[dragonwriter]

I think that there is extensive evidence that happiness is not dependent on absolute condition alone, and often more signidicantly driven by condition relative to both past experience and contemporary context, so that your question is...largely irrelevant to experienced misery.

[dgfitz]

> more signidicantly driven by condition relative to both past experience and contemporary context

Well, if this is true, your point is moot. Children don't have past experience to compare to, they're children. Ask a 4 year old what 'contemporary context' is and you'll get a blank stare.

Kind of feels like you're arguing for the sake of arguing.