In recent times, economic growth has helped many become richer, both in developed and developing countries. However, those in developed countries are not as happy as they were in the past. Why is this? What can be learned from this?

As global wealth increases, there has been a surprising decrease in reported
levels
of
happiness
in developed
nations
. In my opinion,
this
is due to lifestyle changes and it teaches that money is merely a baseline requirement for
happiness
. The main reason individuals in wealthy
nations
are less happy today relates to how people live. In the past, people had fewer free time options and
this
led to more time being outside and socializing. Modern lifestyles are predicated around isolation.
For example
, the average worker or student after a long day is likely to spend at least a few hours watching movies on Netflix, messaging friends, checking social media, and listening to music. These 21st-century habits would seemingly elevate
happiness
levels
but they are in fact a passive means of achieving low
levels
of contentment and pleasure. In the aggregate,
this
minimum threshold of commitment pales in comparison to more substantial activities. The lesson from
this
development is that wealth is only the foundation of
happiness
. Many would claim that money has no relationship to
happiness
,
however
,
this
is naive since families living in poverty must obsess over simple matters
such
as shelter and sustenance. Money only serves to guarantee basic necessities and
happiness
is an active byproduct of action.
This
can be seen most clearly in
nations
that score high on
happiness
surveys
such
as in Northern Europe and Japan. Individuals in these countries tend to have more focused lives and feel they are part of a community and culture that requires active engagement. These societies prioritise involvement with others and community responsibility and shun the insular hobbies that have led to dissatisfaction in other developed
nations
. In conclusion, lower
levels
of
happiness
are due to modern ways of living and
this
illustrates the relative importance of wealth.
Happiness
itself should not be an aim but rather a result of pursuing worthier life goals.
Submitted by agyapalsingh83 on

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