October 13th 2010.

Knox College’s Tim Kasser and Richard Ryan, from the University of Rochester, have documented that external goals like appearance and possessions are associated with lower self-esteem, higher anxiety and lower well-being. Jennifer Crocker of the University of Michigan reports that, when self-esteem is based on external measures like appearance and approval, there is more stress, anger, and substance abuse. Whatever strokes we think we get from the coolest duds or hotspots, they’re gone by the next morning, and we have to get more. External verifications don’t convince, because the approval isn’t coming from you. It would appear, then, that being cool is uncool for your happiness.

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Originally posted at

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-robinson/are-cool-people-more-inse_b_757462.html

By Joe Robinson