Happiness and Keeping Ahead of the Joneses

Imagine that the Internal Revenue Service in your country claimed that you owe $1000 plus in tax arrears.

You dispute this, and you challenge the tax people in court, but the court rules that they're right. Especially if you're a person of substantial means, you'd pay up with a shrug of the shoulders. "Too bad," you'll comfort yourself, "you can't win all the time!" and you'll put the matter out of your mind fairly quickly.

Now let's assume that instead of the government, an acquaintance, or even a good friend, alleges that you're in his debt, for whatever reason, for the same sum of money.

Again, you go to court.

Your alleged creditor pleads his case, you plead yours. Eventually, the judge decides in his favor, and even explains to you very patiently why the money rightfully belongs to your opponent.

How do you react to your loss now?

Probably, even if you're very wealthy, you're not about to shrug it off so quickly this time!

Why not? Because somebody else is gaining at your expense! If there's anything worse than a property loss, it's an Ego loss. Now, for most of us, that's really a heavy burden to bear!

What brings this kind of scenario to mind is some recent research into an interesting social paradox. Over the past 50 or 60 years, developed countries have been growing progressively richer, but their people, on the whole, don't seem to have become much happier.

Yes, more rich people, proportionately speaking, claim to be happier at any given time than do poorer people. This should lead you to the conclusion that as incomes rise and a country as a whole grows richer, both the relatively rich and the relatively poor would become happier.

But this isn't the case, apparently. It may still be axiomatic that an individual who becomes richer becomes happier, or at least claims to be. But when society as a whole gets wealthier, nobody seems more pleased with their lot. Why?

In a series of lectures at the London School of Economics this year, Richard Layard, an economics professor at the School, reviewed the evidence from several disciplines in an attempt to solve this paradox.

The real problem, he suggests, is that people are in the habit of comparing their lot with others. If I have a million but you have two million, I have to be feeling miserable. My million is almost worthless to me.

MORE RESOURCES:

Lessons in Gross National Happiness - Wall Street Journal

In Pursuit of Happiness: Elizabeth#39;s Story, #39;Why Won#39;t You Help Me?#39; - WSAW

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-0fd=Rurl=http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/34834324.htmlcid=1272686015ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNHEk07ZFEmsxHVpoRIywBNj_RJMdgIn Pursuit of bHappiness/b: Elizabeth#39;s Story, #39;Why Won#39;t You Help Me?#39;/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWSAW,nbsp;WInbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Continuing our series, #39;In Pursuit of bHappiness/b,#39; Liz Hayes shares Elizabeth#39;s story. She#39;s a woman who contacted her church when she discovered she was in b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-1fd=Rurl=http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/34833574.htmlcid=1272686015ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNGiza__6WEr5GQ4Y3rBehpvBmqLEwIn Pursuit of bHappiness/b: No Stereotypical Abusers or Victims/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWSAW/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-2fd=Rurl=http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/34835154.htmlcid=1272686015ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNE3mQaVYZTEvAOKAOTQC22A7GWQ2QIn Pursuit of bHappiness/b: Messages of Hope/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWSAW/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272686015hl=ennobrall 3 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

For Caps#39; Ovechkin, it#39;s all about the pursuit of happiness - Los Angeles Daily News

In Pursuit of Happiness: Davene#39;s Story, A Lifetime of Abuse - WSAW

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/3-0fd=Rurl=http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/34771089.htmlcid=1272373351ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNEqoJcWKorjp4866da0g8zbTM2AXwIn Pursuit of bHappiness/b: Davene#39;s Story, A Lifetime of Abuse/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWSAW,nbsp;WInbsp;-/font nobrNov 19, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1In her series, quot;In Pursuit of bHappiness/b,quot; Liz Hayes shows us how one woman overcame unbelievable obstacles. quot;This is how I look at my life. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/3-1fd=Rurl=http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/34772199.htmlcid=1272373351ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNGmorYEOwFoS36swy3xMB1P3fsS0QIn Pursuit of bHappiness/b: quot;Erica#39;squot; Story, Childhood Bliss to Abuse/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWSAW/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/3-2fd=Rurl=http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/34772464.htmlcid=1272373351ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNF_7vcSql45PKnY3cNeAQ68UwEP7wIn Pursuit of bHappiness/b: Domestic Violence Kills/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWSAW/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/3-3fd=Rurl=http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/34741099.htmlcid=1272373351ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNHPfrl9PUFmsKZiNlPFb6j0K0L9kAIn Pursuit of bHappiness/b Part 1: 1 in 4 Women Experience Domestic b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWSAW/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272373351hl=ennobrall 4 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

