Re:America’s Dazzling Tech Boom Has a Downside: Not Enough Jobs
by Retric on Thursday October 13, 2016 @09:52AM
(#12700745)
It's more than just food and shelter.
Having a computer with internet connection can increase happiness. For example elderly that feel more connected with their families. The important thing is the minimum threshold is a computer, so a 200$ laptop can fill this need just as well as a 10,000$ laptop.
Further, in that case it's connecting to people that's bringing happiness not the physical device.
People quickly become accustomed to any new positive thing introduced into their lives, make that the baseline and then start wanting something better.
The minimal stuff threshold is about survival and homeostasis, once that is achieved, anything beyond that does not produce lasting gains in happiness.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habituation