Thursday, October 20, 2011

Sex and happiness

I was reading this webmd article, and it gleefully informed me that "increasing intercourse from once a month to once a week is equivalent to the amount of happiness generated by getting an additional $50,000 in income for the average American."

Now, that's very interesting to me. But then, the thought struck me. What poor bastards out there are only having sex once a month? My goodness, that's 12 times a year. 12 times a year? I imagine going from 12 times to 52 times a year would have some effect on your happiness. Perhaps even more than an additional $50k. Of course, stick me with sex one time a week and I'd probably be quite mopey and miserable regardless. High expectations, you know.

I can see no sex at all being preferable to once a month.

It goes on to say:

"Overall, the happiest folks are those getting the most sex -- married people, who report 30% more between-the-sheets action than single folks. In fact, the economists calculate that a lasting marriage equates to happiness generated by getting an extra $100,000 each year. Divorce, meanwhile, translates to a happiness depletion of $66,000 annually."

Who the hell are these bastards who are sticking dollar values of happiness onto things? How does one thing equate to the other? Past a certain point - that one where your bills are paid and your bellies are full and you can go on vacation once in a while - does more money really bring more happiness? And, assuming I go along with their calculations, does this indicate that divorced people are in fact happier than never-marrieds? That $34,000 gap glares at me.

Put another way, it's saying divorced people are still $34,000 happier than single folks. I dunno about that. I suppose if there are kids in the mix it could go either way.

Why do people constantly feel the need to speak of everything in financial terms anyway?

I'm way way happier than any extra $50k would ever be able to make me.

7 comments:

  1. As one of those people who doesn't need a whole hand to count the times I've had sex this year...you're right in that at a certain point, no sex is better than once a month. Of course there were extenuating circumstances then. Though I'm near about ready to tie him down at this point! LOL

    I agree with your points that money does not equal happiness. As the Beatles said: 'Cause I don't care too much for money, money can't buy me love.

    I'd also like to throw a hole in their studies. Most of my best orgasms are the ones I've given myself. There's been less pressure when it's just me and a lovely little toy. Maybe these people were looking at the combined times of intimacy in sexual couples. But growing up, I heard plenty of women who had sex often, but it was horrible/boring for them. Were they happier just because they had sex every night? I'd venture a guess of "hell no."

    Happiness is personal. There is no way to measure happiness on a scale. And while sex is nice and fun, there are aspects of being married that I value more. That mean a lot more than money.

    Just my two cents ;)

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  2. Guess what my first thought was?

    'there are people who only have sex ONCE A MONTH?! Wait, there are people who only have sex ONCE A WEEK?!'

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  3. I guess Daddy and I are way off the charts...I started figuring it out and just this week starting with Sunday we've had sex 7 times;)! If we have to miss even one day, I feel sad and neglected. Sometimes we're not able to have sex for a day or so and it's just horrible to me!!!

    Love,
    horny Kitty, lol!

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  4. cuddlykitten: The very idea that someone can measure happiness, and then compare it to financial situations! Sex of course isn't the only reason married people would be happier - and why it's necessary to bring money into the equation at all baffles me.

    mamacrow: That was my thought too, once I processed it enough to have the thought. It was along the lines of "That's interesting....HEY WAIT A MINUTE." As I told my husband, I spend a lot of time in blogland...venturing out into the real net world is a shocker after that.

    Kitty: My ideal amount of sex is more than once per day, as well. I'm not terribly unhappy if we have to miss a day now and then, but I need some sex in most of my days, and preferably more than some. If we miss more than one day in a row, I do start to feel sad and neglected and disconnected, much like you.

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  5. The impact of $50,000 extra dollars would without a doubt depend on how much money you have to start with. I don't earn enough from my job to pay more than just the rent and utilities on my little apartment, so $50,000 would be almost four times my annual income. I could buy groceries, go out to eat something more than the dollar menu, go to a movie, go to the mall, pay off my credit card, travel for vacation. I mean seriously. If I had a grand total of $50,000 a year I would be wealthy. I could do all of the above and have $20,000 a year left over for savings.

    No kind of sex could make me happier than being able to do those things. So I'll take the money. Hee.

    Once a month of actual intercourse is fine for me. I'd prefer twice. Though I want to get down on my knees and pleasure my man with my mouth at least once a week. I'd prefer twice.

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  6. t1klish: We've been there. That's why I purposely added the bit about paying bills and being able to go on vacation. The happiness an amount of money can bring you is also incredibly dependent on your location. My husband was earning about 1/4 what he is earning now back home, and we were better able to do things, save, etc, at home. We're just scraping by here too. Actually... he may be earning $50k more, gross. We would have been rolling in it with 50k total, back home. But, impact on our happiness? None. He's happier in his job though.

    For me, sex means any kind of sexual activity - anything in which you touch each other's sex parts, or one of you has an orgasm. It's a pretty wide definition.

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  7. I have an orgasm every couple of days. But my man isn't here for those. Do those count toward the happiness quotient? Maybe only if I'm thinking about my man during it? Which I am. Hee!

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