The Pointlessness of the Hedonic Treadmill
No, this isn't the latest workout device at your gym. The hedonic treadmill means that we quickly adjust to improved circumstances. A raise at work or a new possession may make us happy for a little while, but we soon take our situation for granted. Our expectations continue to rise: if only I could get another raise, or a better car, or a bigger house. Should those expectations be satisfied, again we'd adjust and quickly want more. Ours is a generation that spend too fast and commit to much. On the contrary, I have a friend who, despite being very successful, refused to upgrade to a BMW or a Merc recently. He could if he wanted to. When I asked him lately why he changed his 5 year-old 1600 cc Nissan Sunny for a 2000 cc Honda Accord instead of a Lexus or Beemer, his reply was, "I want to upgrade slowly; I want to feel the joy of improvement, but slowly". I know eventually I will get to see his Lexus or BMW one day, but I am sure he is pacing his commitment well. May his tribe prevails!
This has a lot of implications for personal finance and the economy, but here's something to consider: Maybe we need to look beyond our wallets for true happiness. Like my friend, feel the gradual improvement; display delayed gratification instead of jumping into instant consumption, turbo-charged!
That's it for now. 3 more rules tomorrow, so watch this space.
King of the Birds, Lord of the Skies
Gather ye rose buds while ye may, old time is still a flying;
and this same rose that you see today, tomorrow will be dying.
CarpeDiem: Seize the Day!
- Dead Poets Society
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