Money and Happiness

[downsowf]

I always hear the expression that money doesn't equal happiness. However, I was wondering whether having lots of money gives you the opportunity to be more happy (if that makes sense)? Would you ever consider being miserable for a couple of years to make lots of money? Have you ever compromised your happiness to make money? I understand having a family might be a justification for this, but other than that, what would be another reason?

 

[Dapper Dan]

Well, we INTPs do love to sit around doing nothing all day. And since making money generally involves the opposite of that...

I'm not sure that sort of instant gratification really qualifies as happiness, though.

 

[Smooch]

I truly believe happiness comes from within and is someone we have control over-for the most part. Happiness is noticing the good things as they happen and not constantly dwelling on the negatives in life.

It honestly depends on the standard of living, for the person and the society. All humans have the same basic needs, but we all also have different comfort levels if that makes sense (and this is perfectly fine, imo).
I can't really speak for everyone but from what I've seen people tend to be happiest when they have a roof(why do I feel like I'm spelling that wrong ) over their head and can shower and eat without worry. They go to jobs that they hate to pay for these things.

I know one person who was happy living on the streets and bumming around (and using people >.> but we won't get into that).

But, to answer your question, I personally /would/ be miserable for a couple of years to make lots of money.

I do think there is such a thing as too much money (ahem top 1%). Look at those fools. They're oblivious and bored.

People who say that they hate money irk me. Usually they say they wish we could go back to the days of trading objects, because nowadays money isn't actually backed up by anything solid. Well, that may be true to some extent, but, money is here to stay, to that I say, get used to it. :/ Let's use it efficiently.

Then there's communism....okay, I'm getting slightly off topic now

 

[SpaceYeti]

Money doesn't equal happiness, but I've always heard the expression "Money can't buy you happiness". With which I disagree. I used to be very poor. I was living in a hellhole of a city, in a crappy apartment downtown. When my roommate got kicked out because he was an asshole who couldn't keep a job because he somehow thought it wasn't his responsibility to do what his manager told him to do, I had to move into the back of my aunt's trailer. When my car broke down, I had $600. I joined the military, but wouldn't ship for five months. I lived on $600 for five months, using it basically for food and internet, treating myself to fast food about once every week or two. I couldn't afford to go visit my son who lived a few hundred miles away.

I was not happy.

I certainly couldn't claim I'm rich, but I have a steady income, now. My bills are getting paid off, I have a car, I have a place to live, and I can have fast food whenever I want to, though I prefer my wife's cooking. I need not. I'm physically healthy, I eat more than the bare minimum with a treat here or there, and I can even afford entertainment, like my new computer, my new 50' TV, my PS3, and my iPod. Oh and not only can I visit my son, I can afford for him to live with me, alongside my wife of just over a year, his mother.

I'm happy.

The claim money can't buy happiness is only true by technicality. No, there's no store where you can go exchange money for happiness, but the more money you have, the less stress you're under and the more fun you're able to have. It's that simple.

 

[Dapper Dan]

The claim money can't buy happiness is only true by technicality. No, there's no store where you can go exchange money for happiness, but the more money you have, the less stress you're under and the more fun you're able to have. It's that simple.

I don't think applies all the way across the spectrum, though. Sure, there's an arbitrary point below which your lack of money becomes stressful, which in turn can cause unhappiness. But excess income above that threshold seems to have little positive effect on overall happiness.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

I don't like not having enough money to feed myself. Been there, didn't like. Money in this respect makes me happy because I can afford to eat.

 

[Jelly Rev]

How much money are we talking? Are we talking enough where I could use this money to do some major good?? Like help others in a big way? like Help 1000's starving kids?!?!?!

 

[Cognisant]

But excess income above that threshold seems to have little positive effect on overall happiness.

That depends entirely upon your ability to appreciate the finer things.

Attending professional theatre as often as most young adults attend the cinema is not something I or most people can afford, let alone being able to bring friends and family along with me, but that's something I really wish I could do. Then there's things like alcohol, give the average redneck/bogan a nice bottle of wine and they'll like it because it gets them drunk faster, whereas a more tasteful person will savour it and actually pay attention to the taste. It's the difference between watching a movie for the explosions and actually enjoying the plot, which you can do whilst also enjoying the explosions.

