In Pursuit of Happiness
Career Journal has published an article suggesting that Americans are no happier today than they were 30 years ago. Despite significant gains in material wealth, we Americans have found no additional happiness. (I wonder how lawyers are fairing in this regard--my guess is that we are less happy as a group than we were 30 years ago.)
Why haven't the numbers gone up? Is it because most of us have not taken the time to figure out what makes us happy? Is it because "stuff" is not the key to happiness?
Is it time for some introspection? A career assessment? For you law firm folk out there, I will soon have an on-line tool that will help you take stock of your experience. For now, it can be found here.
Why haven't the numbers gone up? Is it because most of us have not taken the time to figure out what makes us happy? Is it because "stuff" is not the key to happiness?
Is it time for some introspection? A career assessment? For you law firm folk out there, I will soon have an on-line tool that will help you take stock of your experience. For now, it can be found here.
Labels: attorney career satisfaction
posted by Stephen Seckler, Esq. at 1:49 PM
2 Comments:
Actually, in many terms, median income hasn't significantly gone up over the last 30 years. It stagnated in the mid 70's. You can show an increase in household income, but if you look at wages for individual workers - basically even in real terms.
Americans are in more debt, more members of the household have to work, and income has not gone up.
So... material circumstances may not improve happiness beyond a certain low level, but the last thirty years are exactly the period that wouldn't prove the case.
Good point Ian. I'm not an economist, but I would argue that although real income hasn't changed that much, that materially, we are collectively better off. Many technological advances and alot of offshore manufacturing have given many Americans access to cable TV, DVD's, MP3 players, telephone answering machines, cell phones, etc. What might have been considered luxuries 20 years ago are now considered standard fair in most homes. While income may not have gone up in real terms, our buying power has increased because of advances in the marketplace for goods.
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