Discussion Would money buy happiness?

[scottchy]

You hear it all the time "money can't buy happiness". But to be honest I feel if I had money I would be beyond happy.
I'm not shallowly referring only to owning items and things (which are nice also) but money buys sustenance, it buys experience, it buys knowledge, it buys memories and strengthens passions.
I would be so happy if I had the money to put smiles on other people's faces.

Can anyone convince me otherwise?

 

[yowai]

I feel like it can't buy happiness only if you already have tons of it lol and you still have a void inside, or are bored because you're too used to living comfortably and being able to buy anything you want

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

It can't buy happiness if you had to spend some happiness just to make that money. In most cases very few people actually make more money that outweighs the happiness they sacrificed for making that money. If someone is really lucky and they win the lottery or get offered a really easy yet high paying job or something then sure things would be different but the point of that kind of luck is really that most people simply just don't have it and never will.

 

[Too_Many_Years]

It would fill the void for a little while but then the despair would creep back in.

 

[alienfreak]

I think it can for only some people, and the amount needed might be really high for some.

 

[Rust]

Nah, my mind would still find a way to fuck with me. But it would make life easier. I think it depends on the person.

 

[ShatteredSerenity]

My wife and I both worked in tech industry and we made quite a lot of money in salary and stock awards. That money certainly bought some happiness, but the full story is a lot more complicated.

One issue is that I'm bipolar so I get depressed periodically, and money didn't do anything for that. I saw a psychologist with multiple fancy degrees in a nice lakeside home, but her advice was full of useless and even harmful suggestions that were detached from the realities I was facing.

Money also didn't help with relationship issues with my wife. She could be cold, uncaring, and rigid and there's nothing I could possibly buy to change that.

Money also didn't solve all the problems of raising children, one of whom has serious mental health issues herself. It helped that they went to a top school, but I was stil incredibly stressed and exhasuted from dealing with meltdows and suicide threats.

Our house was expensive and in a very desirable location, but it was poorly built and horribly uncomfortable. We ended up buying a second vacation home to escape on weekends, but it was remote and the maintenance and expenses created a lot of stress. So money doesn't necessarily solve housing issues, that also requires luck.

We were able to go on some fun vacations, and it was nice to not have to worry about budgets. But we were busy earning the money, so taking time off was difficult.

It was nice to be able to buy nice things without worrying about cost, but it was easy to accumulate far too many possesions for our space which created a ton of stress.

So in the end I'm glad I had money because it did help us be comfortable, but it didn't really buy happiness overall, and it created stress in a number of areas.

These days I'm broke after I lost everything in a manic episode and divorice. I'm severely depressed with no job and no safety net. Money can provide an illlusion of security, but one day something unexpected could happen and it can vanish almost overnight.

 

[LukaParrot]

1) If you dont have money in this world, there will be no roof, no food, no clothes for you. Gonna have to accept what luck brings you.

2) If you barely have money, your life gonna suck, always wishing better home, better stuff, a better car, dream about great foods even simple trips can be out of reach.

3) If you have enough money, be aware, it's like a house of cards, a wrong movement can leave everything down and you can go to the first option. World sucks when you need help, when you get sick, absurd bills or really bad things can blow your present.

4) If you have a obsene amount of money, you can still suffer.. what? yes, having all at your feet may turn your life pointless, you may not find what to do with your life, and spent all your life being a shit person that dont care about anything, depending on where you live, money buys everything. But hey, not all rich people are like that, I just dont know how it is... just know what I see in the news in my country. Like a rich teenage adult already driving a porsche drunk, hit a worker driver and nothing happens to him.

I may be exaggerating but you know that some part of it is true.

 

[TheHolySword]

No amount of money could fix what's broken, no amount of money could let me escape what's inside of me. All it would do is give me more to leave behind.

 

[penguinl0v3s]

Your post indicates that you have people, What if you had no people to share with? Arguably it's your personal relationships that would make you happy, not the money itself.

 

[ijustwishtodie]

For me, it wouldn't since there are some issues in life that money can't solve

 

[Hvergelmir]

In most cases very few people actually make more money that outweighs the happiness they sacrificed for making that money.

I strongly disagree. The people I've seen in and out of employment, have all been happier while employed.
Your reasoning is sound, but I think you're underestimating the value of economic freedom and security.

Can anyone convince me otherwise?

I'm not going to try to convince you otherwise, but I can present a more nuanced view.

I want to share two quotes, from some very rich people whose names I no longer remember:
"If you can't buy happiness, you clearly don't know where to shop."
"Money does in no way prevent you from building your own hell."

