We have scrutinized the American dream of achieved wealth and well-being by comparing rich and unrich countries, and rich and unrich people. That leaves the final question Over time, does happiness rise with affluence
Typically not. Lottery winners appear to gain but a temporary jolt of joy from their winnings. Looking back, they feel delighted to have won. Yet the euphoria doesn't last. In fact, previously enjoyed activities such as reading may become less pleasurable.
On a smaller scale, a jump in our income can boost our morale, for a while. But in the long run notes Inglehart, neither an ice cream cone nor a new car nor becoming rich and famous produces the same feelings of delight that it initially did... Happiness is not the result of being rich, but a temporary consequence of having recently become richer. Ed Diener's research confirms that those whose incomes have increased over a 10-year period are not happier than those whose income has not increased. Wealth, it therefore seems, is like health Although its utter absence can
breed misery, having it does not guarantee happiness. Happiness is less a matter of getting what we want than of wanting what we have.
(摘自 Does Economic Growth Improve Human Morale by David G. Myers)
參考譯文
通過比較富裕和貧窮的國家、富有和貧困的人,我們細察了追求財富和幸福的美國夢。最后,我們不禁要問隨著時間的推移,快樂會隨著財富的增長而增加嗎
通常不會。彩票中獎者得到的看來只是短暫的意外驚喜。回想起來,他們會因為中彩而欣喜。但是這種陶醉并不能持續(xù)多久。事實上,以前熱衷的一些活動,比如讀書,可能還會變得不那么令人愉快了。同中了100萬美元的興奮相比,普通的樂趣會顯得黯然失色。
從近處看,薪水的增長可以暫時昂揚我們的工作士氣。但英格勒哈特指出:從長遠看,一份蛋卷冰激凌,或是一輛新車,或是出名致富,都不能帶來最初的那種快樂感受……??鞓凡⒎歉辉VY果,而是剛剛變富后帶來的短暫效應。艾德?迪納爾的研究同樣證明,那些10年間加過薪的人并不比那些沒有加薪的人更快樂。因此,財富看來如同健康一樣沒有錢可能釀成痛苦,但有了它并不等于擁有了快樂。與其說幸福在于得到我們想要的,還不如說幸福在于珍惜我們已有的。