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Can money buy happiness?


Still Waters

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Many shoppers, whether they buy material items or life experiences, are no happier following the purchase than they were before, according to a new study from San Francisco State University.

http://news.sfsu.edu...-some-answer-no

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I'm not sure if 'happiness' is the right word, but money does make life so much easier. It takes away the worries and stress of paying bills etc., simple every day things like food we need to get by on. To pay for a roof over our heads - I suppose in a way that can be considered 'happiness'.

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Yeah, money is one of the variables needed to be happy, with out it life can be quite a struggle just to keep yourself afloat!

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if its a cigar called Hamlet, then yes :)

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if its a cigar called Hamlet, then yes :)

I remember those ads! :D

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I remember those ads! :D

the thread title put the phrase straight into my mind :)

glad you picked up on it :tu:

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Yes, money can buy you happiness if its yours, its when its borrowed or on a credit card, thats when the problems start.

Edited by freetoroam
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No, But I think everyone can agree that it probably helps :innocent:

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I feel if the world was less OCD over material pleasures then the whole world would take a step forward.

It's going to take a breaking point to see this.

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As long as you have enough to live comfortably and earn enough of an excess to buy yourself something nice or go on a holiday every so often then it's fine. An excess of money detracts the value of all these to the point that their own value to you is detracted as much. Joe Rogan illustrated the point quite well in a popular radio segment of his on materialism. It's on YouTube if you simply search Joe Rogan materialism. Worth a listen to.

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Money can bring peace of mind which is a fairly important prerequisite to happiness.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I suppose it can allow one to do and experience things that make them happy . But it's no guarantee. Disaster or personal tragedy can put happiness on hold in a heartbeat.

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The way the world is these days, money is more of a neccesity than it every was. I'm not sure if it buys "happiness", but rest assured, you wouldn't be that happy without any. Money represents so many different things depending on who is spending it. For the superficial, it represents; material possessions, entertainment, fun, but for the less fortunate it represents; stability, food, and safety. Money is subjective, it's relevance and worth are based soley on who is using it and for what purpose.

Well that's just my opinion anyway :)

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I know people with money. They are not happier. It always seems that you would have less stress if you had more money. The truth is many people are not disciplined enough to handle it. a few million bucks ends your small time money problems and brings on big ones. It doesn't take long with a few mil before you want a bigger house, more maintenance, more taxes. Nicer car, more expensive vacations etc etc. Then often people find themselves working their lives away just to stay wealthy. Living very humbly on a chunk of cash is the way to go, but emotional control is a rare thing.

Often people with money have far more problems with substance abuse, relationships, the law, and quite a bit of other things. Hollywood is a good example. The happiest people are monks that meditate on compassion, little old ladies in traditional okinawan villages, and 3 year olds.

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Someone said somewhere: money can't buy happiness, but it can make the quest for happiness much more comfortable.

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I know people with money. They are not happier. It always seems that you would have less stress if you had more money. The truth is many people are not disciplined enough to handle it. a few million bucks ends your small time money problems and brings on big ones.

...

I think the problem with having a lot of money is that everyone wants a piece of your money. You don't know who to trust. Predators of all kinds come out looking for you.

Of course, if no one knows you have money, that could be the best thing. But it's not that I have money, of course. I wouldn't be seeking free entertainment here otherwise. B)

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I think money can set up happiness. If I had more, I'd stress less about skipping meals so i am sure my daughter has good food, wearing old clothes so she can have 'hip' clothing, etc. I don't want much, just enough to be comfortable. That would help me in being happy.

Though a bigscreen tv, sound system, video games and a wet bar would kick butt, these are petty desires in my book. Speaking of books, I use money for books and books make me happy... so... I guess it's up to the person.

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I'd say this it sucks so hard when your poor, and I mean poor to the point of not eating for days on end

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Many shoppers, whether they buy material items or life experiences, are no happier following the purchase than they were before, according to a new study from San Francisco State University.

http://news.sfsu.edu...-some-answer-no

I think that spending money on self is not a happy thing. However spending money, AND time, on others does make me happy.

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Sure. It bought me a small apartment that I alone occupy and that makes me very happy.

That being said, western society thrives on money and you can do NOTHING without it so having it makes life easier which means you're more content and happier.

You can say you're happy to just have your loved ones or pets but what does it take to sustain them and yourself? Money! lots of it - from your food to your heat, your clothes and even your very life should you be unfortunate enough to land in hospital; sure you'll get cured but the misery begins once you step out alive and well...with a fat bill to pay and what makes that bill go away? There's no need to explain at this point, is there?

TL;DR

In a world that functions on money, having it can make you very happy indeed.

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People make me more happy than possessions. I can always replace my stuff. I can't replace people. I find more value and derive more happiness from them. So I agree with the general saying that "Money can't buy happiness."

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I think the problem with having a lot of money is that everyone wants a piece of your money. You don't know who to trust. Predators of all kinds come out looking for you.

Of course, if no one knows you have money, that could be the best thing. But it's not that I have money, of course. I wouldn't be seeking free entertainment here otherwise. B)

It's not totally free. Your attention is worth something.

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It's much more palatable to ask this question to someone who has money so they can say, "Meh, it's not all that it's cracked up to be..." Why don't we try asking someone from a ghetto, projects, barrio or a trailer park and see what the answer would be?

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