Research Reveals There is More to Life than Money
By Elise Peterson

Jay Gatsby's world included numerous rich men and women chasing after parties and adulterous affairs, never able to satisfy their longings. Gatsby himself spent his whole life building a wealthy empire to earn the hand of his true love, Daisy, but tragically died alone without ever securing her devotion. F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic The Great Gatsby shows what researchers confirm: The American Dream does not necessarily equal a happy ending.

David G. Myers, '64, wrote about what he called The American Paradox in a 2000 book with the same name. Though Americans had made substantial economic progress in the 20 year preceding the book's publication, levels of depression and suicide remained the same. Recent years have not seen any reversal in these trends.

"Teen well-being is up, given the declines in teen suicide, teen violence, and premature teen sexual activity. But Americans are no more physically fit, well slept, or less likely to smoke than in 2000," Myers said.

Though research has shown that having a little more money in impoverished nations leads to greater happiness, happiness in wealthier societies frequently has more to do with social relationships and work satisfaction than it does with wealth. For example, a 2003 University of Illinois study found that Indian homeowners felt a greater sense of well-being than the Calcutta homeless. The same study revealed that the Forbes 400 richest Americans were as satisfied with life as the Pennsylvania Amish.

The Rev. Rob Fairbanks, '84, pastors New Community, a predominantly college-aged church in Spokane, Wash. He notes that money is a tool its owner must use wisely.

"Paul says money is the root of all kinds of evil, not necessarily the root of evil itself," Fairbanks said. "Wealth in itself is not bad; it's how we handle it."

Current generations experience greater wealth than those previous. New homes come complete with a two-car garage and boat port and on average shelter fewer occupants than the number of rooms built. SUVs whiz in and out of middle-class suburbs. Fly-in restaurants, where small-aircraft owners can enjoy an update of the 1950s drive-in, number over 1,600.

Despite the research, Americans still pursue the American Dream. Almost 75 percent of all incoming university freshmen noted that being well off financially as an "essential" or "very important" college objective in UCLA's 2004 American Freshman survey. The choice trumped all other objectives, including helping others in difficulty (61.6 percent), becoming an authority in one's chosen field (58.6 percent), developing a meaningful philosophy of life (43.4 percent) and integrating spirituality (38.7 percent).

Fairbanks cites materialism and wealth as a challenge in Western Christianity.

"Oftentimes we see people living the Christian life without passion because we have so much to entertain ourselves," he said.

Myers, author of the most widely used university psychology textbook, recognizes that wealth has its rewards, but comes at a price.

"Money enables control over one's life and use of time, and that's a plus. It's also nice to be able support things we care about," Myers said."But on an hour-to-hour basis, I don't much think about it. And given more than enough to live with security, the number of zeros in our net-worth statement doesn't matter all that much, relative to, say, how well our children are doing."

Myers suggests several things people can do to maximize their happiness and well-being, such as realizing that enduring happiness doesn't come from success, giving priority to close relationships, keeping a gratitude journal and nurturing one's spiritual self.

Nurturing one's spiritual self does yield a higher sense of well-being. Religious people consistently report a higher satisfaction with life than non-religious people, research shows.

"I think there are opportunities for happiness outside of Christianity, but underneath the surface, there's a longing," Fairbanks said. "Discovering a purpose creates a greater fulfillment."

Fairbanks encourages his church to visit developing nations to serve and recalibrate in the midst of American materialism. He strives to leave the United States at least once a year to refocus on what is truly important to him.

"Leaving the country is one thing I think every Christian should do," he said. "We need to get out of our comfort zones. There's a whole world that doesn't live like us."

In addition to travel and service, Fairbanks and his wife avoid excessively visiting the mall and other shopping districts that he said arouse an appetite for material things.

Success is far more than wealth for Fairbanks.

"The bottom line for success is if I'm glorifying God with my life," he said.

Helpful resources:
The Progress Paradox: How Life Gets Better While People Feel Worse by Gregg Easterbrook
The American Paradox by David G. Myers