The NYT has discovered the key to human happiness: More taxes. So sayeth Eduardo Porter:

More broadly, if the object of public policy is to maximize society’s well-being, more attention should be placed on fostering social interactions and less on accumulating wealth. If growing incomes are not increasing happiness, perhaps we should tax incomes more to force us to devote less time and energy to the endeavor and focus instead on the more satisfying pursuit of leisure.

On the other hand, if we tax people more, they may wind up working extra hours just to pay the mortgage, which leaves less time for family, leisure, charity, and other activities associated with good times. Less time and money for newspaper subscriptions too, though I can think of one newspaper that’s putting a frown on my face this morning.