Does Money bring Happiness?

[Antiventurecapital]

I pray that you don't end up like The God Warrior.

Dani is right about you being a downer.

I out of this thread for good.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by celeste

People are saved simply through believing in Jesus.

I don't want to sound mysterious, but the above statement is not at all simple.

It all depends on what you mean by "believe", and "save" and "Jesus" and even "people".

If you take any one of those words and dissect it, you expose another dozen layers of meanings.

For example, as any IM'er knows, the word "believe" itself is extremely multi-dimensional. For example, there are conscious beliefs, subsconscious beliefs, unconscious beliefs, strong beliefs, weak beliefs ....

... and after all that, let's not forget that a belief is just a recurring pattern of thought.

Now as to what thought is ....

[child]

Money doesn't care about you.

[natopoto11]

Originally Posted by Antiventurecapital

There are some dumb things to be found in that book. The above is one example. I marvel at the good works of people such as Bill & Melinda Gates and Warren Buffet. Good people use money to do even more good; bad people use money to do more bad. Money is just a tool. Would you call a saw or a hammer evil?

This thread has deviated from an attempt at personal development to an attack on Christianity, partially because I suggested Ecclesiastes.

I suggested the book because it seems that Charlottecharade has a faith in God and that Solomon (the purported author of Ecclesiastes) was going through the same thoughts as the OP.

What I did not state is that money was evil. As Antiventurecapital stated, it is just a tool to be used. Neither good nor evil. I like what Child said that money doesn't care about you. I would not call a saw or a hammer evil, but then again I don't worship a saw or a hammer. I do not value money because it has no value. It is merely the representation of value. Money itself does not give me happiness, regardless of what it can be used for.

[placebo]

Average man most of hist ime spends in the office or with his spouse. If he loves his job and if he loves his partner and feels loved by her than most of the time he is feeling happy.

It would be simple if all of us can live like that. Only things stopping us are our ambitions. For some reason we want to be special, the best, extraordinary and that is putting pressure of failure on us. Because of that we start feeling unhappier every single day.

To find peace with ourselves, be truly satisfied with what we do in life is our primary goal in life but these days it is masked behind thinking of all other posibilities that could happen. Creator of big mess is today's celebrity and pop culture which is forcing people to have idols since they were kids. Suddenly we all want to look like Brad Pitt, have money like Michael Jackson, live life like Paris Hilton, etc. And they want to be loved by masses so they rarely talk about their fears and insecurities. So people think they are always happy.

The only real role model for every man should be his own father. We don't look like to anyone on this world more than to our father. Trying not to do his mistakes and manage that your kids love you like you loved your dad is a goal worth spending a lifetime.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by placebo

For some reason we want to be special, the best, extraordinary and that is putting pressure of failure on us.

Oh, it depends. Some people do want to be special, the best, extraordinary.

Other people just want to be not bankrupt. Or not alcoholic. Or to have one good friend on the planet. Or to have a roof over their heads. Or to pass their exams. Or to not be chronically ill. Or to not lose their job. Or ....

.... the list goes on. People are all different.

[placebo]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

Oh, it depends. Some people do want to be special, the best, extraordinary.

Other people just want to be not bankrupt. Or not alcoholic. Or to have one good friend on the planet. Or to have a roof over their heads. Or to pass their exams. Or to not be chronically ill. Or to not lose their job. Or ....

.... the list goes on. People are all different.

Yes, and those other people are much closer to happiness than the first group.
We all want to be loved and not to be bankrupt in the first place. Many people on this world can't tell when it is enough, when to stop craving for better life. Those who are telling different are not telling the truth.

[AmandaP]

How can you go passed family and friends. Money might help you to help them out hence putting you all in good moods but I don't see how it could bring you happiness just on it's own.

[ellie]

I haven't read all the post on this thread, but for me I have no qualms in saying I think money does bring you happiness. It certainly decreases stress for me. However, you have to manage your money well, otherwise no matter how well off you are, you will always be struggling. I say live within your means.

I don't make a lot of money, I have had an ok wage, but boy I would love to win $24,000,000,000 - that's my number :P

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by placebo

Yes, and those other people are much closer to happiness than the first group.
We all want to be loved and not to be bankrupt in the first place. Many people on this world can't tell when it is enough, when to stop craving for better life. Those who are telling different are not telling the truth.

Buddha already told you the ultimate motivation. All humans have it. It is to avoid suffering and seek happiness.

What I was pointing out was merely my disagreement with one specific point of your post. You said: "For some reason we want to be special, the best, extraordinary and that is putting pressure of failure on us. Because of that we start feeling unhappier every single day."

My point is simply that not everybody is striving to be "special, the best, extraordinary". In fact, some people are striving to be normal & ordinary, to be just accepted as "one of the guys", because their starting point is that they feel like misfits.

The other point where I would disagree with you is where you said: "The only real role model for every man should be his own father." In my opinion, it really depends on what kind of father you had. If your father was an alcoholic wife-beater, I would suggest you not use him as your role model.

On the topic proper, the relationship between money and happiness has been extensively researched. Plenty of studies have been done.

As I recall, the general conclusion is that money brings more happiness, up to a certain point - beyond that point, money does not bring any more happiness. For example, within the same country, we may expect the average millionaire and the average billionaire to be happier than the average working-class man, but we do not expect the average millionaire to be sadder than the average billionaire.

This conclusion breaks down across countries - indicating that societal and cultural factors have a lot to do with the level of happiness a given amount of income will bring. For example, it has been established that Masai cattle herdsmen in Kenya are happier than the average American, even the Masai cattle herdsmen are much poorer.

As for relationships (mentioned by AmandaP), yes they are an important factor in predicting happiness levels. Many studies have shown that married people tend to give themselves higher scores in happiness surveys, than single people. It has also been established that all other things being equal, married people live longer than single people.

All this information is available on the Internet. No need to speculate. Just google.

For those who seriously wish to understand what happiness is all about, I recommend the works of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. He's probably the world's most famous researcher on the topic and he truly explores the topic from diverse angles.

[Taking Action]

We have traveled from the value of money versus the state of happiness and pretty well covered everything here in this particular feed... but a few thoughts of my own.

First of all, happiness is not something "you get" or acquire. Is something "you are" inside. It does not matter what you have in life, you can be happy inside and that only comes from gratitude. Everyone has the ability to be happy, it is a simple choice... you must choose to be happy.

Secondly, money certainly is not everything, but let's face reality... it is extraordinarily important to accomplish anything in life. The best way to help the poor or the needy is to not be one of them.

Money is energy, like everything else in the world, it only resulted as a need for a means of exchange of goods and services, instead of pigs, chickens and labor. Nothing more than the material medium we trade. Basically, just a perception of value, not having any value of it's own.

Once it is put in it's proper place, it becomes much easier to attract it into your life and keep it in it's place, as a means to make you confortable and to help other people be comfortable. Since it is energy, it has to move, exchanged to maintain it's value, so it is important to give as much away as possible. This is why the more you give away with a joyful heart, the more you get, because you are creating energy in the giving.

So, be happy, it is a choice and something you already are inside. And, enjoy money, enjoy giving and helping. Believe me, it can be a lot of fun.

[renie408]

I just want to point out that I told you they would start with the free will thing.

[Conan Stevens]

Money might not buy happiness but it sure buys a lot of relief from lifes stresses.

In my case money also buys happiness.

[MGJ]

IMHO, if you want to be happy, then recognize that happiness is a product of the way you think and behave and not your finances. Choosing to focus on what you desire in life while at the same time being grateful and appreciating what you already have is a good start.