Life in Three Dimensions is a chatty exploration of some research by the author, Shigehiro Oishi, a psychology professor at the University of Chicago. The subtitle suggests the book's thesis: "How Curiosity, Exploration, and Experience Make a Fuller, Better Life". Oishi argues that in addition to Happiness and Meaning, people should consider seeking out adventure – what he calls "psychological richness".
Deep? Not very. Structured? Not much. Anecdotal? Rather a lot. Quantitative? A wee bit, especially in Appendix 2, where a chart shows "Meta-analytic correlations between a Good Life and Big Five Personality" traits:
| Richness | Happiness | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Openness | 0.47 | 0.08 | 0.21 |
| Extraversion | 0.44 | 0.32 | 0.39 |
| Neuroticism | -0.18 | -0.39 | -0.45 |
| Agreeableness | 0.27 | 0.20 | 0.28 |
| Conscientiousness | 0.30 | 0.27 | 0.50 |
The biggest drivers for each dimension are in bold; numerical correlations are based on survey questions; reproducibility and error bars are issues to investigate, as is variation among cultures, genders, etc.
Oishi synopsizes his conclusions at the end of the book:
10. Life without Regrets — "... It's easy to come up with an excuse for inaction, but when faced with a question of 'Should I stay or should I go?' ask yourself: 'In ten years, would I regret if I stayed?" ... 9. Freedom over Security — "... being able to choose freedom over security, possibility over responsibility, and challenge over ease is key to a psychologically rich life." 8. Don't Be a Specialist; Be a Generalist — "... Stay curious in life ..." 7. Take a Dozen — "... the 'take a dozen' heuristic reminds us to explore at least twelve potential mates, apartments, restaurants, etc., before we take our pick. We make a better decision when we explore more." 6. Find Richness in the Familiar — "... Revisit a favorite band, author, book, film, or person, and you will discover new in the old." 5. Don't Be Afraid of Negative Events — "... it is a fact of life: bad things happen. It's OK to fail; it's OK to feel negative emotions. Remember Nietzsche: these challenges will make you wiser. Remember James Joyce: Per aspera ad astra—through hardship to the stars. ..." 4. Write and Tell — "Richness is the accumulation of interesting stories. It's important to remember them, and writing is an excellent way to do it. ... Just as wealth can be transferred across generations and help the next generation become materially rich, your stories can be transferred to the next generation and help them become psychologically rich." 3. Be Spontaneous — "... Deviate from routines from time to time. Be Alice in Alice in Wonderland! Seek the unknown. Stop by a gallery, a used bookstore, or a Goodwill store. You never know what you will find." 2. Be Playful! — "We all have a lot of obligations ... Yet it is in playful moments ... that we may discover something unexpected, learn something new, and gain new insight into our goals. ..." 1. Just Do It! — "... On days when people do something new, they feel that the day is psychologically richer, as well as happier and more meaningful. ..."
He offers a "Top Ten" countdown list:
Bottom line: Intriguing, fun, arguable, well-written, and overall not terribly surprising! – and largely lacking in real-world Bayesian-probabilistic thinking. Oishi doesn't talk much about the downsides of an adventurous lifestyle – the risks of disaster, bankruptcy, suffering, and harming others.
Maybe balance is needed, here as in all things?
(cf In Balance (2000-09-05), Big Five (2018-03-26), Compassion and Balance (2023-05-17), Back in Balance (2023-07-18), Finding Meaning in an Imperfect World (2025-02-20), ...) - ^z - 2025-09-16