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From watching various documentaries, I've also noticed that kids in third-world countries seem generally happier than kids here who have so much more. Maybe they just appreciate the simpler things and have closer connections to their families..
I've been to Russia.. I don't know if that's considered a true third-world country, but people there are much poorer than in the U.S. Kids there appreciate the simple things in life and aren't a bunch of spoiled brats.
It does, to a certain extent. I think things like a happy family and health are more important but never underestimate the power of money. I remember reading a study suggesting money does indeed play a factor in people's happiness. Dirt poor people are rarely happy but there comes a point when additional money doesn't really buy additional happiness. Money allows opportunity, which may or may not be taken advantage of, for people to have some of what they want. As for me, if I had a upper-middle class income with a nice family and good health, that's pretty much the epitome of happiness for me. Being a billionaire would not make me much, if any, happier.
Yes, comfort but not always happiness from an ex cabbie
Quote:
Originally Posted by kgordeeva
I think it provides more comfort than happiness.. I believe happiness comes from inside... If you have severe depression, winning the lottery won't make you happy-go-lucky.
Many moons ago when I was a youth I was a cab driver in a large city. People will tell you the most intimate things when you're a young kid driving cab because they know they will never see you again and it doesn't matter what they say. I used to pick up a lot of WEALTHY people. I know because I'd take them to their mansions or they were famous. Several of these people told me about their bad marriages, the fatal sicknesses in their families, and other serious problems. And they were VERY unhappy. Sometimes crying in my cab. So yeah money can sometimes buy you happiness, but it's definitely no guarantee. And money can DELAY death, but not prevent it. Mostly money buys you comfort,but not always. Sometimes the poorest people are the happiest because they are loved.
Anyway, people can define happiness whatever way they want. But there’s no warranty that the more money they have, the more happiness they can buy. It’s just luck or fate.
Sometimes, you have lots of money, big house and everything today; tomorrow, everything is gone. Or if or when your health goes downhill rapidly, no matter you have the best insurance to provide you all the care services, and when you are in pains, or being bedridden, there’s no happiness at all.
Sometimes, you treat your children, relatives, friends… the way you think that is good, but they don’t think so, and they turn against you, there’s nothing you can do.
It’s hard to say. Happiness is subjective. And it’s not guaranteed with money that you can buy.
I agree with this post. The answer to the thread question is “It depends and it’s complicated.”
Money buys material things like a nice house, cars, travel experiences, etc. I have a higher standard of living now than I did 25 years ago. I have a family that I am grateful for. And that has made me happier.
But I have also lost people and relationships that were precious to me. For example, I used to very close to my mother and she passed away 5 years ago. There is this hollow feeling I’ve had ever since because of that. I’ve also had people who I thought were friends betray my trust.
Money can’t cure these kinds of things. You will have ups and downs no matter how much money you have. Life is like that.
A lack of money can cause stress and unhappiness. The more money you make, the happier you can be because you can afford what you need and a lot of what you want, but according to a study by U Penn, there is a point where earning more money stops making you happier. I just Googled it and in 2010, the "magic amount" was $75K. I am sure it's more now.
I think I have first hand experience with this. I am very happy with my life. I have everything I need, I am comfortable, and I can afford wants like vacations (although I have to save up for them and I can only go every 3-4 years... but saving up is part of the fun for me). And I am close to family and have very good friends. Life is good and I've never felt more content with things. I make $80K a year.
My ex-husband, last I knew, makes $250K a year. He's always going on luxury vacations, has a new BMW every couple of years, and his clothes look expensive to me. But he's unhappy and miserable a lot of the time (at least according to our daughter since I don't interact with him much). He argues with people, can't keep friends, can't keep lovers, and has developed a drinking problem. He actually thinks I am close to him, care about him, and I am his friend when the truth is I am polite and mature towards him, but really indifferent about him. He sees a therapist, which I guess helps, but he's just a miserable person. I know our daughter doesn't like seeing him anymore and does so only out of a sense of obligation. It's sad actually.
