An intriguing definition of happiness

[pegkerr]

Saw this in passing in get_rich_slowly: Scott Adams of Dilbert fame boils down happiness to this formula:

Happiness = health + money + social life + meaning.

Each of these factors he deconstructs further.

I will need to ponder on this further. But I think he's on to something.

Discuss.

Comments

[aome.livejournal.com]

It's definitely an interesting way of paring it down. Perhaps worthwhile to simply print out the basic starting formula, and make your own breakdowns, see if you feel achieving those goals would bring you happiness. And by "you" I mean "anyone who feels like doing this". *ponders*

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

I think I have problems with his ranking, but I'm not sure how to do a better job. The problem is money: I wouldn't put having lots of money ahead of social life and meaning - but I would put having a sufficiency there, enough to cover the essentials without having to worry.

Those last four words are important too: if you'll pardon me for using you as an example, during Rob's layoff, it sounds as if you did have enough for basics, though no extras. But you had to worry, about how long the money would last and what would happen then, and it clearly did have major effects on your happiness.

In contrast, if you take the people I know who are grad students, they have little money, but they do know how long it will be there and they have a reasonable presumption of having more once their degree is achieved. Plus, they have a safety net: a university provides resources and is unlikely to let a student starve. As long as they can cover the essentials, and as long as they do feel their studies and work have meaning, they seem to be able to be as happy as their natures will allow.

But I would rank further riches after social life and after or on par with meaning, depending on the individual.

[kk1raven.livejournal.com]

I agree. I think worrying is one of the biggest barriers to happiness. I find it hard to be really happy while being seriously worried. If you're going to rank things this way, I think that putting the things that prevent you from worrying at the top is the right way to do it. Money is going to be a big worry for some people while others will worry more about health or something else. I think distinguishing between having enough money for necessities and having riches is important. I certainly don't need riches to be happy, but not knowing where the money to pay the basic bills is going to come from makes me very unhappy.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

I'd put it the other way around.

I'm never going to have health -- I mean I have better health and worse health, but I'll never be able to run or dance or even stand still for very long. And I mostly have had only minimal money, and I don't see that changing any time soon. But I'm great on the friends and the meaning, and I am happy -- I mean up and down, but my baseline level of existence is happy.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Those all sound like good things to have going on in one's life, but happiness doesn't depend on them. Certainly there are contemplatives, like solitary buddhist monks who live without money or much social contact and find their happiness within.

Happiness is more about appreciating the appreciable in one's situation, whatever that may be.