can money directly lead to happiness?

[Ocean]

so this is a question that I bring up quite often to people, since it's not something people think about very much. generally when I ask this, a lot of people would respond with "no, it cannot." but why not? let me provide an example:

say you walk into a restaurant, and order a steak. you sit down, eat this steak, and enjoy eating it. once you are done enjoying it, you pay for the steak with money, and hop along your merry way.

this is a concrete example of materialistic goods leading to happiness. the money leads to the steak, the steak leads to enjoyment, enjoyment leads to happiness. it's a cause and effect, yet many people have troubles with it because the underline cause is legal tender.

so would you agree with this statement? can money lead to happiness?

 

[ballin4life]

Of course money can lead to happiness.

If you have no money and are starving, then getting some money to buy food will lead to happiness.


What people usually mean though when they say this is that making a ton of money doesn't necessarily make you happier. So someone who is rich is not that much happier than someone who is middle class. I think there are some studies that back this up.


I don't really agree with those overall though because I don't trust self reported happiness as a measure of how happy someone really is. At the least, I don't think you can make comparisons of people's self reported happiness numbers.

 

[asianaussie]

I don't see why not.

If someone derives happiness from knowing they have a significant sum of money, there you go. It can give them a sense of social status, offer a sense of security, and of course gives the potential to obtain all sorts of things.

People say no to the question in order not to look materialistic.

 

[3mmanu3lrc]

I agree with ballin and asianaussie

People say no to the question in order not to look materialistic.

And you even notice it in those people faces when they get some good money.

I don't like the idea of being materialist, but this is a common fact among us.

 

[ballin4life]

It's important to point out that there certainly are people who have a lot of money but are very unhappy. I think a lot of it is relative to your previous experiences. If you grew up poor, then you will probably appreciate having a lot of money much more than someone who grew up rich.

 

[Ocean]

It's important to point out that there certainly are people who have a lot of money but are very unhappy. I think a lot of it is relative to your previous experiences. If you grew up poor, then you will probably appreciate having a lot of money much more than someone who grew up rich.

that's true, a lot of people who grew up rich suffer from ennui and the like. maybe it would make more sense that happiness from money stems from your financial starting point (not solely, but as a basis).

 

[Cemetery]

Money can't procure long term happiness, just a temporary feeling of content.

Yes, it's a factor. But not the entire picture.

 

[Ocean]

Money can't procure long term happiness, just a temporary feeling of content.

Yes, it's a factor. But not the entire picture.

why not? what's the difference between happiness from materialistic goods and happiness from other sources? I personally get just as much as long-term happiness from my car as any other sources, if not more so; what keeps my car from generating actual happiness, as opposed to a feeling of content?

nobody is saying that it's the entire picture. I'm simply saying that it's a viable factor that is often disregarded.

 

[Cemetery]

Happiness cannot exist when only one of these factors are prevalent, both need to be equal.

Having access to materialistic produce is definitely bound to improve the condition of your life, but not enough on a standstill basis to ensure happiness, a very strong emotion.

You have two extremes: people living in poverty stricken situations, but have close access to loved ones and extended families. Then you have the selfish old man, living by himself in a mansion, who dies alone.

 

[ciaza]

Except you run into a problem when the selfish old man enjoys living by himself, adores his house and wouldn't trade his style of living for the world. Happiness is subjective, if someone gains happiness solely from money, who are you to tell him otherwise?

 

[Cemetery]

Except that never realistically happens.

 

[ciaza]

My Uncle is in that situation, now what? He claims he is happier now than he was with his ex-wife, whom he once thought to be the love of his life. Unless you have a scientific method to measure happiness, you can't tell me otherwise.

 

[Cemetery]

He entered that phase at a later stage in life. He definitely had more factors making him happy during his earlier development at the time, correct? Your uncle also had a negative experience, and wasn't like that by default, right?

And there are exceptions. Let me add that the selfish old man, also had no family, friends, or companions.

