Can money buy happiness?

Skyfall said:
Don't make me laugh.
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OK, well let me explain my particular experience with this. A while ago a relationship of mine ended. I was absolutely gutted and struggled for months (and still do in some ways) to deal with this. During this time, I:

- Graduated from uni, parents gave me a fairly large whack of money as a congratulations.
- Started a PGCE and things have gone incredibly well, well on the way to qualifying in June. Part of this involves getting given £1000 a month tax free as an incentive to train.
- Sorted a job as a teacher for a September start, first interview and first one my course to sort a job. Wage will be great for me, and i'll be leaving home to live in Newark.
- Got a new car, Celica. Then two weeks later ended up buying an MR2 for 10K+
- Over the past 6 months I have pretty much gutted my wardrobe and bought all new clothes.

However, none of this has made me feel any better. I still felt like complete **** the majority of the time.

The only thing that did the trick was going out with some old mates recently and having one of the best nights i've had in years. It made me realise the important things in life.

Maybe not having money sucks, but there are far more important and fulfilling things in life that money can't buy.
 
reflux said:
Hmmm, I think you're looking at it the wrong way. It might be great at first but where's the long term fulfillment? It might make things easier in the short term but what have you go to work for? What have you got to achieve? Where's the sense of satisfaction from sitting back after a hard day's work and feeling proud of what you've done and the money you've earned? It feels a lot better buying something when you've worked hard for it.

There are a lot of things money can't buy - it might sound trite but you're a very shallow person if you don't believe that.
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ok, first up I will say that I am a firm advocate that you don't need money to be happy. And that's true. Though in our society it helps a lot.

However to say that money can't buy you happiness is short sighted, narrow minded and probably judgemental.

Imagine this very simple scenario; Homeless man is on the streets addicted to drugs, stealing etc to fulfil his addiction, life expectancy is low and he's stuck in a cycle. A man comes along and pays to have him put through rehab, buys him new clothes, and gives him a place to stay whilst he finds a job. He finds a job, but can't get a place to live because he had bad credit in the past, the kind soul puts down a large bond in for him and he manages to move in. He now has a place to live, a job he likes do you think this man will be unhappy?
 
salami1212 said:
So.. in your opinions, do you think money buys happiness?

My opinion is yes .. to an extent though. If someone gave you £200 million and no one would know apart from say close relatives and friends, I guarantee you would be a much happier person..
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no, it would be like a drug.
if you are a good happy person, it will be good.
if you are an unhappy person, then it will be bad.
 
Skyfall said:
ok, first up I will say that I am a firm advocate that you don't need money to be happy. And that's true. Though in our society it helps a lot.

However to say that money can't buy you happiness is short sighted, narrow minded and probably judgemental.

Imagine this very simple scenario; Homeless man is on the streets addicted to drugs, stealing etc to fulfil his addiction, life expectancy is low and he's stuck in a cycle. A man comes along and pays to have him put through rehab, buys him new clothes, and gives him a place to stay whilst he finds a job. He finds a job, but can't get a place to live because he had bad credit in the past, the kind soul puts down a large bond in for him and he manages to move in. He now has a place to live, a job he likes do you think this man will be unhappy?
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Hmmm, you've just kinda backed up my point there......

My point is that excessive money doesn't make you happy in the long run - not that money doesn't make you happy at all - because that's just dumb. Of course it does. Hell, spending cash on my PC makes me happy - but it's only short term - it's only a distraction really.

The real point is that as others have said, lots of money is nothing more than a band-aid. It's just like social policy; sure, throwing money at social problems seems to be the way forward but it doesn't always change the underlying problems.
 
I have always wondered why people think it is wrong that beautiful women go with rich guys, surely there is nothing wrong with it. It's just like being attractive and having a nice personality, having some money aswell makes you the complete package
 
yes - but it would make me a lot happier if i earned it myself.

If someone gave me 200 million all my family and close friends would get a lot of holidays. This would make me happier than say buying a new car/house
 
thepeganator said:
/thread.

It can give you "more of an opportunity to be happy".
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also a lot more opportunities to be a miserable too.


money doesn't make anything but more money.

the happiness of a person is based on the love in his/hers life and thats it.

its all about family and friends , and without either , no matter how much money a person has, they will never be truly happy .


it isnt happiness we should be after , its contentment

happiness happens in short bursts.

contentment is more sustained.
 
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reflux said:
Hmmm, you've just kinda backed up my point there......

My point is that excessive money doesn't make you happy in the long run - not that money doesn't make you happy at all - because that's just dumb. Of course it does. Hell, spending cash on my PC makes me happy - but it's only short term - it's only a distraction really.
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What makes people happy in the long run though?
 
I'd absolutely love to win the lottery or something, but I can't help thinking if I had 100 million i'd have nothing to look forward to. Every day would just be almost too easy?
 
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