What is Digg?142 Comments
- 1KrazyKorean, on 10/12/2007, -6/+73People who say money doesnt make them happy, lie. I will be happy it makes me happy, just because I have less to worry about and I dont have to stress over if I can pay this bill or this bill. Its just nice to have money and not worry about things..
- leanweb, on 10/12/2007, -2/+28money cannot make you happy.
absence of money, however, can make you unhappy. - levitron, on 10/12/2007, -0/+25It certainly takes the sting out of being poor...
- joeydoo, on 10/12/2007, -7/+32Yeah, right on the money there bud...
You are utterly stupid if you win the lottery and it screws up your life. Those sad people who sit on millions and don't do anything should kill themselves.
The adage "money doesn't make you happy" is wrong. It should be "working for large amounts of money doesn't make you happy". Working long hours in stressful situations takes you away from your family and friends. That's where people have problems.... Addiction to work and greed.
If you know what to spend money on then you can spend longer with your family and friends..... that's free happiness right there. - AnteChronos, on 10/12/2007, -3/+27@joeydoo
"Those sad people who sit on millions and don't do anything should kill themselves."
If I had millions, I'd invest it and live off the interest, and I suspect that qualifies as "sitting on it" in your opinion. But I'd rather live in reasonable comfort that I know is fully sustainable than blow through my money and end up having to work again. - floatesque, on 10/12/2007, -0/+23How many people here have money and can actually say it makes them happy?
I have worked my ass off. I have a half million in cash in the bank and millions more in other assets. I thought making a lot of money would make me happy. It hasn't made much difference in my happiness. Many of my older friends now resent me because I have money, and I resent them because they've changed their attitude towards me.
It has reduced my stress... I don't worry about things that I used to, like putting up with crappy bosses and not being able to pay bills, but no matter how much money you have, you'll find someone who has more money. It's a never-ending cycle until you just stop, at any given moment and figure out what makes you happy -- and it really doesn't have anything to do with money. - nexah3, on 10/12/2007, -6/+25Your mind is what makes you happy, not a piece of paper with writing on it.
- Poco, on 10/12/2007, -3/+18"also, if i had millions, i would ... 3. save up for kids' education"
lol - If you had millions why would you need to SAVE UP for your kids' education? How much do you think it costs? Billions? - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+16money gets freedom in living situation, and freedom in living situation lends itself to a happier lifestyle.
of course, duh, if you're poor, you're going to be unhappy. in today's world, money *does* matter. but only to a certain extent. personally, if i made $300k/year instead of $200k/year, it probably isn't going to change my happiness by a whole lot, definitely not in the same way that changing from $20k to $30k would.
also, if i had millions, i would
1. travel the world
2. donate to charity
3. save up for kids' education
4. support causes including research and crap
i don't think that's a waste of money or that it's fair to say millionaires should kill themselves. a lot of them do good things with their money sooner or later, they just can't release it all in one go because it's usually mostly in equity. - inspecality, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16Yes. With it I can continue my two favorite addictions, hookers and blow.
- bigern75, on 10/12/2007, -5/+18It was the rich that said money doesnt make you happy because they dont want the poor to riot.
- Y0tsuya, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10Money may not make you happy, but being poor sucks. My family was food-stamp poor once. I know. It's not a good feeling to know that you exist due to the charity of others.
- Lavr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9What I was taught in a psychology class is that once you're at a certain "money level" the level of happiness doesn't change much if you are at that level or making a million bucks a year.
- Daedalus17, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9So rich people don't commit suicide? Right....
- sporkmonger, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9Completely agree. About 9 months ago, I quit my job to do work I enjoyed. Ended up making a lot less money, and living off my credit card for awhile. Wasn't stressful at first, but once I stopped being able to make minimum payments, it started being stressful, and even though I was doing work I genuinely enjoyed, I stopped being nearly as happy. Fast-forward to today: I've got a legit paying project for the next couple of months, and when the project is done, my debts will be gone, and I'll have about ten grand in the bank. Stress is gone, and I'm much, much happier. Actually, this is probably the most fun I've ever had while working.
