This amazing study followed men for 75 years, studying what made men happy. Interesting conclusions.
1) "Alcoholism is a disorder of great destructive power" No surprise to those of us with family who are alcoholics.
2) no noticeable difference in maximum income earned by men with IQs in the 110-115 range vs. men with IQs above 150
3) aging liberals have way more sex.
4) There is a "powerful correlation between the warmth of your relationships and your health and happiness in your later years." Apparently there was considerable challenge to this assertion and the researcher double checked. His rechecking reinforced his findings. There was also a strong correlation between men with warm relationships and high income.
5) Parents are important.“Men who had ‘warm’ childhood relationships with their mothers took home $87,000 more per year than men whose mothers were uncaring. Men who had poor childhood relationships with their mothers were much more likely to develop dementia when old. Late in their professional lives, the men’s boyhood relationships with their mothers — but not their fathers — were associated with effectiveness at work. On the other hand, warm childhood relations with fathers correlated with lower rates of adult anxiety, greater enjoyment on vacations, and increased ‘life satisfaction’ at age 75 — whereas the warmth of childhood relationships with mothers had no significant bearing on life satisfaction at 75.”
But the study concludes with a 5 word summary.
In Vallant’s own words, the #1 most important finding from the Grant Study is this: “The seventy-five years and twenty million dollars expended on the Grant Study points to a straightforward five-word conclusion: Happiness is love. Full stop.”
Fascinating.
