Studying happiness

Tyler Cowen looks at a summary of the economics of happiness and offer this critical conclusion: The conventional (academic) wisdom underrates money, status, sex, and marriage. [Could it be that academics do not always get these goods, and thus hope to manage their expectations and feel better about their failures?] As pure “ends in themselves,” ...

By , a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast.

Tyler Cowen looks at a summary of the economics of happiness and offer this critical conclusion:

Tyler Cowen looks at a summary of the economics of happiness and offer this critical conclusion:

The conventional (academic) wisdom underrates money, status, sex, and marriage. [Could it be that academics do not always get these goods, and thus hope to manage their expectations and feel better about their failures?] As pure “ends in themselves,” they can be a mixed bag. But if you can pursue them in a meaningful way, enjoy the process, and meet with relative success…well…you won’t forget Oscar Wilde: “The only thing worse than being famous is not being famous,” etc.

Speaking of happiness, Tyler also has some additional thoughts about Heidi Klum and insurance markets. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — Marginal Revolution is worthy of daily consumption.

Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner

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