Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Mageth · 07-21-2003, 12:58 PM

I've heard it "Money can't buy happiness, but at least you can pick your misery."

And note that if money cannot buy happiness, lack of money certainly can't either. There's no virtue or guarantees in being either rich or poor. Perhaps being somewhere in the middle is the best?

Hedwig · 07-21-2003, 02:35 PM

Money can't buy happiness but I sure as hell wouldn't mind trying.

Loren Pechtel · 07-21-2003, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lunachick
That's a tricky question, actually. If they were simply looking for gorgeous, sexy, young trophy brides (assuming they are male), and the gorgeous, young trophy bride turned out to be a gold digger - then yes, I guess so.

So, sometimes, both are so completely shallow in their choices of a marriage partner - one for money, the other for the ego of having a "trophy" wife - that there are really no surprises to the marriage ending in tears for one or the other. It was just a question of who will get burned first - the money side, or the trophy side?

I'm not speaking of trophy wives.

viscousmemories · 07-21-2003, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Loren Pechtel
Disagree. My wife knows a reasonable number of millionaires. Few are all that happy.

This isn't much in the way of evidence that money doesn't make people happy. Maybe their money made them ecstatic and something else made them uhappy again. Or maybe money makes some people happy and not others. All your anecdotal evidence proves is that money doesn't make everyone happy perpetually.

I have had a lot more money than I do now and having it made me happy. What I had to do to get it is what made me unhappy. If someone were to hand me a million bucks today with no strings attached, I don't have a doubt in my mind that I would be happier than I am right now.

vm

trillian · 07-23-2003, 03:54 PM

In a college paper 10 years ago I wrote:

"I want enough money not to have to worry about money, but not so much money that I have to worry about money."

I still think it's true. Everything in moderation! (of course my idea of moderation is a net worth of around 2-3 million which I think is perfectly reasonable in my lifetime)

tronvillain · 07-23-2003, 05:14 PM

Money may not buy happiness, but it would make me at least slightly happier. I mean, I am pretty happy now, but a lot of money would permit me to do and have a lot of things I would enjoy, and it seems unlikely that would make me unhappy.

Loren Pechtel · 07-23-2003, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tronvillain
Money may not buy happiness, but it would make me at least slightly happier. I mean, I am pretty happy now, but a lot of money would permit me to do and have a lot of things I would enjoy, and it seems unlikely that would make me unhappy.

Agreed. It makes some happiness. However, it's not the biggest thing by any means.

tronvillain · 07-24-2003, 02:26 PM

Definitely not. I mean, I am quite happy now, but a lot of money would be fun.

ImGod · 07-24-2003, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tronvillain
Definitely not. I mean, I am quite happy now, but a lot of money would be fun.

I would want just enough money through slow acqusition that our families would not realize our wealth. I would actually regret winning the lottery because I would have to sever contact with so many "family & friends" that came out of the woodwork in order to keep from becoming a mini welfare state.

They actually had a discusion at christmas about the proper percentages to give parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, neices, etc. in case somebody won. With their spending habits, it would be a week before they were back for more of their "fair share".

Loren Pechtel · 07-24-2003, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ImGod
I would want just enough money through slow acqusition that our families would not realize our wealth. I would actually regret winning the lottery because I would have to sever contact with so many "family & friends" that came out of the woodwork in order to keep from becoming a mini welfare state.

They actually had a discusion at christmas about the proper percentages to give parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, neices, etc. in case somebody won. With their spending habits, it would be a week before they were back for more of their "fair share".

Yeah--I see the same thing with many of my wife's relatives. They feel she should be helping them because she did well (came to Americia). People she got alone fine with when the income levels were similar now aren't all that friendly.

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07-21-2003, 12:58 PM	#21
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	I've heard it "Money can't buy happiness, but at least you can pick your misery." And note that if money cannot buy happiness, lack of money certainly can't either. There's no virtue or guarantees in being either rich or poor. Perhaps being somewhere in the middle is the best?

07-21-2003, 02:35 PM	#22
Hedwig Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 3,921	Money can't buy happiness but I sure as hell wouldn't mind trying.

07-23-2003, 03:54 PM	#25
trillian Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: OC Posts: 1,620	In a college paper 10 years ago I wrote: "I want enough money not to have to worry about money, but not so much money that I have to worry about money." I still think it's true. Everything in moderation! (of course my idea of moderation is a net worth of around 2-3 million which I think is perfectly reasonable in my lifetime)

07-23-2003, 05:14 PM	#26
tronvillain Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 5,658	Money may not buy happiness, but it would make me at least slightly happier. I mean, I am pretty happy now, but a lot of money would permit me to do and have a lot of things I would enjoy, and it seems unlikely that would make me unhappy.

07-24-2003, 02:26 PM	#28
tronvillain Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 5,658	Definitely not. I mean, I am quite happy now, but a lot of money would be fun.

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