Watching too much TV = Not happy folks

I refer to November 22 2008 The Straits Time article on page C15, "Happy? Then you're not watching much TV."

The article is a reference to New York Times, it stated "That the University of Maryland analyzed 34 years of data collected from more than 45,000 participants and found that watching TV might make you feel good in the short term, but is more likely to lead to overall unhappiness. The pattern for daily TV use is particularly dramatic, with 'not happy' people estimating over 30 per cent more TV hours per day than 'very happy' people. Television viewing is a pleasurable enough activity with no lasting benefit, and it pushes aside time spent in other activities - ones that would provide long term benefits in one's condition. In other words, TV does cause people to be less happy (the above studies also involves married couples)"

Some people might argue that, "Hey, I'm not an unhappy dude and I think I'm happy married with my partner, and if I don't watch TV where could I get the latest news?" Had a discussion with the wife, and she pointed out that as watching television is a usually 'a one sided affair' and rarely do we need to communicate to the other party when we are watching, except asking few random questions to catch up on the missed story lines. This causes us to interact less with each others, and could in turn drift each other apart. If communication is not an important factor in our life, then why do we spend so much time on SMS, phone calls and even dating before we get married? I do not think that just seeing each others or holding each other hands or messaging sweet words are enough to know the other party well to have a commitment in life. 

With the above said, so what do happy people do that unhappy people don't do or does less? The study state that, "Happy people and married couple pend a lot of time socializing, going to church and reading newspapers."

An Israel king (King David) wrote this about God," 

I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their face shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who take refuge in him! Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!" Psalm 34:4-9