What Happy People Don’t Do

[Principessa]

What Happy People Don’t Do
By RONI CARYN RABIN
Happy people spend a lot of time socializing, going to church and reading newspapers — but they don’t spend a lot of time watching television, a new study finds.

That’s what unhappy people do.

Although people who describe themselves as happy enjoy watching television, it turns out to be the single activity they engage in less often than unhappy people, said John Robinson, a professor of sociology at the University of Maryland and the author of the study, which appeared in the journal Social Indicators Research.

While most large studies on happiness have focused on the demographic characteristics of happy people — factors like age and marital status — Dr. Robinson and his colleagues tried to identify what activities happy people engage in. The study relied primarily on the responses of 45,000 Americans collected over 35 years by the University of Chicago’s General Social Survey, and on published “time diary” studies recording the daily activities of participants.

“We looked at 8 to 10 activities that happy people engage in, and for each one, the people who did the activities more — visiting others, going to church, all those things — were more happy,” Dr. Robinson said. “TV was the one activity that showed a negative relationship. Unhappy people did it more, and happy people did it less.”

But the researchers could not tell whether unhappy people watch more television or whether being glued to the set is what makes people unhappy. “I don’t know that turning off the TV will make you more happy,” Dr. Robinson said.

Still, he said, the data show that people who spend the most time watching television are least happy in the long run.

Since the major predictor of how much time is spent watching television is whether someone works or not, Dr. Robinson added, it’s possible that rising unemployment will lead to more TV time.

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I disagree. I watch a lot of television and I am not unhappy.​

 

[B_Think_Kink]

I watch no tv and I'm only slightly happy. Maybe this study could reflect use of the computer too?

 

[vince]

I think people who have things to do are happy. If you don't have stuff to keep you busy, you'd probably watch more TV. I doubt that TV itself is causing unhappiness.

 

[D_Chaumbrelayne_Copprehead]

I don't watch much TV, and I'm pretty happy. But I don't watch less than I used to when I used to be really unhappy and depressed.

I suspect there's a coincidental relationship here not a causal one ... like how when ice cream sales increase, the crime rate does, too ... both tend to go up in the summer. But no one's saying that ice cream sales drive the crime rate up.

 

[invisibleman]

"Happy people spend a lot of time socializing, going to church and reading newspapers — but they don’t spend a lot of time watching television, a new study finds.

That’s what unhappy people do."--RONI CARYN RABIN

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Happy people are either dead or stoned out of their minds and don't give a fuck.
I am unhappy because of disappointing people and situations. Not because I watched a collection of DVDs. If you are living, you will have your share of happiness and dissatisfaction. Nobody on this earth has the life of Riley. Trust me on that.

 

[nudeyorker]

^ Well pretty much what he said..but life should be about taking all things in moderation to help balance the good and bad of life.

 

[B_Nick4444]

almost never watch the boob tube, as it use to be called before going flat

also, I don't understand or relate to a lot of the 'plaints I hear

hmmm ... connection? hmmm ....:scratchchin:

 

[whatireallywant]

I think people who have things to do are happy. If you don't have stuff to keep you busy, you'd probably watch more TV. I doubt that TV itself is causing unhappiness.

This is what I was thinking too. I watch a lot of TV and am unhappy, but I'm not unhappy because I watch a lot of TV. I've been unemployed and underemployed, and don't have the money to do much else besides watch TV. The lack of money/financial stability is a major contributer to my unhappiness. I am working now though and am happier than I was when I wasn't working. Although I'm on my feet all day at my current job and I'm bone-tired when I get home! (I'm TOO used to desk jobs over the years!) I still feel better even so, than I did when I wasn't working. (I watched more TV then too than now, but that wasn't what was making me unhappy.)

As for socializing, going to church, etc. I don't do as much of that as I used to. Most of my social activities require money, which I don't have. I can go to church unless I work on Sunday mornings though (I work at a place where I will probably sometimes have to work Sundays...) I also often work nights and weekends, which also sometimes interferes with my social life.

 

[Catchoftheday]

I wonder if doing pointless research makes you unhappy

 

[invisibleman]

Happy people are either dead or stoned out of their minds and don't give a fuck.
I am unhappy because of disappointing people and situations. Not because I watched a collection of DVDs. If you are living, you will have your share of happiness and dissatisfaction. Nobody on this earth has the life of Riley. Trust me on that.

^ Well pretty much what he said..but life should be about taking all things in moderation to help balance the good and bad of life.

^^Pretty much what he said, too. :biggrin1:

Qualifier: I don't advocate drug usage. Only when necessary for surgical purposes or the prolonging of one's health and prescribed by your health practitioner. Your local hoodies and shine runners do not have a license to pharmacology.

I only mentioned "happy people and "stoned wif drugs" to illustrate: those people who are on street chems aren't worried about a thing other than the score. I have seen it happen.