Money is a tool - a very powerful tool - but not an autonomous one. You can only buy happiness if can find it for sale. Abstract things like love, self confidence and sense of meaning and security, can be very hard to buy. They're often not for sale, directly.
Money is just one factor. Very often people are being held back by other things.

 

[Forever Sleep]

It's going to depend on how you get that money for starters. Like other members have mentioned, people who earn shit loads likely have high stress and demanding jobs which means they may not get enough time to spend and enjoy it.

Those who are born into wealth likely don't experience life any other way. So- without the contrast, can they truly be all that grateful?

Those who inherit money may feel like they didn't deserve or earn it. Plus, coming in to money can also bring out resentment in others. Isn't there that saying: 'Money doesn't buy you friends, just a better class of enemy.'

However, I think not having enough money absolutely causes misery. I expect a lot of people would be at least happier if they didn't have to worry about money.

I expect everyone's asked themselves: Would I be happy if I won the lottery? Initially- I imagine- yes. All that freedom. To not have to work or worry about the future. Still- I think you'd have to be careful- if you need to feel purpose in life- to try to sustain one. I imagine having money could potentially be like playing life in 'sandbox' mode- which can get boring with no challenge at all.

Plus- certain things money can't buy. Health- although you could be ill more confortably. Friendships and relationships. I expect money attracts the wrong sort too.

As a phrase though, it irritates me. I expect most people who say it maybe don't have severe money worries. Of course someone in debt or struggling to pay the bills or eat would be happier with more money.

 

[shadowsandink]

Enough money would put me in a place where I can have far more happiness and far less suffering. This is assuming nothing else change. I just have far more money.

There will of course always be negative emotions still. Some pain like losing people we care about can never be erased with just money. But the rest would be so much easier and a breeze.

 

[Forveleth]

Look at how many rich celebrities are addicted to all sorts of drugs. Happy people do not do drugs.

Your problems do not go away with money, they just change.

 

[scottchy]

Wow guys
Thank you for all the replies
I really enjoy these thought provoking topics and conversations as I hope you all do also
It's good to get our neurons moving with stimulating conversation lol.
I can honestly say you all have given me a lot of great advice and information.

Money is a tool - a very powerful tool - but not an autonomous one. You can only buy happiness if you can find it for sale. Abstract things like love, self confidence and sense of meaning and security, can be very hard to buy. They're often not for sale, directly.
Money is just one factor. Very often people are being held back by other things.

This is possibly one of the best quotes I have read in while lol. Very wise.
Sort of reminds me of the old Chinese "give a man a fish vs teach him to fish" proverb.

It seems money buys temporary or "fake" happiness not true happiness. Just like it buys "fake" friendships and "fake" relationships.
It's not real and once the money or people are gone, all that's left is a broken sad core. Yes I am very happy when i buy and build a new lego. But I build it and put it on a shelf and I am no longer happy.
Happiness cannot be bought but has to be found (Sort of like love i suppose).

But I will admit, having money for fun, security and comfort would be nice and facilitate this otherwise miserable existence

 

[Lost Magic]

Yes, it would certainly take the sting out of life and I could move to a nice place. However, I would always be suicidal and depressed. Those things would most likely still be there no matter how much money I had. Life is just really difficult no matter what.

 

[nogods4me]

It's always better to have more but as far as happiness goes it is diminishing returns. For me the answer is no but if it made the difference between being homeless or housed, the answer would be yes for at least a few years. Then there would be other more difficult to buy needs that, if not met, would create a misery that could not be cured with money.

 

[theolivanderroach]

Money buys opioids so yes. Temporary and with additional costs like your health but still :P

 

[EternalShore]

Your post indicates that you have people, What if you had no people to share with? Arguably it's your personal relationships that would make you happy, not the money itself.

literally exactly what I was thinking! >_< I'd only want money if it could grant me relationships that would not disappear! and well, ease the burdens of all the stuff I'm going to need to pay for in the future~ :/ I couldn't imagine myself needing more than $15 million to get anything I'd ever want~ :)

 

[Pluto]

 

[social amoeba]

it would probably buy me some time

 

[dontwakemeup]

Money doesn't bring happiness. You can't buy happiness. It does make your life a little more comfortable, but it doesn't erase trauma. I'd rather be poor and happy then wealthy and miserable. I wish life was that easy.

 

[MeltingBrain]

You hear it all the time "money can't buy happiness". But to be honest I feel if I had money I would be beyond happy.
I'm not shallowly referring only to owning items and things (which are nice also) but money buys sustenance, it buys experience, it buys knowledge, it buys memories and strengthens passions.
I would be so happy if I had the money to put smiles on other people's faces.

Can anyone convince me otherwise?

I have a health condition, money can get me the best of the doctors and alleviate my mental state with goodies but ultimately I will still feel like roping .