2013.6 CET6阅读：金钱买不到的幸福

While many of us go through life with the pursuit of money on our minds, we’re often told that money can’t buy happiness. But what truth is there in the saying? Is there a correlation between money and happiness? And if so, how can we use it to our advantage?
尽管我们很多人在人生过程中想着要追求财富，我们常常被告知金钱不能买到幸福。但这个说法有何真理？金钱和幸福之间有关连性吗？而若有的话，我们该如何善加利用它呢？

Humans are very sensitive to change. When we get a raise or commission, we really enjoy it. But we adapted an incredible speed to our new wealth. Some studies have shown that in North America, additional income beyond 75,000 dollars a year ceases to impact day to day happiness. In fact, people who win the lottery often report becoming extremely unhappy. They often end up spending all the money, going into debt, and experience ruined social relationships.
人类对于改变非常的敏感。当我们得到加薪或佣金时，我们非常享受其中。但我们以惊人的速度适应新来的财富。一些研究显示，在北美，一年超过75,000美元的额外收入不再影响每天的幸福。事实上，中乐透的人往往呈现变得极度不快乐。他们结果常会花光所有的钱，身负债务，并且经历残破不堪的社交关系。

So surely money can’t really buy happiness. Well, recent studies suggest that the problem may actually be in the way that we spend money. Instead of buying things for yourself, try giving some of it to other people and see how you feel. Studies show that people who spend their money on others feel happier. And while people who spend on themselves don’t less happy, their happiness is unchanged.
所以说，当然钱不是真能买到幸福。不过，最近的研究认为这问题事实上可能在于我们花钱的方式上。与其买东西给你自己，不如试着把一些钱分给其他人，看看你的感受如何。研究显示把钱花在别人身上的人感觉比较幸福。而尽管把钱花在他们自己身上的人不见得会变得比较不幸福，他们的幸福程度是不变的。

The same principle has been tested on teams and organizations as well. One experiment showed that instead of an organization writing a large check to a charity, dividing the amount up amongst employees, allowing them to contribute to a charity of their choosing, increased their job satisfaction. Similarly, individuals that spend monetary incentives on each other, as opposed to themselves, increase not only job satisfaction, but improve the team performance and sales. This has been seen in both sales and sports teams.
同样的原理也已在团队跟公司组织中测试过。一项实验显示，与其公司组织写张巨额支票给慈善团体，不如把那金额在员工之间均分，让他们捐给自己选择的慈善团体，提升他们的工作满意度。同样地，把奖金花在彼此身上，而不是花在他们自己身上的人们，提升的不只是工作满意度，而且还改善团队绩效跟销售成绩。这已见证于销售和运动团队两者之中。

Almost everywhere we look in the world, we see that giving money or gifts to others is positively correlated with happiness. Interestingly, the specific way the money is spent on others isn’t important, from trivial guests to major charity efforts, spending something on others is the important aspect of increasing your happiness.
我们在世界上探究几乎每个地方，发现给予别人金钱或礼物和幸福感是正面相关连的。有趣的是，钱以什么特定方式花在别人身上并不重要，从小客人到大型慈善事业，花些钱在别人身上是提升你幸福感的重要面向。

The emotional rewards of pro-social spending are even detectable at the neural level. If you are gonna spend the money on yourself, try to go after experiences as opposed to material things. Traveling or going to an event is more impactful for the vast majority of people in the long run. And while you’re saving up for these biggest experiences, don’t forget about the daily joys in life. Many small, frequent pleasures help to get you through the days and encourage change, which stimulates the brain.
对社会有益的花费的情感报酬甚至可以从神经细胞的层级侦测到。如果你要把钱花在自己身上，试着追求体验而不是物质上的东西。旅行或是参加活动对大多数人长期来说是更有影响的。而当你在为这些最重大的体验存钱时，别忘了生活中的日常乐趣。很多小的、频繁的乐趣帮助你度日并鼓励改变，那会促进脑部的功能。

Instead of buying a 3,000 dollar rug that provides a one-time experience for the next ten years, a 5 dollar latte with friends will be different each time, offering unique access to happiness opportunities. Though money is unlikely to be the main source of happiness in our lives, it certainly has the potential to make some things easier, and complicate others. But at the end of the day, it can buy happiness, if spent in the right way.
与其买一张3,000美金的地毯，在接下来十年里提供一次性的体验，一杯有朋友相伴的5块钱拿铁将每次都不一样，提供通往幸福机会的独特途径。虽然钱不太可能是我们人生中幸福的主要来源，它确实有潜力让某些事更简单，以及让其他事情更复杂。但是到了最后，它可以买到幸福，如果以正确的方式花费的话。

Got a burning question you want answered? Ask it in the comments or on facebook and twitter, and subscribe for more weekly science videos.
你有燃眉之急的问题想要解答吗？在留言中发问吧，或在facebook和twitter上发问，并订阅以获得更多的每周科学影片。