They come up with a very unique equation that represent the correlation between money and happiness. The equation shows that happiness is equal to what we have (attainments) divided by what we want (aspirations). As stated by Diener, “This formula makes sense. It means that it doesn’t so much if you make $20,000 a year or $100,000, if you drive a new BMW or an old Chevrolet, what matters more is that your income is sufficient for your desires” (170). What Diener and Biswas-Diener is trying to say is that money doesn’t affect happiness, it’s one’s aspirations. Someone can make $200,000 a year but if that person’s aspirations are expensive like expensive living, cars, and vacations, the income won’t be enough to support their aspirations. However when someone who only makes $50,000 a year and their aspirations are minimal, then their income is sufficient for their aspirations and thus more happiness. If our aspirations is more than our income, we will be stressing over not having enough money to meet our desires. If however our income is sufficient for our aspirations, we will have a feeling of satisfaction rather than
They come up with a very unique equation that represent the correlation between money and happiness. The equation shows that happiness is equal to what we have (attainments) divided by what we want (aspirations). As stated by Diener, “This formula makes sense. It means that it doesn’t so much if you make $20,000 a year or $100,000, if you drive a new BMW or an old Chevrolet, what matters more is that your income is sufficient for your desires” (170). What Diener and Biswas-Diener is trying to say is that money doesn’t affect happiness, it’s one’s aspirations. Someone can make $200,000 a year but if that person’s aspirations are expensive like expensive living, cars, and vacations, the income won’t be enough to support their aspirations. However when someone who only makes $50,000 a year and their aspirations are minimal, then their income is sufficient for their aspirations and thus more happiness. If our aspirations is more than our income, we will be stressing over not having enough money to meet our desires. If however our income is sufficient for our aspirations, we will have a feeling of satisfaction rather than