A LITTLE learning may be a dangerous thing; can plenty learning be an unhappy thing?

A new study by a sociology professor from the University of Maryland finds that 'happy people spend a lot of time socialising, going to church and reading newspapers - but they don't spend a lot of time watching television, that's what unhappy people do'.

By that account, I must be the unhappiest person on the island, as I watch at least 105 hours of TV a month.

Ever since my father brought home a 21-inch Siera - black and white, of course - from Asia Radio in Bencoolen Street in 1963 (only Bencoolen Street remains today), I have been glued to the goggle box.

Although the report states that people who describe themselves to be happy do watch television, it is quick to underline the point that that is the single activity they engage in less than unhappy people.

First, I did start out reviewing television programmes for my first own-self-earn money in 1969. I no longer critique TV, but I've not looked away since. Especially since cable entered the living room.

Second, in recent years, every quarter sees yet another repetitive finding on the subject of happiness. Citizens and nations are polled on how happy you are, what makes you happy, show me how you show happy.

The word 'finding' itself is clue enough, that happiness is elusive, if not somewhat lost and missing in cases, and that we should hell-bent pursue and poll it.

Listen, you have to 'find your own bliss', in the words of heiress Gloria Vanderbilt, who said that to her son Anderson Cooper (AC360, CNN) after his only sibling, his brother, committed suicide. (You see, you never watch TV, that's why you donno.)

It is very cliched to say that anyone who watches television a lot has no life (and therefore must be having an unhappy time of it).

Last week, I spent Thanksgiving in Las Vegas. Now there's an unhappy place for you, milling with people mindlessly jerking jackpot machines, hypnotised over gaming tables.

My family and friends (that's socialising) were rather delirious with joy, we'd booked into suites at The Venetian hotel, checked the resort section of some Nevada newspaper (reading), and on our cards was a visit to the Chapel of Love (going to church).

There were three TV sets in the suite and you could watch each at decent volume without encroaching on the other's space. The Mumbai attacks did give us that sinking feeling.

Not all, but much of my alleged learning comes from radio in the early days and currently television. Some of the best writing today is on TV, since the '90s anyway. Steven Bochco, David E Kelley, Aaron Sorkin. HBO, Boston Legal, The Sopranos, Mad Men. Provocative, riveting. Doc Martin, Frasier, convulse in laughter.

I am happy when I watch something that makes my heart sing, you?

Find your own happy would be closer to the answer.

For some, it's a bowl of rice, an ice cube to suck on, or a ring with a diamond the size of an ice cube.

There are those who do it by signing up for every available activity they see on banners fencing the neighbourhood community centre. Ballroom dancing, qigong, cake making, Spanish, karaoke class.

Others may read this as a desperate attempt at socialising because you're not happy when alone in your own company.

When you are able to spend time with a friend over a drink, saying a prayer, reading a book or paper, watching TV, you are at peace with yourself, and there's true happiness.

Catch anything interesting last night?

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