How would you rate your happiness? - Marie Claire.co.uk

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.thesmartset.com/news/news11200805.aspxcid=1272643769ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNEC2EBtmMDsdF3cO-pz-b-BG8cbjAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=vdkrDiRczuAJimgurl=www.thesmartset.com/files/dailynews/images/CPS.OGM58.191108223140.photo00.quicklook.default-245x166.jpg width=80 height=54 alt= border=1brfont size=-2The Smart Set/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/health/282982/how-would-you-rate-your-happiness.htmlcid=1272643769ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNEuN6ysHPLSdMW0V-AGisfXnPmwBgHow would you rate your bhappiness/b?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarie Claire.co.uk,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr15 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Putting a figure on bhappiness/b is a difficult thing to do, but a new study shows most Britons rate their bhappiness/b at 7.8 on a scale of one to 10. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-1fd=Rurl=http://www.thesmartset.com/news/news11200805.aspxcid=1272643769ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNEC2EBtmMDsdF3cO-pz-b-BG8cbjADanes happiest, Bulgarians most miserable: EU lifestyle study/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Smart Set/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-2fd=Rurl=http://www.caboodle.hu/nc/news/news_archive/single_page/article/11/hungarians_t-4/%3FcHash%3D334821f322cid=1272643769ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNE59VF9RwVgygLa3MR3xK6eILXIzQHungarians third quot;glummestquot; in Europe/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCaboodle.hu/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-3fd=Rurl=http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2008/11/20/EU_Danes_most_satisfied_Bulgarians_least/UPI-86721227209368/cid=1272643769ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNGuPQUFyuWQElyCzz36F6pULMTF1gEU: Danes most satisfied, Bulgarians least/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrUnited Press International/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-4fd=Rurl=http://international.ibox.bg/news/id_71094288cid=1272643769ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNHjA1lH8bajguQAIasldELggPx1qQnobrNews.bg/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272643769hl=ennobrall 10 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

The history of happiness - Telegraph.co.uk

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1087793/Are-miseries-Europe-You-having-laugh-.htmlcid=1272522368ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNGCJm6nraOx-w43d3CUQScMBAd4Ygimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=ghnSdmH7jsIJimgurl=i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/11/20/article-1087793-0289FAE2000005DC-816_468x386.jpg width=80 height=66 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Daily Mail/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml%3Fxml%3D/opinion/2008/11/20/do2009.xmlcid=1272522368ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNEWfHBaDa84dY_qHXCN7Dzt72wy0wThe history of bhappiness/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTelegraph.co.uk,nbsp;United Kingdomnbsp;-/font nobr15 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1I#39;ve been thinking about bhappiness/b recently because I#39;ve just read Christopher Jamison#39;s fascinating Finding bHappiness/b. The simple idea of this friendly b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-1fd=Rurl=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1087793/Are-miseries-Europe-You-having-laugh-.htmlcid=1272522368ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNGCJm6nraOx-w43d3CUQScMBAd4YgAre we the miseries of Europe? You must be having a laugh.../a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrDaily Mail/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-2fd=Rurl=http://newslite.tv/2008/11/20/brits-are-78-percent-happy.htmlcid=1272522368ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNFWQ0K3Hq1p437uEqWyDGBnCnycZABrits are 78 percent happy/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrNewsLite/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-3fd=Rurl=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/3485876/Britons-rate-their-happiness-at-7.8-study-shows.htmlcid=1272522368ei=YVMmSYjDKZzI8ATE05lMusg=AFQjCNHGHkpBWHfcTyW7iteliClVYWDeZABritons rate their bhappiness/b at 7.8, study shows/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTelegraph.co.uk/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272522368hl=ennobrall 13 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Forty years of health, happiness and hoops - Northwest Asian Weekly

Make your holiday happiness checklist - Libertyville Review

Obama’s call to service meets the economic meltdown - Xenia Gazette

Economic growth doesn#39;t guarantee happiness for Latin Americans - The Miami Herald

Happiness - Google News

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