Pursuing money only leaves a hollow, empty feeling inside. You're not going to sit here, and honestly tell me otherwise are you? Of course, you could have all the family in the world, and live in extreme poverty, and that's not ideal either.

There is a balance that would ensure happiness more often than not. All I'm suggesting.

 

[ciaza]

I can sit here and tell you otherwise because you don't know of anyone's other than your own feelings. You don't know that for some egoists, pursuing money gives them the ultimate joy, even in the case of your old man.

We can sit here and bicker all day, but since we have no way to objectively determine people's happiness levels (unless you're a scientologist) this will go on forever.

 

[Cemetery]

Being an egoist doesn't necessarily imply they have no family, friends, or sexual relations.

But sure. I don't really consider this bickering, though.

 

[3mmanu3lrc]

Happiness cannot exist when only one of these factors are prevalent, both need to be equal.

Having access to materialistic produce is definitely bound to improve the condition of your life, but not enough on a standstill basis to ensure happiness, a very strong emotion.

You have two extremes: people living in poverty stricken situations, but have close access to loved ones and extended families. Then you have the selfish old man, living by himself in a mansion, who dies alone.

It may also vary between a conformist person and a non one, your ambition would be a factor.

 

[Ocean]

Pursuing money only leaves a hollow, empty feeling inside. You're not going to sit here, and honestly tell me otherwise are you?

I personally enjoy pursuing money. it's the feeling that a hunter gets while hunting for me. is the happiness that I get from acquiring money not genuine?

 

[1048576]

Personally, I enjoy having money just to have it. I'm a very frugal person, but I definitely gain happiness from the comfort of knowing that my basic needs are secure for the future.

 

[Cemetery]

I'm not insinuating that acquiring money doesn't give you happiness.

Leave all your relatives and loved ones behind, take some cash, and live that way forever, not having another factor such as family, a lover, or even a friend to compensate how empty you'll feel after a while.

This isn't rhetoric, it's human nature.

 

[Ocean]

nobody is saying that money is the sole contributor of happiness, just that can be a contributor.

 

[Cemetery]

I never once said it couldn't be a contributing factor, just not the primary and only one.

 

[Ocean]

so you're disagreeing with something that nobody said.

 

[Cemetery]

You have an unusual knack for repeating things.

 

[Ocean]

I'm only doing so because you didn't listen the first time. I stated that nobody said it was the sole factor, yet you continued to argue as if someone said it was, so I repeated myself. you're swinging at something that isn't there.

 

[Cemetery]

You stated several times that 'why should I be concerned if it was?' as your argument.

Don't try to recant now.

 

[Ocean]

when did I say that?

 

[Cemetery]

Money can't procure long term happiness, just a temporary feeling of content.

Yes, it's a factor. But not the entire picture.

This is what I said.

You responded:

why not? what's the difference between happiness from materialistic goods and happiness from other sources?

Misinterpretation is possible, but what you replied with, I took it into context with what I had previously said.

'What's the difference?' But I never said money doesn't provide comfort and happiness, and even though happiness is too powerful of an emotion, personally speaking, I can understand the circumstances involved.

It simply can't be the only factor, we're humans.

 

[Ocean]

Misinterpretation is possible, but what you replied with, I took it into context with what I had previously said.

'What's the difference?' But I never said money doesn't provide comfort and happiness, and even though happiness is too powerful of an emotion, personally speaking, I can understand the circumstances involved.

It simply can't be the only factor, we're humans.

sorry, my reply wasn't exactly clear. I was responding to the first line ["Money can't procure long term happiness, just a temporary feeling of content."] with:

why not? what's the difference between happiness from materialistic goods and happiness from other sources? I personally get just as much as long-term happiness from my car as any other sources, if not more so; what keeps my car from generating actual happiness, as opposed to a feeling of content?

and was replying to your second line ["Yes, it's a factor. But not the entire picture."] with:

nobody is saying that it's the entire picture. I'm simply saying that it's a viable factor that is often disregarded.

sorry that I didn't make that clear in my original post. I agree that it can't be the only factor, but nothing can be the only factor. happiness is too complicated to have a single source, which I feel both of us would agree with.

