The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness

The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness

by Robert Waldinger
4.16 (10K)  •  2023

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Spoiler: If you want to invest in your future health and happiness, the key is to maintain and nurture the relationships you have and to form new ones. A long-term Harvard study shows that, at the end of people’s lives, they never say that they’re happy they made so much money, worked so hard, or became famous. Connections with others enhance health, happiness, and longevity. On the flip side, Waldinger says that “the experience of loneliness turns out to be toxic,” and that “loneliness kills.”
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Spoiler: The longest-running happiness study in history, started in 1938, finds that happiness comes down to “warm relationships,” although these do not have to be intimate and can consist of a friendly, consistent connection with our grocery store checker, for example. Waldinger encourages his listeners to nurture the connections they have and to talk to strangers more often. He says it’s never too late: the book contains real-life stories of people who have made big turn-arounds even in their sixties, finding community and connections.
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CNN summarizes 84-year long study + remote author interview
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Spoiler: Although we commonly talk about physical fitness, the author tells CNN that “social fitness” is every bit as important, if not more so. Waldinger says that although the “happiness study” on which the book is based began in 1938 with a mostly white and all-male Harvard class, it has been expanded to have gender and economic balance. He says the research is now starting to show that passively consuming social media is not healthy but that using it to actively connect with others can be wonderful.
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Spoiler: Although every life has challenges, the quality of our relationships is hugely important to our physical and mental health. Solid relationships are a buffer against stress and unexpected events, such as the pandemic. Waldinger discusses the long-term Harvard study on which the book is based, saying that they’re just starting to study the grandchildren of the original participants, having already studied the children, who are mostly baby boomers. They will next look at the way the digital revolution both connects and disconnects us.

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