Money can buy happiness.....What price happiness?
By fab315
@fab315 (1231)
Philippines
August 9, 2007 8:29am CST
Academic research has shown that money can buy happiness-but only to a point. It still can't buy you love.
Having more money does make you happier if you start out poor, and get enough more money to raise your living standard.
At the middle-class level, it can protect you from having to worry about hunger and security.
But once you have enough money to meet your basic needs, having even more money doesn't necessarily bring more happiness. It may only buy social isolation, increased responsibilities and more headaches. Just ask those sad, lonely and brankrupt lottery winners that pop up in the news from time to time.
The relationship between money and happiness is in fact very complicated, according to Ed Diener, a psychologist and expert. People in wealthy nations tend to be happier than those in poorer nations, but people who value money too highly tend to be less happy than others, he says.
It's a tricky balance: Having some money can definitely help you get happy, but caring about it too much can backfire.
Money may not be able to buy happiness, but weirdly, happiness seems to lead to more money.People who are outgoing, optimistic, skilled and feel good about themselves (the happy people) tend to make more money, say the social scientists. It's worth a try, right? - (Reuters)
So here's the discussion:
-Is money the "everything" in your life? Does it matter more that anything?
-Do you think that money can really buy happiness?
-If you have lots of money, how are you going to use your personal wealth to make your life more satisfying?
cheers!:D
2 people like this
13 responses
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
9 Aug 07
I don't think money brings you happiness, it can buy you things to make you happy for awhile but that is superficial happiness, happiness can be with very poor people who are happy when they just get a meal to feed their hunger, real happiness comes from within more it you are happy with yourself. If you look at a lot of ricj people they are happy they are rich but their happiness doesn't come from within....
2 people like this
@shravnann (32)
•
10 Aug 07
That right. the person who have money he won't sleep comely.
for example u can take Mr.Newton.he got money for his experiment as 10,000$ on that night,he can't able to sleep.happiness come not the money its dependent up on the people who live around u or who love U truly.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157545)
• United States
9 Aug 07
I do not have lots of money, so that is why I work too much right now. I think the "happy" part of money would be the relief from stress, and the free time that it will eventually lead to. Another happy part of having money is being able to do good, to give some away, or to have enough time to do good. I have less money than I did ten years ago, but if I was caught up on my bills, I would be happier now in general. We had some health and employment issues that have driven us very deeply into debt, and it will take awhile to get back out of it. Money is not the everything in my life, time is, money can not buy happiness, but it can by freedom, and if I had lots of money, I would give it away, at least some of it, and help other people.
@mavisbike (1526)
• United States
10 Aug 07
I would say money does make you happy because it gives you the ability to do what you want like go to a sporting event u cannot do that with out money and its alot of fun
@wisedragon (2325)
• Philippines
10 Aug 07
Yes, somehow money can lead to happiness. If you have lots and lots of it, you wouldn't have to work. Wouldn't that be nice? You would have no stress, no pressure, no boss. You would have complete control over your life and your time. You would be able to do whatever you want, go wherever you want, buy whatever you want, whenever you want. Some people would consider that happiness, especially being able to spend more time with their family.
@mandalashir (70)
• China
10 Aug 07
I agree in part that money can buy happiness.When I'm bored or disappointed,I'lide to go outside to do shopping.If I buy something I like finally,I will feel happy.
However,every coin has two sides.Money can aslo lead to unhappiness.If one person has lots of money,he will want more.Everyone he only think how to make more money instead of how to use his money.Maybe he will feel anxious,upset,even despair.Happiness go away from him.
So,I think the relationship between money and happiness is what we think about money and how we use it.
@little_angel (2458)
• Australia
9 Aug 07
Hello fab315
I think money only give you a dream of happiness or love, but not the real happiness and a true love.
All people need money to support their life, but not all people really happy to be rich.
Happiness is from our heart not outside. Money is a tool to make us happy but will not give you a true happiness.
We can go everywhere we want, and can buy anything. We can have a lot of friends and power if we have a lot of money. But we still can't be happy from the inside.
The true happiness is love, if you have a real love from someone then you will have a pure happiness.
For me money just a tool or something for support my life, but not everything.
If I have a lot of money, then I will make all my family member and friend more happy with my money.
God bless you
*angel
@psyche49f (2502)
• Philippines
10 Aug 07
Consciously, it is not, although I'd be a hypocrite if I claim not to consider it as a basic necessity to survive...but when I am at work, I usually don't think about the income or salary that goes with it...for me, it is service to my institution, and to help achieve its vision-mission...strange? But it is true...so consciously I don't think of money all the time...you are right that money can buy happiness up to a certain extent...but definitely, there are lots of things that money cannot buy, like love, friends, happiness...one can buy the most expensive bed, but not sleep, a rich man can buy the best foods, but not appetite, and so on....and I don't think money can buy real happiness all the time...if I have lots of money, I'd give some to charity or to my Church...that would be my real source of joy...but as of now I have limited resources, so I could not really do these things yet...
@fab315 (1231)
• Philippines
10 Aug 07
Strange? not at all. I personally don't think of the income or the salary i'm getting when it comes to my work, what's important to me is that i'm happy with my work.
You have a good heart my friend..thinking of giving to charity. Take care. Thanks
cheers! :D
@bagumbayan (2705)
• Philippines
10 Aug 07
Inner peace, joy, love and care cannot be bought by money. And that is the ultimate happiness, when you are with the whole family, when you are not sick, when there are no problems on hand and can manage to work it well. Of course it can also buy happines of some of your material happiness, new clothes, new house, new cars, new shoes, new friends, new food meantime it can bring you that happiness but after youve gotten these material things, you go back to zero, youre timid,not happy at all.
1 person likes this
@bapinag (30)
• India
9 Aug 07
Well, when the question is whether money can bring happyness, the answer is sometimes yes and in many no. When you are in deep debt, money can give you some happyness by way of relief. And a relieved person may make more money. But if you go for real happyness, only love can bring it. Spread love to all, and you would get happyness on their happyness. You can do it by spreading money, but in that case you would have some follower, not admirer, friend or loved ones. They would always say you are right, but never point out your mistakes.
Actually, the subject is very vast, so in short I think, the happyness bought against money is like some flowers in a flower-vass, and the happyness bought against love is flowers in a garden.
1 person likes this
@qudsiakarim85 (82)
• Pakistan
9 Aug 07
according to me money is very important in life because a person can buy anything from money as everyone said that you cannot buy love from money but i say that a person can buy even love from money as there is a phrase money talks n really money talks loud
1 person likes this
@mark_vince (1)
• Philippines
10 Aug 07
I don't think money can buy happiness. it can buy pleasure, yes, but happiness, it's too hard to imagine. I learned about a poem last year telling Money can buy books, but not knowledge, cosmetics but not beauty, a house but not a home, medicine but not health,etc. Sometimes, we really don't know what can make us happy? However, money can lead to greater fulfillment. we can make use of it to fulfill those things that can make us happy. For example, sharing is what gives money its value.I hope that makes sense.
1 person likes this
@hellokitten1 (19)
• China
10 Aug 07
I dont think money is everything!you just need to do yourself then you will happy
1 person likes this
