit more money in our pocket. And we get the raise and some things do get easier. But pretty quickly we forget how life was before and how happy we are supposed to be now. The new becomes the status quo, we find a new set of things to worry about, and we end up about as happy as we were before.

However , a new study of happiness  suggests the contrary – that is happiness is related to our life choices and can change greatly over time . Personally , I prefer this one . Choice is also a source of hope, and for many of us, hope is itself happiness, whether it’s predicated on truths or illusions. This is  being human. 

The data  from the new study shows that life choices such as who your partner is, what you prioritize, and how you spend your time, are tied to your happiness. More importantly, the study shows that your happiness can change over time if these choices change. The researchers acknowledge that there may be some “reverse causation” at work; while some of the changes in satisfaction are a result of personal choices, changes in general happiness may also affect choices. For example, increases in satisfaction may make it easier for people to exercise or spend time with friends.

Money and Happiness

Economists are  the new high priests.. So most of serious politics, and thus our  life, revolves around money. 
 Economies grow, GDP swells, but once above abject poverty, it makes no difference to citizens' well-being. A case in point- Happiness has not risen in western nations in the last 50 years, despite massive increases in wealth. A nation should not be too obsessed  with just economic growth  , adjustments must be made to the  understanding of what it means to lead a  happy and fulfilled life .
 Money does matter in various ways. People are measurably happier when paid more. It matters when people of any income feel a drop from what they have become used to. But above all, money makes people unhappy when they compare their own income with others'. Richer people are happier - but not because of the absolute size of their wealth, but because they have more than other people. But the wider the wealth gap, the worse it harms the rest. Rivalry in income makes those left behind more miserable than it confers extra happiness on the winners. 
 We have been cultivated to want to keep running to get ahead or to at least stay on the same spot - and it’s hard to escape from this condition. Why? In this brutal and competitive world , there is no room for complacency . If we even dare to rest on our own laurels , we risk losing out.