Is David Brooks irredeemably romantic? Yes, probably.
If the relationship between money and well-being is complicated, the correspondence between personal relationships and happiness is not. The daily activities most associated with happiness are sex, socializing after work and having dinner with others. The daily activity most injurious to happiness is commuting. According to one study, joining a group that meets even just once a month produces the same happiness gain as doubling your income. According to another, being married produces a psychic gain equivalent to more than $100,000 a year.
It's the acceptable belief nowadays that marriage and family are the best thing that could happen to you. Those of us who don't believe this are expected to hold our tongues or get a ticket to, like, France. Because it is definitely more American to stick with dad and mom and the tots.
So what's my problem? My "problem" is that if you give me a choice, right this minute, between a darlin' spouse and a bank check for about $100,000, I'd take the latter. Greater honesty would force me to admit that fifty bucks would do the trick. $39.95? Honest, anything!
