What's more important to you?

Theophany

Theophany

Theophany

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1 Sep 2010
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Hey GD,

What is more important to you - money or happiness?

I realise that this isn't an entirely original question and that there is a certain degree of crossover; after all, money doesn't buy happiness, but it can stave off a lot of the crap everybody goes through that makes us unhappy. But would you, for example, take a job you hated for megabucks if it directly precluded you being happy (ridiculous hours, unable to see your family or unable to find a partner)? Or would you take a big ticket lottery win if you knew that doing so would make you miserable?

It's something I've wrestled with a few times over the years and I'm still not certain as to how I would answer it. I'm actually very happy in my own company, but at the same time I do still hold out on that ideal of love Hollywood has been selling us for decades. At the same time, I'm not convinced I could turn down a job paying an exorbitant salary!

What say you, GD?

(Also, mods, if you could do that voodoo that you do do so well with the poll thing, that would be just tops)

Love and kisses;
Theophany
 
More money -> Less Stress -> More Happiness.
More money -> More materialistic items -> More fun.

But no, I wouldn't work for a lot of money if I couldn't enjoy the money at the same time.

Lets be honest, homeless people aren't particularly happy. But I guess that is one extreme of it. The other extreme would be Keanu Reeves (if the story behind that is true).
 
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I'd go for money. I've never really done happiness so I'd rather be rich and meloncholic that not rich and meloncholic.
 
Currently, money. I'm happy where I am, but extra money (which the substantial pay rise I'll be receiving in May shall provide) will allow me to partake in more activities and thus be happier. In particular, social occasions.

I'm starting from the very bottom, it's not really (legally) possible for me to earn less than I am currently, but it's a job I am extremely interested in with huge future potential, so I am perfectly content with my current position.
 
Money remove most of life's stresses in order to pave way to get happiness. It doesn't however bring true happiness.

My happiest times was when i was a student had the least money then.
 
I do alright, I have a job I love and get paid in more ways than just money.

It directly denies me a fairly large chunk of my life and my work/life balance is very heavily tilted towards work. Almost entirely, to be quite honest.

Am I happy? No.
Would I change it? No.
 
The most important thing in life is HEALTH! ;)

Life= Health, happiness and then money why? because money cannot buy the first two! :p
 
robgmun said:
This. And because of that I hate the question. It's a happy clappy hippy question.
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I've probably phrased it poorly, it isn't supposed to be! I've always thought of myself as being very much financially orientated, but recently I've come to think that even if I'm not getting paid as much as I'd dreamed of as a kid, I'm happy and that negates it.
 
Theophany said:
there is a certain degree of crossover
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Simple answer is happiness... if was happy, then I wouldn't have much need of money (if I did, then that would represent unhappiness).

Taking a more diverse view it is the balance of work vs home life that matters I think. You will get diminishing returns at the extreme ends of the scale e.g. earning £1bn or £2bn a year probably makes not much difference whereas extra time with the family might do. Conversely spending all day every day with the family may be worse overall that giving up some time to earn money to make the time you do have together more enjoyable.
 
Moses said:
The question doesn't reveal anything meaningful, imo. It'd be better to pose scenarios - eg. working x hours, plus y commute, for £z salary, or something.

I mean, obviously everyone wants to be happy, but some money's needed for that. And obviously everyone likes the idea of earning good money, but not at the expense of any happiness. The question's where they draw the line... a question a binary choice doesn't answer.
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A fair point, but in the parlance you've suggested it becomes very prescriptive and less clear. You could work x hours but still be happy because of the people you work with or for, etc. As I said in the OP (I think? Even I didn't read a Theophany post, they're usually crap.) it's a highly theoretical question.
 
Hmmm

A constant life of super cars high class hookers and all other manner of buy able fun vs poor and happy


Rich and miserable for me please where do I sign up
 
Moses said:
True, but I guess I tend to want to quantify things... especially if there's going to be a poll (otherwise there's more of a risk of subjective responses all mixing into categories, which'll defeat the object of the poll anyway?). My list wasn't exhaustive, or a final set, btw.
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You know that my polls aren't going to make it to the ONS. Snail or slug still hasn't made it to their database yet. :p
 
Money.

Most of the things I do is for money. Most of the time people are upset around me is because of lack of money. There have been very few times in my life where things have upset me or made me happier where money isn't involved.

I spend 5 days a week working at a place. I don't dislike the job, I don't really like it. I do it because it gives me money. If I don't work I can't enjoy myself on my bike, I can't eat (I love eating) and I can't sleep (I love sleeping)

Most of my decisions are based around money.

More money for me = happiness. Money is almost everything to me as a person living in the first world.
 
FACT!

Money is not everything, it just helps. ;)

I hate money! It rules everything most people think is important and makes everyone a greedy little ****! :mad:
 
Having more money than I need, to being in poverty made almost no difference to my happiness.

Raymond Lin said:
My happiest times was when I was a student had the least money then.
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Same,
doing something I liked and having less responsibility was far more important.

Money is vastly more important to women I think,
we are just expected to acquire it.


/
 
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