Think Being Rich, Good Looking, and Famous Will Make You Happy? Wrong.

If you were to encounter a genie who promised you three wishes, what would you wish for? We already know you'd choose world peace, an end to worldwide poverty, and a reversal of global warming, of course. But admit it, wouldn't you be just a little tempted to pick two out of those three, and save one wish for yourself? Who wouldn't want to be fabulously good looking, exceedingly wealthy, widely respected, or internationally famous? Wouldn't that make you happy?

Well, maybe not, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of Research in Personality. In fact, according to the three University of Rochester researchers who conducted the study, being rich, famous, well-respected, or beautiful can actually have the opposite effect, making you less happy.

If you think about it, these researchers may be onto something. A quick flip through the pages of a celebrity magazine like Us Weekly, People, or The Star, will reveal story after story about the lousy lives of celebrities: drug abuse, infidelity, diva tantrums, criminal acts, psychological meltdowns, and other assorted examples of self-destructive behavior. The same misfortunes seem to fall on politicians and billionaires. What's going on here?

The researchers found that achieving "materialistic and image-related" goals, such as wealth and fame, can have negative consequences like "headaches, stomachaches, and loss of energy," while pursuing goals that fulfill "one's basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness" -- such as having new and interesting experiences, spending time relaxing with family and friends, and having hobbies -- can make people happier.

One of the researchers, Edward Deci, a professor of psychology and Gowen Professor in the Social Sciences said, "Even though our culture puts a strong emphasis on attaining wealth and fame, pursuing these goals does not contribute to having a satisfying life. The things that make your life happy are growing as an individual, having loving relationships, and contributing to your community."

Good advice, but will I remember it the next time I encounter a genie?

Mark Frauenfelder – Editor-in-chief of MAKE magazine and the founder of the popular Boing Boing weblog, Mark was an editor at Wired from 1993-1998 and is the founding editor of Wired Online.

Comments

[diana]

I have money, more than most and it sucks. You have so many expectaitions and rules..