Question of the Day: Day 181
Do you think that money and happiness are related? Can people without money still be happy? Could you be happy without a lot of money?
posted by Michelle at 9:15 AM
Friday, June 30, 2006
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6 Comments:
I think it is more likely is that LACK of MONEY contributes to stress in a materialistic world & therefore, UNhappiness. While I do think that having pleny of money helps much of life to run more smoothly, possessing it does not bring genuine happiness.
I also think that people who think that money will bring them true happiness are inclined to think in terms of "I'll be happy when & if"
Life's too short to wait to be happy. Genuine happiness is realizing & acknowledging the every
day miracles.
For example, an acquaintance of mine recently got breast implants which cost a pretty penny. She doesn't appear to be any "happier" or more "joyful" to me... perhaps more scantly dressed & more showy, but not genuinely happy. Another...
I spent near $100.00 at the mall last week & the items I bought did not make me any more joyful.. than I had been before buying them~ fleeting happiness at best. Where as yesterday, I spent $5.35 at a consignment shoppe where I found a few "gems"... things which held a lot of meaning to me & I was thrilled. My daughter, 14, smiled & said, "Mom, your excitement is contagious."
I do believe that people can be genuinely happy (joyful) without possessing a lot of money. I "recon" (the majority of the time) I'm living proof.
... that should have been~ "reckon" & I did not intentionally appear anonymous; I forgot to type in a user
name. ~t
It's hard to be happy when you don't have what you need. So at that extreme, certainly money and happiness are related. But in the United States, the great majority have enough money or access to social services so this doesn't necessarily apply. Studies have found that people's happiness with their financial situation has more to do with how they compare to those around them rather than any absolute measure. This suggests that most people put a lot of importance on material wealth, and a PERCEIVED lack can make them unhappy, even though they are only comparing to others in their circles. The pursuit of wealth can lead to various positive traits - hard work, responsibility, and a sense of self worth. Indeed, work can provide much more than a paycheck. But money doesn't translate directly to happiness, and for most, interpersonal relationships are far more precious. Finding the right balance between work and personal time is critical.
I never have been a materialistic person. I've never had much money, so I've gotten used to it. I don't spend much and If I had money to spare, I would probably still watch what I spend. I try to be frugal, but not stingy.
I would love to get my children things and my mom things that they want and not have to worry about how much it will be.
I've known people that have lots of money and they are not happy, and I've seen people that didn't have anything, and always had a smile on their face..
I think it's all relative to what your attitude is.
Of Course, having money to pay your bills eases stress..
good question. I could go on and on, but I won't ,I Promise...lol
I think that many people tend to connect their happiness or unhappiness to their financial status but I do not truly think that one is dependent upon the other.
We did not have much money when I was growing up and it did not seem to matter. We spent time with friends, we went to the river to swim, and there was always food on the table. We didn't need a nice car or a family vacation to feel good. Maybe because I was an only child it was simpler. I don't know.
People can live within their means even when they have very little by NOT buying lots of things on credit or over-extending themselves. And on the flip side of that, even wealthy people can live beyond their means and have financial problems.
If we all choose to live a simple life and and not have to buy things to keep up with others or to feel good then I think that we learn to value who we are and not what we have.
Extreme poverty is a whole different subject. It must be difficult to find even moments of happiness when you worry if your children will have a bite to eat today or a roof over their head or medicine for illness. Nobody should have to live like this.
well we all know the pharse money doesnt buy you happiness or can it? see some people are content with having money. they could be worth billions of dollars and too them that's more then love. that's fine because some people rather have love then money. of course someone can be happy without money. long ago native americans were not supplied with money and they still lived a good life of happiness. we all have a little money here and there some more then others and we all still have time to happiness. so yes i do think that they are related because we all want money and we all want happiness.but doesnt mean one without the other wont succed.
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