In these two wonderful TED Talks , you can see some fascinating people talk about happiness, and I think it’ll really make you think. Specially good viewing for these times, when just about everyone is learning to weigh what we do much more carefully.
First, see GQ journalist Benjamin Wallace speak about his experiences researching the most expensive luxury items in the world – a $1.5 million car, $800 jeans, etc. (tough job, no?) – and how good they really were.
Next, watch Harvard psychologist Dan Gilbert talk about his research into how we decide what will make us happy, and how we make those choices.
Occsionally, the best is really worth it, and you enjoy it absolutely every penny’s worth. But Mae West aside, too much of a good thing sometimes isn’t wonderful. Sometimes your senses and appreciation of it dull.
And often, what you thought about most when you were deciding on it in the first place, is something that doesn’t matter a bit in the long run.
I’ve been slowly realizing that myself. It’s interesting to see it backed up by science.