A lack of money can cause stress and unhappiness. The more money you make, the happier you can be because you can afford what you need and a lot of what you want, but according to a study by U Penn, there is a point where earning more money stops making you happier. I just Googled it and in 2010, the "magic amount" was $75K. I am sure it's more now.
I think I have first hand experience with this. I am very happy with my life. I have everything I need, I am comfortable, and I can afford wants like vacations (although I have to save up for them and I can only go every 3-4 years... but saving up is part of the fun for me). And I am close to family and have very good friends. Life is good and I've never felt more content with things. I make $80K a year.
My ex-husband, last I knew, makes $250K a year. He's always going on luxury vacations, has a new BMW every couple of years, and his clothes look expensive to me. But he's unhappy and miserable a lot of the time (at least according to our daughter since I don't interact with him much). He argues with people, can't keep friends, can't keep lovers, and has developed a drinking problem. He actually thinks I am close to him, care about him, and I am his friend when the truth is I am polite and mature towards him, but really indifferent about him. He sees a therapist, which I guess helps, but he's just a miserable person. I know our daughter doesn't like seeing him anymore and does so only out of a sense of obligation. It's sad actually.
Most people would be happy with 75K.
That's really enough to support yourself almost anywhere and save for retirement and give yourself reasonable extras.
The problem is that you usually have to work a difficult job to get that salary. It is NOT easy, to find a chill job where you make that much money, under mostly any cost of living scenario.
I'm aware some people make that much and significantly more to do nothing, but that's not the norm.
And for those who say it's easy ... well give me one.
A lack of money can cause stress and unhappiness. The more money you make, the happier you can be because you can afford what you need and a lot of what you want, but according to a study by U Penn, there is a point where earning more money stops making you happier. I just Googled it and in 2010, the "magic amount" was $75K. I am sure it's more now.
That would have to be an average that depends on your expenses because $75k in NYC does not give you the same lifestyle as $75K in Nebraska.
I think much of the difference in opinions comes from how we interpret the common saying "money can't buy happiness". I think many interpret it as WILL not CAN because who would dispute that it *can* buy some level of happiness for some people. I think some view it as meaning that no matter what the reasons for someone being unhappy (relationship, physical/mental health, career, etc.) it can be solved by injecting money and they will then be happy.
I don't think money will change the inner nature of a person but it can allow a happy person the means to express that happiness. I see every day people who are unhappy because of lack of money. Stress and worry can eventually beat down even a happy-natured person.
Often it seems to be a phrase used to convince people without money that it's ok for them to continue to not have money. Either the poor trying to convince themselves or their overlords trying to keep them in their place.
Define money.............to some people $50,000 would be all the money in the world! To others 50 million.
I have been lucky enough to mingle with some insanely wealthy people in my lifetime. Someone I looked up to for many reasons ended up going broke. He is still a good friend today despite our reversal of fortunes. He unknowingly taught me a lot of life lessons. One is to never look at the mansion until you look at the person you have to share it with!
Some people equate money with possessions. Possessions can be a hassle. I'm a car guy, yet I look at Jay Leno types as insane for owning 700 cars. I don't want 700 cars, heck you would have to drive 2 a day just to drive them all in a year!
I have a car that I truly enjoy, yet it irks me when it sits for a month and I haven't driven it. That seems like its wasteful.
I recently looked at a house with a 2800 sq ft garage, made to house a collection obviously. Yet I would feel too obligated to that garage/car collection to ever buy the house. Maybe if I was younger but then again I'd be the same guy annoyed that I didn't drive 1-2-5-10 of those cars this month. I'd be anxious having all that empty garage space, but I don't want the collection to own me.
Tale of two travesties of life.............getting what you want and not getting what you want.......Who is better off?
Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to move up the income brackets, and yes it does make me happy. However my family and health make me far far more contented.
Of course it makes it a lot easier to not be unhappy (due to an enormous decrease in stress). As witnessed by many of the disastrous lives of rich and famous people, wealth alone will never be the sole cause of a person's happiness. You also have your dirt-poor people that are happy (not overly common especially in western society, but it does happen as evidenced by my mom's childhood of pure bliss when they were dirt poor).
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Yes, comfort but not always happiness from an ex cabbie
