I hear this stuff all the time.

"Of course he's happy...he's rich. If I were rich, I'd be happy too."

"Of course she's happy...she found the perfect husband. If I were married to that guy, I'd be happy too."

"Of course he's happy...he's got the best job in the company. If I had that job, I'd be on easy street."

Strangely, if you challenge people in these kinds of statements, they'll get defensive. They'll start crafting arguments about how unlucky they are, and how much better others have it than them. They insist that they'd be happy if the universe gave them a little more than what they already have.

Excuses are a funny thing; they're like a verbal form of cognitive dissonance. We fabricate excuses as a means of justifying aloud a conclusion we've already reached. Many people make excuses about why they should be miserable. Others make excuses about why they should be grateful.

I've noticed that people in higher positions, or with more wealth, tend to be more grateful for what they have. I wonder what comes first...those accolades, or the gratitude?