American Enterprise Institute

American Enterprise Institute: Arthur Brooks is the president of the American Enterprise Institute, where I am a visiting fellow, and also a social scientist who has written a book on happiness. His research has shed light on who's happy, and why. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. Once basic material needs are met, though, satisfying work matters more than money. What people want is not just success, but also "earned success" -- the feeling one's efforts have paid off. In a recent talk, Brooks cited a 1978 study in which lottery winners were slightly less happy six months after they hit the jackpot. I'd still be willing to take my chances. The head of the think tank where I work believes he has discovered the secret of happiness, and he wants to share it with everyone. Don't worry: I'm not in a cult. Some of the results are what you would expect: Genes have a lot to do with a happy disposition. Poverty reduces happiness, but past a certain point, higher income does not do much to raise it. Brooks notes the decline in global poverty over the last few decades, especially in China and India, has thus meant a happier world. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.