The truth of the matter is, a balance is what you have to aim for. If all you care about is making money, you'll have no time for the better things in life, and you'll ruin your relationships with other people. If all you care about is being independent and having fun, you'll probably fail to make enough money to live on. Somewhere in the middle, there's a sweetspot, and that's where you end up being really happy.
Of course, the sucky part is that it's next to impossible to land there. I'm counting my blessings right now. - PYREX, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8wrong, money doesnt make you happy.
it makes you comfortable.
if youre already miserable, money wont make you happy. it will just make you comfortably miserable. - samssf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7False. It is the anticipating of buying the stuff. It's seriously like having sex. While you're having sex, it's awesome. Once you orgasm, it's really awesome... for just a moment, and then it's over.
The act of perusing or working to buy stuff is exciting and causes happiness. When you buy it, it's awesome. And then soon afterwards, your brain completely forgets. Sure, you can argue that the awesome car you bought gets you to work every day and is fun to drive. But I seriously doubt your mind gets excited and you jump for joy every time you get into your car after the first week or so of owning it. - robharper, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7That piece of paper with writing on it will buy you some food, though.
- Daedalus17, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6No actually the cost of "living" is much much less. It is our definition of what is "needed" that is much much higher then it ever was. If we stopped demanding all the luxuries we have now and lived like people 50 years ago the actual cost would be less then they had to pay. They didn't "need" cable tv, Internet, air conditioning, fancy cars, short work days, long vacations, college educations, cell phones, digital watches, or video games.
- Dumbledorito, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Or as it was once put more colorfully:
"Money may not buy happiness, but it sure does keep a mess of grief off of your front porch." - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7the most important things in life cannot be bought with money, but they sure can be prevented from existing by a lack of money.
take for example, love. love is something that cannot truly be bought with money. but if you're dying of a disease and can't afford medical care, i don't think you're going to go out and find a love anyway. but if you had money, you could perhaps have hope to be cured, and live a life under which you could. just a small example.
another example: food is one of the most important things in life (i mean, heck, you need food to live). if you don't have money, you're not getting it.
another example: you may be happy trying to pursue something, but a lack of money may be preventing you from pursuing it due to lack of time and needing to work a lot for something that you may not enjoy, just to get more money. i'm happy that i'm in graduate school now doing research. had my family not had money, i probably would *have* to work full-time instead and pay back loans. that wouldn't make me as happy as i am now. - floatesque, on 10/12/2007, -9/+15Money cannot bring happiness.
This is the illusion that the capitalist, consumer-obsessed media promotes. It's not true.
Money can make life easier and more comfortable, but as you get older, you realize the most important things in life cannot be bought with money. If you don't recognize this, you're young. In time you will. - samssf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Exactly.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5money beyond a normal amount does not make you happy, but if your broke then ***** ya some money can make you very happy
- magic6435, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6"Anyone who tells you that money is the root of evil doesn't ***** have any." "look at my smile, cheek to cheek baby!"
- Y0tsuya, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8A doobie makes you mind happy.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7@floatesque
money *can* bring happiness. it doesn't *necessarily* bring happiness. if you're having personal issues, of course money isn't going to fix a thing. but if your issue is that you're dirt poor and can't afford food, or are average but have this burning desire to travel the world, i think money may bring some happiness to you.
as for me, money would bring me happiness because my true desire in life is to work about 6-9 months a year and pursue my own interests and travel in the other 6 months. lack of money stops me from doing that, however. - AnteChronos, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Money, in and of itself, can't buy happiness. Money acts as more of an amplifier, if you will. If you have a positive outlook on life, you'll find that more money will allow you more free time to do things that you enjoy. If you're the type who can't see the silver lining, then you'll end up even more miserable because you'll expect the money to make things better, and it won't.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7People who say money can't buy happiness clearly do not know where to shop.
- samssf, on 10/12/2007, -4/+9"working for large amounts of money doesn't make you happy" I disagree. It baffles me that people still find this happiness stuff to be a mystery.
