Who's Happier, Women Or Men?

(CBS)  A lot has been written about happiness - and the Journal of Happiness Studies chimed in today with a study says that woman are happier than men - but only until their late 40s. Then, as CBS News correspondent Cynthia Bowers reports, everything changes.

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For anyone who doesn't understand the results of the study, take a look at Exhibit A: Hugh Hefner, a man who gets happier as he gets older - and his girlfriends get younger.

As the advice columnist for the Chicago Tribune, and as a woman of a certain age herself, Amy Dickenson understands that middle age can be a turning point.

"The most we can hope for in terms of a compliment is for someone to say that you look good for your age, you know?" Dickenson said. "That's not so good!"

The study, which analyzed data from 47,000 people, considered happiness levels of men and women. It found in their 20s, women are happier than men. Researchers blame that on young men's lackluster love lives and low-paying first jobs, Bowers reports.

The gap closes with age - and by 48, men are happier. The study suggests it's because by then men are married and better off financially.

But the actual survey the study was based on was headed up by Tom Smith at the University of Chicago. It only asked women how happy they are, and just like a lot of men, didn't bother to ask them why.

"We think we have a good understanding of why women start off happier - they make that transition to adulthood much easier than men," Smith said. "Uh, it's less clear why they lose the advantage over men."

In a personal observation, Bowers had her own thoughts on the matter: "Hello … it's because we hit 48! Not only are we raising kids, and worrying about aging parents, we're worrying about aging us. All the sudden we realize that even with Botox, and body shapers, we'll never look like we used to."

The hit movie "Knocked Up" showed that very fear - that dreaded day when age becomes the enemy.

"Men! I get worse-looking and he gets better-looking," one character says.

Buried deep in this study is the best part, though, and that's this: Older men - and women! - claim to be the happiest of us all.

Researchers say by then we've realized what's important in life. In other words: with age comes maturity - and that's a good thing.

[txgrouch2006]

smurfcrusher wrote
Most women are much more interested in the emotional highs that come with trying to control a "bad boy", it seems
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Plus, a "bad boy" fulfills the woman''s need for constant crisis. If you''re not a "bad boy," then either women reject you because you''re "no fun," or they MAKE UP STUFF that they say you did so she can PRETEND you''re a "bad boy." Then she gets to PUNISH YOU accordingly.

Remember, Eve brought the forbidden fruit to Adam, after she ALREADY took the first bite. Women bring evil into the lives of men. Women are the willing hands ready to to the bidding of evil. Eve obeyed the serpent instead of obeying God. She brought man to his fall because of it.

[tejasdemo]

Hormonal changes associated with menopause may cause problems for some women, but most of the women I know have had no problems and are glad not to have to deal with "the curse".


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Posted by flreason at 03:39 PM : Jul 31, 2008


Lol. Yea, right.

[morganbarber]

FLReason:
Assuming you are right about older women feeling like throwaways, that could mean that women need to see their attractiveness the way an NFL player sees his ability to keep up the big income. Its only going to last a few years. When its gone, earning a living will take more effort. Yes many a 40 something wife gets dumped by a 40 something husband, who has ran off with a 20 something bimbo. That 40 something wife needs to make sure there are enough assets to divide up so that she has a shot at being comfortable. Because if she has to go from being a soccer mom to establishing a career and start saving for her own retirement, chances are she will be seething. Too often, there were no savings or assets because the soccer mom thought it would be cute to be maxing out department store credit cards all the time. In the divorce settlement the equity on the house gets consumed paying off the cards. Her half of zero is zero.

[flreason]

Some of the people posting here seem to assume that the problem with older women is that they focus on looks when young, and don''t deal well with aging. Some of us didn''t buy into the Elle and Glamour values. The fact is that our commodity-driven society has decided that women are valuable for their looks and for s*e*x. It is harder to get a job or have a healthy heterosexual social life if you are a older, educated female. Older women are treated like throw-aways.

Hormonal changes associated with menopause may cause problems for some women, but most of the women I know have had no problems and are glad not to have to deal with "the curse".

[meinnv]

Menopause is another reason we might be unhappy at 50. Thankfully I am far from that age. BUT, it is a terrible change for some. Hormones, physical changes, some mental changes that not every woman can control. But you do the best with what you can :)

[meinnv]

Trust me on the Windows XP & Vista deal; I''d prefer XP to Vista 99% of the time. I have three computers in my house (ages 5yrs, 4yrs & 7 months, lol). The older 2 run XP which is a lot easier and a lot friendlier for file moving & storage. The newest PC has Vista, not by my choice, came pre-loaded. I am slowly figuring it out, but it is a pain when you''re trying to copy & move files. Grrr. Now I''m unhappy. LOL :)

[tejasdemo]

ROFL...Gee, why is it that women all of sudden aint happy when they are pushing 50 yrs old ?....hmmmm

could it beeeee....MENOPAUSE !

See, even the authors are afraid to discuss because they know just frickin dangerous it is to be around women at this critical age. It is Menopause...forget the physical side effects.

Their emotions are completely screwed up. They themselves are completely screwed up. It''s a wild ride and if you are guy caught up in it you deserve a gold medal and a winning lottery ticket.

[smurfcrusher]

BarbaraM99:

Trust me, you are better off with XP instead of WinDoze Vista.

Maybe that''s why you''re happy!

[barbaram99]

A dumb study. Men look at them pretty girls and want that. What they fail to realise that lady is going to cost him just maintain that loveliness,he pays dearly. Things don''t make a person happy. I am 53. I don''t need the best pc,TV,etc. Ye do have buy better made things. Take care of them. I wanted a Vista computer,a nice one as I need it as a legally blind. I will STILL use my old one as well as it is XP. I older. Some it is a car ,children, the newest gadgit. Happiness is a state of being happy. Things /people won''t do it. I THINK PEOPLE ARE MORE UNHAPPY. They are in their small world. I am happy to talk to ye.

[smurfcrusher]

"Men play more mind twisting games than most women I have ever known. They lie, sneak and they are-for the most part-terribly afraid of strong women."

Posted by CarlyLaine


Unfortunately, this is what most women respect. Why do you think many men are like this?

Because women breed them, of course.

Many women wouldn''t be caught dead with a "nice guy", because they''ve been programmed to think of them as weak, and don''t know any better.

Therefore any intelligent "nice guy" that wants a good woman, can''t ''be himself'' for fear of being rejected.

Most women are much more interested in the emotional highs that come with trying to control a "bad boy", it seems; behavior reinforced by the herd (their friends).