 

[Cemetery]

Yeah. That's better.

 

[Deleted member]

Just having money doesn't directly lead to happiness, but neither do I think having money makes you more and more unhappier. It's the way you use it and how effectively you use it that determines how happy you are.

 

[Battlecow]

Money is the root of all evil. How often we hear that, and how seldom we understand it.

All happiness is temporary and ultimately meaningless except that which you gain from living a righteous life. Yeah, I guess you can get temporary, hollow "happiness" from a new car, but you'd be much happier in the long run if you put aside your car and your house and your internet and your modern medical care in order to live a life of complete, devout prayer and reflection.

 

[sooshi shef]

I'd say it's sort of mixed

On one hand you can be happy if you have plenty of money and can get whatever you want but at the same time what happens if you have no familly or an empty relation ship with a partner. If that's the case money will never give you what you want. It all depends either way. I myself am happy to have a great familly and food to eat. But I'm also happy to have things.

Yeah, I guess you can get temporary, hollow "happiness" from a new car, but you'd be much happier in the long run if you put aside your car and your house and your internet and your modern medical care in order to live a life of complete, devout prayer and reflection.

So why are you on the internet...?

 

[Ocean]

So why are you on the internet...?

you must be new here.

 

[Battlecow]

So why are you on the internet...?

My penance for a life of sin is to convert the heathens in the Smashboards Proving Grounds. I forsook happiness long ago, and I now weather the tempestuous buffetings of modern life in order to extend the life-buoy of God's everlasting forgiveness to those of you still floundering in the deep, dark, icy waters of empty lives.

 

[eschemat]

Battlecow with his new philosophy, yo.

Living a life where money becomes a direct proponent of happiness is definitely not good. When you strive something, like drugs, like money, you need more to satisfy yourself, even if you're rich with it. You'll be desensitized. Unfortunately, money isn't really easy to obtain, and it can lead to theft to meet your ends, which ultimately ends up in greater feelings of guilt etc. assuming you have some of the morals that society has ingrained in you.

Truth is, if you're happy, you'll be content with what you have. If you're content with what you have though, it doesn't mean you're going to be happy.

EDIT:::
If assuming you gain happiness by the things you buy, you will constantly have to get the new fashion, get the best steak etc. to be happy, and that's a lifestyle that is largely unavailable except for a select few. Unfortunately, living a life where you are obsessed with materialism will lead to sadness in the end because it is so temporary.

Also, Battlecow, how's your new outlook on life?

 

[Battlecow]

Happiness is a finicky thing. Hard to buy. You know what'd be nice? A soma-esque drug that had no side affects, didn't addict anyone, and brought complete, temporary bliss.

 

[eschemat]

I wouldn't agree. Maslo would disagree too probably; you gain happiness from the inside, not from the outside.

 

[Crooked Crow]

Happiness is such a fleeting concept, it's only temporary. So is money.

I'll quote a lyric from a song I heard that pretty much summarizes my thoughts on this particular subject.

"Now listen closely as I'm rapping this, I used to think money brought people happiness, and it does, but we never stop and think about what happens after it..."

A life of glamour is better than one of poverty, but it's not the entire picture. Happiness as a result of money is like a piece of the puzzle that sometimes needs others to fall into place before it can fit.

 

[Lord Chair]

If assuming you gain happiness by the things you buy, you will constantly have to get the new fashion, get the best steak etc. to be happy, and that's a lifestyle that is largely unavailable except for a select few.

How does that even make sense? You make it sound like even the slightest form of materialism is super-progressive.

 

[ballin4life]

The select few are the people who live in first world countries.