Are you miserable?

If yes, good news!

You are probably looking forward to a few more years of life than your happier counterparts.

Turns out that the people who were more cheerful as kids are also more likely to live shorter lives. Sucks to be them.

Next time some hippie tells you that you will die young because you are such a douche or that you will burn out on the job, show him/her this study: http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-keys-life-lon…

Also,

"Don't work too hard, don't stress," doesn't work as advice for good health and long life. Terman subjects who were the most involved and committed to their jobs did the best. Continually productive men and women lived much longer than their more laid-back comrades.
18 Comments
 
StanTheMan87Correlation isn't causation
the article doesn't say that it is. (which you would know, if you read it before posting) the article says that the prudent and persistent people were more likely to take better care of their health and thus live longer, and those same people were also more likely to be continually productive and somewhat jaded.
More is good, all is better
 

Great article, Argo. Stan, it really does help to read the article.

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 

DM, haha, at first I was all : "Wow! that's great news!" But then a sobering thought entered my mind: "It's just gonna be a few more years of working and "prudent living"

But hey, hippies don't need to know that.

More is good, all is better
 

good post, thanks.

Still trying to work out the marriage longevity premium for men, and the absence for women.

Would have expected to have a premium for women but not for men.

Divorced men/remarried cases can be explained by financial ruin and stress that comes with divorces for men, but not for women.

Still where does this married men premium come from...

Possibly unobserved explanatory variables guys?

 
baddebt88Much rather have a happy life than a few more years popping 30 pills/day. Hell, I would much rather have a happy 50 years on this planet than an average, castrating 90 years.

Don't jump to conclusions. There's nothing to suggest that happy kids lead happy lives as adults. Or that they experience less stress. Their stress level as expressed in body chemicals and effect on their overall well being is most likely just as high, if not higher, except it's over more minor things. Like a girl freaking out over a broken nail. To her it is just as much of a disaster as losing half the retirement would be for someone else.

More is good, all is better
 
baddebt88Much rather have a happy life than a few more years popping 30 pills/day. Hell, I would much rather have a happy 50 years on this planet than an average, castrating 90 years.

+1. Longer life =/= happier or more meaningful life.

 
 
CitySophisticate
baddebt88Much rather have a happy life than a few more years popping 30 pills/day. Hell, I would much rather have a happy 50 years on this planet than an average, castrating 90 years.

+1. Longer life =/= happier or more meaningful life.

A different research showed that people tend to get happier as they get older, so the longer your life, the more happy years you will have.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/health/research/01happy.html

More is good, all is better
 

If we see the current global scenario, I would vote for being happy as a kid and dying at young age than living for 80+ years miserably!

 

hey! it doesn't really matter at all. stay hapy and forget about number of years you will be living. if you are happy with your life, only a few days would have more worth than 100 years!

 
Best Response

Happiness research has found that it resembles a "U". You are happy in your 20s/early 30s, gradually become less happy with the nadir being in your 40s, and then you get progressively happier as you proceed into your twilight years.

Loads of reasons why the decrease in happiness in your late 30s/40s...rising responsibilities, kids, career stagnation, realization you are gonna die, divorce etc.

Link: http://www.economist.com/node/17722567

Beyond this, the current generation suffers from some truly screwed up concepts regarding happiness. Thanks to the fact that parents are drilling into every kid's head that they are unique, special little flowers who are destined for greatness, many are ending up in therapy.

Link: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/07/how-to-land-your-ki…

Moral: Life is hard. Life is tough. There is no prescription for happiness. Stop thinking in terms of set paths and become dynamic. Think less like a corporate salary man and more like a hustler. Grow the cajones to make your own way.

 

Those who are miserable and still happy to know that they would have longer life: Hats of too all such jerks, who do not understand the meaning of living a life!

 

m not miserable and yes, I had a very nice life till some time back..Nothing seems to be in shape right now..but that does not stop me from living the life! I guess I dont care if I die soon or live long..I just wana be happy always!

 

Looking back to my analysts years they were not that bad... and I am where I am now BECAUSE I made these "sacrifices"...

I am not a big baller by no means but considering my origins / background I have achieved more in 5 years than most people from my "hood" would do in a lifetime.

Keep at it young fellows - similar to the commercial for Dos Exis, I would say "Stay Hungry my friends"

"Whenever you feel like criticizing any one...just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had." 'The Great Gatsby' - F. Scott Fitzgerald
 

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