Happiness is...

I must be experiencing the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon (I had to dig deep into my memories of Psych 1 to remember that one), but ever since writing about happiness, I have come across innumerable articles identifying the variables that affect our choices, our wealth and our subsequent happiness.

First: Religion. In discussion section, we argued (and were unable to agree) as to whether religion is an absolute or religious need. Do people require faith in absolute terms, or do they desire to belong to a religious group because their neighbor does? What sacrifices are made in the name of religion?

A recent study examines the breakdown of wealth in America by religion — and finds distinct variation between groups.

The article provides minimal analysis, but does raise a number of interesting questions, particularly the begging question of causation versus correlation. Jewish wealth is often traced back to the Middle Ages when people of all other faiths (well, Christian-derived faiths) were prohibited from entering the banking profession. Even if those historic roots are able to account for current wealth distribution, how can the other breakdowns be explained? Is it a reflection of the ties to race and ethnicity that religion have? Do different faiths place different values on work and leisure?

Second: Education. Studies point to the affirmative — YES, education does make us happier. (Comforting news to the college student currently in the library.) But, there is a growing consensus arguing a somewhat contrary position: that we are overeducating our children.

Though having a bachelor's degree may correlate to a certain level of happiness, is this really the best route for everyone? It's a viewpoint Americans are reluctant to express — we're supposed to be ever dreaming upward —but in other countries (Spain, for example), the "risk of overeducation" is a more widely expressed opinion. Because a college education does not necessarily guarantee a better occupation or lifestyle, students I met while studying abroad there put much more thought into whether or not to attend university. Comparatively, my friends and I stateside just viewed college as the automatic, the next step. Choosing not to go was never an option most of us considered. So although Brown is the happiest school in the country, are we actually happier because of the choice we made?

And if the quantifiable factors aren't satisfying for you, here's an article proving that happiness can be generated just by imagining how awful your life would be without the positive things you already have.