Happiness is an emotion. People can control their emotions and decide when to feel happy. You choose when to feel happy and when to feel unhappy. Yes, people with no money are going to find it harder to be happy. But once your basic needs in life are met, having more money will absolutely not make you happier.
What will make you happier? Working to achieve your goals. Lasting relationships. The anticipation of achieving or earning a specific thing. So you see, working hard to earn money does in fact contribute positively to your level of happiness. It is the act of pursuing it that makes you happy.
Desire is what drives humans. It is the anticipation that keeps a person going, and upon getting what he desires, that person will feel happiness. The duration of the feeling of happiness varies depending on the situation.
You can argue all you what, but if people had no bills or financial challenges in life, their level of happiness would decrease. This is because challenge and drama are exciting and drive people.
It seems most of the comments so far on this page are on the wrong track. Everyone think about this for a moment:
When was the last time you were not happy while having sex? While buying a new car? While playing a slot machine? While smoking weed? When you'd had a few drinks? When you were watching a good comedy?
The point is that things like friends, humor, sex, drugs, buying stuff, challenge, sports, anticipation, gambling, drama, and getting rewards are the things that make you happy (some are good and some are bad). And not having your basic needs met makes you unhappy. It just so happens that money buys you stuff and helps you meet your basic needs. That's a very very small piece of the puzzle.
Another thing I would like to point out: The more rare something is, the more valuable it will be to you. If you go out to eat at a very nice restaurant, or buy a nice car... and these are things that are rare for you and are hard-earned, you will be more happy and satisfied with these things than if they were earned easier (not as valuable to you). So actually, people who have more money and aren't as happy aren't morons... it's just science. - agildehaus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5The pursuit of money can turn you into a jerk, but money itself can only serve to provide you with experiences others can't have. Yes, having lots of money can make people act differently around you, but I think it would do an excellent job at showing the true nature of your friends.
All in all, there are people who are unhappy regardless of their fortune. The grass is always greener on the other side, so it is said. - vstmonger, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5All I know is that I have never had a lot of money, and I have never been very happy. I am 46 and am at the bottom of my U.
- TGMD, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Well, considering how prostitution is a growth industry.... yes?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Yes, to a point. But after you can get all the things you need and some you want, focusing on your relationships with others is far more important.
- Stevethegreat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Not happy, but surely less unhappy.
- samssf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Things don't create happiness. Your brain does. Once people start realizing this, a lot more people will actually choose their own level of happiness instead of letting outside influences affect their level of happiness and success.
This is the exact problem in society today. People say "well, I would be happy, but I can't... because I need [specific thing] and then I'll be happy"
or "I would be financially successful, but you need money to make money.. and I was born into a poor family"
or "Wellll I would start a business and get rich but I'm too busy"
It is amazing the excuses people can come up with to rationalize why they aren't at the level in life they would like to be.... rather than admit fault and take responsibility for their actions, at which point they would choose their own success and happiness.
No money = trapped and unhappy.
No money + strong character = find way to make money
Strong character = social needs met
Money for food and shelter + social needs met + strong character = happiness - swoopdog, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Happiness is an active experience, not a passive sensation. Thus, a woman who cooks a recipe of her own invention for her friends may find a great deal of pleasure and meaning in this undertaking, while a man who slaves all day to cook exotic food in an expensive restaurant will find that the purchases he makes with his paycheck cannot compensate him for the days of his life he has given up. You can purchase a twenty acre estate, the latest in status-symbol automobiles, and an entire wardrobe of unique and exquisite fashions, but the pleasure that these possessions afford cannot compare to the exhilaration of spending a day freely pursuing your desires.
by the way I work hard to save more, but I know at the end of the day my money, my job, my social status are not things that define me. - samssf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4It is difficult if you are raised having lots of money, because you never experience not having the money. The only way a human can value something is to know what it is like without it.
- lightmech, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4MONEY DOES NOT MAKE YOU HAPPY!
HOWEVER, Not having money...