 

[Puffy]

Maybe money buys comfort (?)

 

[lucky12]

I just want to chirp you guys for talking about this.. but I'm just as bad.

Money gives and takes. The end.

I have money but it has already technically been spent before it leaves my account. Going to school is expensive. Sometimes I don't eat a good meal because I need that money, but sure I can whip up some fucked up oatmeal concoction.

A lot of my friends get hand outs..
They use it on alcohol and drugs though, haha. Then they go home for christmas and get gifts they barely use and which are expensive. I live in a rich area.

Money makes me happier, especially when I see people who haven't had much even though they deserve it more.

 

[Dimensional Transition]

I don't think applies all the way across the spectrum, though. Sure, there's an arbitrary point below which your lack of money becomes stressful, which in turn can cause unhappiness. But excess income above that threshold seems to have little positive effect on overall happiness.

That summarizes my thoughts on this exactly.

You need a certain amount of money to get "access" to material things that generally make a lot of things in life easier, and thus, you happier. Once you go beyond that threshold, though, it isn't all that effective anymore. Everybody will be happy enough living in a normal home, with access to things like internet, heating, a washing machine, healthy food, etc. Living in a giant house and owning a ridiculously expensive car and a pool and such won't make you a lot happier. Over time, I actually think you'll begin to feel empty in a way.

 

[Reluctantly]

Let me find out! Everyone donate $1,000 into my bank account. When I've accumulated a million dollars, I'll begin the experiment.

 

[EditorOne]

I'm pretty sure happiness isn't automatic when money is abundant. There's ample evidence.

However, here's one you can embrace: Not enough money is a major source of unhappiness, including emotions that are behind a lot of divorces, child abuse, spouse abuse, chemical abuse and road rage. Show me someone in the dock for one of the above and I'll go back two steps and probably show you someone feeling very inadequate because there's not enough money to take care of basics. It's the headwaters of a stream named Misery that eventually dies in a slough of despondency and rage.

 

[Jah]

http://www.spring.org.uk/2011/12/8-psychological-keys-to-spending-wisely.php
psyblog about spending money...


and a research paper titled "If money doesn't make you happy, then you probably aren't spending it right" :
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1057740811000209


it's not automatic; money does not equal happiness, but money can get you happiness a whole lot quicker than not having money would.

 

[Agent Intellect]

$75,000 US buys happiness. Above that, you get diminished returns.

 

[pjoa09]

money is resource.

more resources the better off you are.

the better off you are the happier you are.

more asses.
more tits.
more cars.
more houses.

oh shit fuck hungover.
I think I might thread it.

 

[Spirit]

Money does not buy happiness. A stable person that does not have to worry about his needs being met is content. If the ability to waste money or resources is the source of "ones" happiness, then there will never be enough money.

As a child:
No responsibilities. Explore the world and play as much as possible

As an adult:
I think doing a job you love while having your needs met financially equal one part of "happiness". The other part of happiness, is sharing your life with like minded individuals.



I have a car I like. Do I need a more expensive vehicle to be happier?
I like where I live. Do I need a bigger place to be happier?
I like my friends. Do I need more friends to be happier?
I love my kids. Do I need more kids to be happier?

If your happiness is predicated on what others have versus what one has, one will never be happy

 

[snafupants]

The closer one is to existential simplicity - the converse doesn't necessarily wholesale overlap with intelligence (Saul Bellow's "high-IQ moron" creations, for example) - the more apt one is to find unqualified pleasure in a robust paycheck. My father, although quite witty, industrious and competent, is rather simple and doesn't covet or fathom beyond his business; I mean, he's not like woodsy or anything, he's just average in terms of complexity, and he readily admits that much. He enjoys brownies, computer manuals, and unwinding in front of the television, which is fine. Usually money is an ancillary thing for a yogi or genius or someone genuinely developed psychologically on a certain plane...or with grandiose expectations/ambitions/plans to develop in the future.