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posted by cmn32480 on Sunday June 28 2015, @03:13AM   Printer-friendly
from the what-is-happiness dept.

Many people know that experiences will make them happier, and yet they continue to spend money on material objects because of their perceived greater value.
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It has been shown by a recent study from San Francisco State University that greater happiness comes from seeking experiences, rather than material objects. Although this may seem like common sense to many readers, reality paints another picture – one in which people most often spend their money on material items because they mistakenly believe that they have greater value.

People do this because material items are tangible; they have measurable economic value attached to it; and they're always present, able to be used or seen. Memories of experiences, on the other hand, are fleeting experiences, temporary purchases with no concrete price tag.

And yet, people are never as happy in the long run after spending money on material items than they are after forking out for adventures, travel, and experiences.

Camping out on top of the 15th guard tower on the Simatai stretch of the Great Wall of China and waking up the next morning at the very top of the clouds, the guard towers peeking through, and the sunrise casting everything in golden light and rainbows, was one of the happiest moments of my life. On the other hand, my last laptop, a real Thinkpad, was like an extension of my body and made me feel happy and productive every day for years. So is it really that things can't make you as happy as experiences, or that meaningless consumption of meaningless things can't make you happy?


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  • (Score: 2) by kaszz on Sunday June 28 2015, @12:19PM

    by kaszz (4211) on Sunday June 28 2015, @12:19PM (#202412) Journal

    Little did I know that being a survivalists was also a red flags among government databases...

    How would they even know? And in what form is the punishment dished out?

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