How much are we willing to pay for the pursuit of happiness?

Never mind the conventional speculation about whether the resolution of some political standoff in Washington favors Republicans or Democrats, liberals or conservatives, “entitlement” fans or skeptics. The more fundamental question, says Benjamin Radcliff, is this: Does it make people happier or not? Radcliff is a political scientist at Notre Dame […] Read more »

TIME Poll: What Makes Americans Happy?

For our happiness issue, TIME conducted a poll to find out what Americans do to find joy. Overall, 59% of respondents said they were happy most of the time, about the same percentage of those surveyed by TIME in 2004 when 61% said they were happy. But fewer people said […] Read more »

Money May Not Buy Happiness, But It Helps

While very few Americans say that money is the most important factor in determining whether they’re happy in life, the more they earn the happier they are, according to a new University of Connecticut/Hartford Courant Poll. The survey provides an in-depth look at how Americans feel about their lives, gauging […] Read more »