This is an essay I wrote for the following question:
Are people who stay in the same community happier than those who move from one place to another?
I’d like to know how much I may receive in an actual examination, as well as how I could improve. Any sort of constructive criticism is welcome. Is it too long? Too short? Have I successfully made a point? Please do tell me.
We are very social mammals. We thrive when we have a stable community around us. As such, we will find it hard to be happy when we move constantly.
The Little House books written by Laura Ingals Wilder (the most famous being “Little House on a Prairie”) talks of a family during the American Pioneer days. As with many Pioneer families, they are constantly on the move, search for a suitable homestead. In these books, it is made very clear that moving is something born of necessity - each move causes pain and heartbreak for both the adults and the kids.
The same can be said today. People who stay in the same community are often happier, as they want nothing but what they already have. My grandparents are one such people. After being uprooted by WWII, my grandma has been staying in the same house among the same people for decades. Compared to my grandfather, who constantly strives for greatness, my grandma is content with what she has, never worrying about tomorrow.
Science and statistics tells us the same thing. Kid who grow up in on place are less likely to fall into depression, and hence less likely to commit suicide. People who have no need to travel constantly are more productive, something that is known to stem from happiness.
Whether I draw from the Americans of the pioneer age, the experiences of my grandparents, or the conclusions of science, I can safely say that people who stay in one community are happier than those that move constantly.