, Columnist
Yes, the Internet Can Make Us Happier
But only if we learn how to balance our desire for momentary happiness with our need for long-term satisfaction.
How will they remember this in 20 years?
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Most critiques of online activity and social media are neither rigorous nor helpful — by which I mean, they do not adequately explain why spending so much time online might be problematic and, if it is, what to do about it. Allow me to offer a tentative hypothesis and solution.
Psychologist Daniel Kahneman, who is also a Nobel laureate in economics, has written and co-written a number of papers on happiness in which he distinguishes between enjoying the moment and having an overall sense of satisfaction with one’s life. As it turns out, these two variables often diverge quite dramatically.