Married people are much happier than any other group of people, and they report lower levels of depression and distress. Forty percent say they are "very happy" with their lives, compared to 25 percent of single people. And those who are married are half as likely to say they are unhappy with their lives.

They could make a more accurate report on this topic if they subdivided their findings by gender. My guess is that married men, whose daily needs are cared for by someone else, find life easier for them than single men. They have someone to cook, clean, go grocery shopping for them. Even if they have to suffer a bit of nagging, they can shrug it off and joke among themselves about the "old ball and chain." It becomes a badge of honor and a source of male bonding and jokes.

If they were to report the women separately, however, I think their findings would show that women are not nearly so pleased with marriage and often feel they give more than they get. And what they get is often more housework, more personal service, more children.

Studies often show that married people are more normal. But there's a circular argument involved that I'm sure you see immediately. Remember also that the most creative, innovative people are also often the most extra-normal, eccentric even. Normal is boring, ordinary and conformist.