An Indian proverb says: "What you do not give away is lost forever"

Elizabeth W. Dunn, professor of psychology at the university of British Columbia, with 2 researchers of the Harvard Business School, wanted to check if money make people happy! They published their findings in the very serious review Science on 21st March.

Yes money make people happy is their conclusion, if it helps other people, after a survey among 632 Americans, out of which 55% women, in view of establishing their propension to happiness in relation to their yearly income, their current expenses, donations and gifts to charities. The same conclusion was reached with employees of a Boston company, regading how they use their special rewards. The people who have given a third of their bonus to social organizations report a "happiness coefficient" 20% higher compared to those who kept it all for themselves.

While society today show extreme levels of consumption, it is a sign of hope to observe that the adage which says that giving is a stronger source of satifaction than receiving still holds true. Le Monde 25/03/08