空喊口号解决不了问题 幸福离不开财富

If there is anything surprising here, it is that wealth is more important to happiness than many would expect, not less. The simpler and less complicated lives in poorer countries do not compensate for the money that can be made for people living more complicated and stressful lives in more successful economies. And Mr Wolfers even points to surveys suggesting that we do not, collectively, feel a need to compete against the Joneses. People do not measure themselves against others.
如果说研究中有什么意外发现的话，那就是，财富对于幸福的重要性超出、而不是低于很多人的预期。在较为贫穷的国家，生活更为简单而不那么复杂，但这敌不过生活在更为成功的经济体、过着更为复杂且压力更大的生活的人所赚取的收入。沃尔弗斯甚至指出，一些调查显示，我们总体而言认为没有必要与别人攀比。人们不会拿自己与其他人做比较来衡量自己的幸福。

Surveys have even tried to break down the components of happiness. And indeed, Mr Wolfers shows that people in wealthier countries are more likely to complain of stress, and of feeling worried.
调查甚至试图分解幸福的构成。实际上，沃尔弗斯指出，较为富有国家的人们更有可能抱怨压力以及忧虑感。

But these correlations are not strong. Meanwhile, on a battery of measures, people in rich countries have a better chance of happiness: they are less likely to have experienced physical pain recently (presumably because they are less likely to do manual work); less likely (surprisingly) to have suffered depression; more likely to have had good tasting food to eat; more likely to smile and laugh a lot; and more likely to be treated with respect. They are less likely to be angry or bored, and somewhat more likely to feel well rested.
然而，这些关联性并不强。与此同时，从很多标准来看，富国的人们更有机会感到幸福：近年遭受身体痛苦的可能性较低（这大概是因为他们从事体力工作的可能性较小）；感到抑郁的可能性较小（这令人感到意外）；更有可能吃到美味的食品；更有可能多多地笑；更有可能被尊重。他们感到愤怒或枯燥的可能性较小，更有可能感觉精力充沛。

What are the implications of this? First, economic growth should be an imperative after all. Perhaps we really should be working flat-out in the western style after all, despite Mr Slim’s suggestions.
这些研究有什么启示？首先，不管怎样经济增长应是一项必要任务。尽管斯利姆建议每周工作3天，但我们或许确实应按照西方的风格卖力工作。

And some paradoxical implications of earlier research now vanish. Letting some people be richer than others is not a problem – the key is to raise income for all, and not to worry if some do far better.
早先研究给出的一些自相矛盾的启示现在都消失了。让一些人比其他人更富有不是问题，关键是要提高所有人的收入，不要担心一些人是否远比其他人富有。

For employers, Carlos Slim’s suggestion of flexible working may be worth a try, but the inconvenient truth is that the best way to a happy workforce is to pay them.
对于员工而言，卡洛斯•斯利姆提出的弹性工作建议可能值得一试，但一个令人尴尬的事实是，让员工变得幸福的最佳方式是付给他们工资。

If this evidence and its implications do not convince, we could always follow Pharrell Williams. Economists could ask everyone to “clap along if you know what happiness can do for you”.
如果本文所述的证据及其启示不能说服人的话，我们总是可以按照法瑞尔•威廉姆斯歌里唱的那么做。经济学家可以邀请所有人“一起拍手，如果你知道幸福能为你做什么”。

John Authers is the FT’s Senior Investment Columnist
本文作者是英国《金融时报》高级投资专栏作家