ECONOMICS - Money Can Buy Happiness, If You Spend It On Other People!

It's easy to come to the conclusion that all of our technology, all of our wealth, all of our stuff is not really making us happy. It's true that getting a new gadget can give you pleasure every day you use it, but having ten new gadgets is not ten times more fun. Unless, of course, you're Oprah and you give each member of your staff an iPad. This kind of social giving, or "pro-social spending" can make you considerably happier than spending the equivalent amount on numero uno. (Oprah gave the iPads and $10,000 to each member of her magazine's staff in 2010 to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Unfortunately for Oprah, her attempts to promote Microsoft's Surface tablet this year, and her magazine itself, have been less happy experiences.)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2013/01/27/money-can-buy-hap