Fathers: Masters of Self-Delusion

Does Fatherhood Make You Happy?

This is the Time article discussed a few posts back.

Harvard Psychologist David Gilbert points out that most men just assume children make them happy. Based on basic logic (you only remember the really good moments, it zap you of other pleasures making you think its joy) he constructs the conclusions that the recent happiness and depression studies have found.

Our children give us many things, but an increase in our average daily happiness is probably not among them. Rather than deny that fact, we should celebrate it. Our ability to love beyond all measure those who try our patience and weary our bones is at once our most noble and most human quality.

Of course, the requisite happy ending is inserted. Like dying for a useless war, just because something is noble doesn't mean you have to do it.