02 Jan The gift of happiness
‘Tis the season to be jolly, and to give to charity. Hard to do in this economic environment? Consider that the working poor give a higher percentage of their meager income to charity than the wealthy and middle class, and that the only reliable way to “buy happiness” is to give money to charity. Many studies have shown that giving and volunteering improve physical health and happiness, while leading to better citizenship. People who give money are 43 percent more likely to say they are “very happy” than non-givers and 25 percent more likely to say their health is excellent or good.
These are among the many findings in “Gross National Happiness,” published this year, and “Who Really Cares,” published in 2006, both written by Arthur C. Brooks, a professor of public administration at Syracuse University and, as of Jan. 1, the new president of the American Enterprise Institute. His research led him to suggest a “Happiness Platform” for America that includes defending America’s tradition of religious faith; protecting family life; looking for ways to promote opportunity, not economic equality; celebrating our work, not impose greater leisure; and understanding that happiness is easiest to find in limited government. Many of these things were counterintuitive to his original assumptions. After extensive analyses and data testing, he said he changed his mind.
To read more of this article from the Washington Times – click here