I agree mostly with the article and that one should focus on freedom in the moment, while at the same time creating stability for the future.
But the underlying assumption that having more experiences (outside of work) leads to more happiness I believe to be somewhat false. It of course depends on the person, type of experience and definition of hapiness.
> the underlying assumption that having more experiences (outside of work) leads to more happiness I believe to be somewhat false.
I have this feeling too.
Or, should I say, maybe the concept is right in theory - the brain is better at remembering novelty, and events associated with strong emotions. But "buy experiences, not things" is something that has a meme status today, and I cynically suspect it's not accidental - that there is an ulterior motive to it.
"Buying things" is predominantly realized through buying products. "Buying experiences" is predominantly realized through buying services. You can derive value from a product you own indefinitely (at some point it'll wear down). But a service is a one-time deal, you have to spend again to get more. The mindset of "buying experiences" thus encourages a service economy and creates a recurring revenue stream for service providers.
But the underlying assumption that having more experiences (outside of work) leads to more happiness I believe to be somewhat false. It of course depends on the person, type of experience and definition of hapiness.