Keller @ Large: Skeptical Of Studies

BOSTON (CBS) - Where would we be without studies, those helpful scientific exercises that tell us petting a dog's fur can lower your blood pressure, or what it really means when you get a ton of acorns dumped in your yard, or if certain foods are bad for you – usually followed a few years later by the studies showing it's good for you.

With all due respect to the usually well-meaning researchers who put out these studies, over time you come to develop a bit of skepticism about them.

Case in point, this new study out of Australia claiming human happiness peaks before age 24 and after age 75.

"Couples reported the greatest satisfaction with life just before having their first child, then a dip from the first year of the child's life until the child reaches age 6 and starts school," the study claims. It also finds that happiness increases later in life "when people start focusing on….their free time."

That last one sounds plausible, but overall these findings really sell humanity short. You're telling me people don't find happiness and satisfaction in raising children, especially very young kids?

The implication of this study is that we're basically a bunch of narcissists, happiest when we have few responsibilities to others and plenty of time to indulge ourselves. Sorry, that just doesn't fit with my experience.

I see plenty of people taking satisfaction from a hard job well done, pleasure from a challenge undertaken and conquered, joy from helping others.

Maybe they're fooling me.

Or maybe those research subjects made fools of those researchers.

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