Is Money means Happiness ?

[Frank]

I think money is important to afford the fundamentals of modern life:  food, shelter and health care, which are necessary for happiness; and should be available to every human being. However, relative wealth is also important to the happiness of many. Relative wealth is currently the predominant means by which a sizeable number of the western population seem to hierarchically order themselves. It is debateable whether a tendancy to always want to be best, or better than those around you, is naturally hard-wired into us or is something that is conditioned through our society. I think wanting to be the best is hard-wired into us, I just wish the majority of people would judge the best and aspire to be, those in society who give the most back, or those who do the most selfless acts or bring the most joy to others, rather than those with the largest bank balance.

I’m always an optimist, maybe blindingly so, but I would like to think that money is not the main determinant of happiness for the majority of people. There is nothing quite like family problems to put money in perspective. Having lost one parent when young and having the other seriously ill, I know, for me at least, that when compared to loved ones, wealth is not important in the slightest.

[ashjay_jay]

             Its all depends upon how we think! in my view as per the nature  a person needs food,cloth,shelter then love because to make love you should survive to survive you need money and finally money is happiness to make love you need strength & power to feel, first we have to feed ourselves then think about other's for this you need money ...

as per the limarence nature if your in deep love & if you get that girl you feel that money is nothing but to meet her to impress her to just walk with her you need money its an basic tool to get happiness but without this your nothing and the important thing is our view of thinking ! day by day you need to improve collect many informations stay positive make more money dont compare with other's compare with your own skills & strengths positive attitude never ever get depressed everyday in life you should be with 5 mainstreams work,money,enjoyment,love,friend&family for this earn money .

[MMTA]

Another way to look at this is this:

LACK OF MONEY = UNHAPPINESS

Enough said!

[Ciao]

Another way to look at this is this:

LACK OF MONEY = UNHAPPINESS

Enough said!

yes anyway the reply for the initial question is depending on people background  ...
I am giving you a counter example MMT :  "monks in temples don't have money but they seems to be happy".  Same for some tribes on some lost island in the world.

But to conclude, i will say that in most capitalist oriented societies, money help people to achieve happiness. As it is said, money don't prevent happiness, and it will probably help it for the majority of people.  There are few exceptions of some people whom beliefs lies more on a spiritual side or people who devote themselves and their life to a greater cause.

 

[goman]

Why do we need money, people?

[Pursuer]

Why do we need money, people?

Don't try to change the subject, the question was IF, not WHY

And after all the pseudo deep analytics we managed to conclude only two basic rules we don't disagree on:
a) Money does not prevent happiness
b) Lack of money is likely to cause unhappiness

[goman]

Don't try to change the subject, the question was IF, not WHY

And after all the pseudo deep analytics we managed to conclude only two basic rules we don't disagree on:
a) Money does not prevent happiness
b) Lack of money is likely to cause unhappiness

The question, "Is Money means Happiness?" has no "If".  Being a yes or no question, it requires all the "whys" possible instead of just 'feeling' answers.  You wouldn't agree with this if you didn't come to your conclusion (which is good).

[Kenny]

Money doesn't necessarily equate to happiness. Happiness is determined by psychological satisification with life. However, poverty or financial instability can make happiness difficult in any society. I am not sure if there is anything else I can mention.

[longest yard]

@ Soho

monks in temples don't have money but they seems to be happy". 

- They neither have a beloved.
- Most of them do not have any serious contact to there families.
But we shouldn´t talk about exceptions because they are not of concern.


@ MMT Admin
 

Another way to look at this is this:

LACK OF MONEY = UNHAPPINESS

True - I guess using the inversion of the argument always works with those things:
- Love
- Family
- Friends
- Health
- Freedom
"Everything which can bring you down, can also lift you up".
Some people just tend to see those things and others don´t.

[miknos]

Complex questions don't have simple answers but let me try:

 Some are misunderstanding the difference between a lot of money and no-money.

 Happiness in my opinion is life's satisfaction. Some people say that the best things in life are FREE like family, friends and love.

 It's (nearly) impossible to be happy without having money for BASICS (like food and home). But money can buy comfort. Having a better house, car, hotel staying, 1st class flight, etc will bring more comfort (which means more satisfaction).

 I don't think that having millions in the account means that you are going to be happier than a guy that have a nice job. Both "can do the same in a different way". Both can enjoy nice hotels, restaurants, family, friends, girls, travel to anywhere, have a nice house, etc.
 Of course, one will have better material; The rich will have a Bugatti Veyron (or another expensive car) and the other a mercedes/audi/bmw. Those cars are very comfortable and give some status (power means more happiness?), that's why I am not comparing some cra* old car to a luxury one (again, no-money VS lots of). One will travel in executive (for a long trip), the rich will travel 1st class always. The list goes on...

  The problem is to measure how much money is "enough" to live comfortably. It depends of WHAT makes you happy (what you NEED to what you WANT). If you "need" a mansion, living in New York is not going to help (because a flat in a good location cost millions). On the other hand, cars are dirt-cheap in america.

 AND... Having "enough" money gives you piece-of-mind. Not having to worry about bills in the end of the month is important.


 I will not say how much I have because it's irrelevant, not cool to people that have less and IT'S MY BUSINESS. I have everything I NEED and I am working to get what I want (In this moment a few cm ).

 Words of wisdom: People that are tall (enough) don't think/care/brag about height as a short person. The same applies to money.