WILL make your life HORRIBLE. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Money just takes away the worries of finding a place to live or putting food on the table. It doesn't make you look more attractive (except to gold diggers). It only affords you nicer toys. But if you're f$%ked up in the head, have more stress due to your money, it can definitely hurt you. Who would want to be in Britney Spears' shoes having 2 bastard kids? Or Paul McCartney having to fight off a gold digging ex-wife who demand half? Of course, those are the isolated few celebs, but half of marriages still end in divorce - rich or not.
- samssf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Sorry to hear that. I know one thing that is extremely valuable if you want to lead a happier life is to read good information about how the brain works... study psychology and write down goals every day. If you do this and can work on improving your character, you can very slowly (but with 100% success) improve your life over time. Pick weaknesses to focus on, study, read about human behavior, respect yourself, be a nice person, make friends, work hard in the workplace.
To make money you have to be socially intelligent and/or a hard worker. To be strong socially and be a hard worker, you have to be healthy, have energy, and definitely have confidence. To have confidence, energy, and be healthy - you have to eat well, exercise, and have self esteem. To have self esteem exercise, and eat well, you have to be disciplined, monitor yourself, and put your goals in writing. If your basic needs aren't met (food, shelter, peers) it can be hard to get off the ground... but you gotta start somewhere. - koko775, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4money doesn't make me happy.
HOWEVER, not having money makes me unhappy.
I want money so I have the freedom to make myself happy. I don't necessarily need money to do what I want to be happy, but I need it to have the freedom to do so.
Money doesn't make you happy, it lets you make yourself happy. - ersatzphi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Most people got it right that money doesn't make you happy but an absence of it will do the opposite. But if you're lonely you will find yourself very unhappy fast. So the key to happiness is financial security and family and friends in my opinion.
- Poco, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3But having money doesn't prevent you from doing things that make you happy.
- samssf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3"That is because the cost of living is also higher...much higher."
Far from the truth. Do some research. - NiGHTSChao, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Simple: No.
why? because money is a man-made concept of easy exchange, if humans developed some other system, or still relied on barter then we'd be totally different, thus money is nothing more then just an object that people do not require in life
There are plenty of people around the world that strive and prosper without money, but thats not saying poor people are wussies or anything, I'm just saying people can prosper without it, it is indeed very possible, just not easy for most - utcursch, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Anybody who says money doesn't make one happy, give me your moolah.
Money doesn't make one happy in and of itself. But it does make life easier in today's world, where the only thing that money can't buy is poverty. Having money gives you a feeling of security, and allows you to do things that you really want to do. Also, if I earn the money by overcoming a challenge, by hard work, it gives me a feeling of happiness. Of course, it goes without saying that you can be unhappy even if you've a lot of money (say, if you lost your true love).
Most of the thiefs, robbers, criminals come from poor backgrounds. Like George Bernard Shaw put it, Lack of money is the root of all evil.
On a more serious note, according to the Michigan State University psychologist Richard E. Lucas there are three interpretations and there is evidence for all of them:
1. Money makes you happier
2. Being happier in the first place allows you to earn more money later, maybe by way of greater creativity or energy
3. Some other factors produce both money and happiness - samssf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3No, I meant to be more clear that if you don't have your basic needs met, it is much more challenging to be happy. It's possible, but difficult.
Once you have your basic needs met, money does very little to help increase your happiness further. Does it? sure.... but not near as much as all the other factors. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3What is happiness, but the temporary absence of sadness? What causes sadness? Not having one's needs met. Money takes care of a whole lot of needs. Therefore, money certainly does buy some major components of happiness, a hell of a lot more than the lack of money can get you. Of course, money in itself is just paper and metal. Happiness only comes from using money, not from simply having it.
Overcoming struggles in life brings happiness. The rich person would never want to be poor, because he instantly knows that his money does indeed guarantee him security in the basic essentials that produce happy feelings like food, shelter, attractive mates and access to interesting information among others. Poor people often wish they were rich because they realize how much of their lack of happiness is tied directly to lack of money. If money = time, then you acquire more free time by having more money, if you choose to exchange it. - Leomarth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Money lets you be who you really are. Lack of money just constrains many peoples real selves from coming out. If you're a good person at heart, money will let you be that. If you're a bad person, then the money gets blamed.
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