15. Beyond Material Aspects

These are the most important insights of modern happiness research: People with higher income are happier, but this effect becomes weaker and weaker as income rises. Good social relationships, physical and psychological health, and democracy as well as decentralized political decision-making raise happiness. Several insights of happiness research are inconsistent with human beings being rational and egotistic: Unemployed people are much less satisfied with their lives even though they have more leisure time. Self-employed people work harder, but thanks to higher autonomy report being happier. People who care for others by donating money and engaging in voluntary work are happier. Human well-being is no longer intimately connected with the provision of material goods. Material aspects are not to be neglected, but self-determined work is of crucial importance for happiness.