Originally posted by: her209
How long have those people you just mentioned worked to accumulate their wealth?Originally posted by: glutenberg
On the flip side. Ask Bill Gates if he's happy. Ask Warren Buffet if he's happy. Ask Ted Turner if he's happy. Ask Oprah if she's happy. Ask JK Rowling if she's happy. Ask Steve Jobs if he's happy. Ask Lloyd Blankfein if he's happy. You can't nitpick people, in particular, artists, and claim that they're an example of the rest of the rich people in this world. For every rich artist that has committed suicide or overdosed on drugs, I'm sure you can find many more poor people (who didn't receive publicity and are just another hash on the statistic chart) who have also been miserable from being poor.Originally posted by: Vic
I'm not going to argue this point with high school kids who've never seen the real world, or don't know what having money is like.
In the meantime, I'll take the real life experiences of real people who have been through it. Ask Cobain what money was like. Ask Staley what he thought about having more money than he could spend. Ask countless others of the unhappy rich.
If you're not happy with your life now, how are you going to be happy when all your dreams have come true and you have nothing left to dream for anymore?
Does unhappiness make you money?Originally posted by: Marinski
Does money make you unhappy?
Originally posted by: BlinderBomber
What I think you fail to understand (apologies for sounding harsh) is that freedom and wealth as the pinnacle of life are socially constructed within our society. We are taught to believe that freedom is essential, that individuality matters. The reality is, however, we could have been taught the opposite and could leave happy, productive, lives in a different society.
:QOriginally posted by: krunchykrome
It will buy you a piece of mind, which can reduce stress, which naturally will make you a happier person.
Originally posted by: her209
How long have those people you just mentioned worked to accumulate their wealth?Originally posted by: glutenberg
On the flip side. Ask Bill Gates if he's happy. Ask Warren Buffet if he's happy. Ask Ted Turner if he's happy. Ask Oprah if she's happy. Ask JK Rowling if she's happy. Ask Steve Jobs if he's happy. Ask Lloyd Blankfein if he's happy. You can't nitpick people, in particular, artists, and claim that they're an example of the rest of the rich people in this world. For every rich artist that has committed suicide or overdosed on drugs, I'm sure you can find many more poor people (who didn't receive publicity and are just another hash on the statistic chart) who have also been miserable from being poor.Originally posted by: Vic
I'm not going to argue this point with high school kids who've never seen the real world, or don't know what having money is like.
In the meantime, I'll take the real life experiences of real people who have been through it. Ask Cobain what money was like. Ask Staley what he thought about having more money than he could spend. Ask countless others of the unhappy rich.
If you're not happy with your life now, how are you going to be happy when all your dreams have come true and you have nothing left to dream for anymore?
Originally posted by: Atheus
Originally posted by: her209
Desire leads to wanting.
Wanting leads to jealousy.
Jealousy leads to suffering.
Suffering leads to hate.
Hate leads to fear.
Fear... leads to the dark side...
</yoda>
Originally posted by: glutenberg
Why wouldn't freedom help you find happiness? The problems arise when you sacrifice your own personal integrity for the sake of becoming rich, that's when you run into problems.
It seems that freedom (due to being financially secure whether it be from being absurdly rich or just rich) allows you to have the time and means to:
1.) Find a companion
2.) Find a purpose in life.
3.) Find more meaningful ways to occupy your time.
4.) Raise a good family. (Being rich does not mean that your kids automatically become bad).
Originally posted by: JLGatsby
Money buys freedom. Freedom is the ultimate happiness.
Freedom from a job. Freedom to pursue your hobbies. Freedom to travel and discover new things/places/people.
Originally posted by: ManSnake
Only poor people would say "Money won't buy you happiness" just to make themselves feel better.
Originally posted by: Vic
Quite the opposite. Only poor people can possibly think that being rich will solve all their problems.
All those people made their money as the culmination of their life's dream, and continue to work at it. That last part is key. Happiness comes from working at something you love doing and being rewarded for it. Therein lies the crucial difference to all the BS in this thread. The reward itself is not sufficient.Originally posted by: glutenberg
Originally posted by: Vic
I'm not going to argue this point with high school kids who've never seen the real world, or don't know what having money is like.
In the meantime, I'll take the real life experiences of real people who have been through it. Ask Cobain what money was like. Ask Staley what he thought about having more money than he could spend. Ask countless others of the unhappy rich.
If you're not happy with your life now, how are you going to be happy when all your dreams have come true and you have nothing left to dream for anymore?
On the flip side. Ask Bill Gates if he's happy. Ask Warren Buffet if he's happy. Ask Ted Turner if he's happy. Ask Oprah if she's happy. Ask JK Rowling if she's happy. Ask Steve Jobs if he's happy. Ask Lloyd Blankfein if he's happy. You can't nitpick people, in particular, artists, and claim that they're an example of the rest of the rich people in this world. For every rich artist that has committed suicide or overdosed on drugs, I'm sure you can find many more poor people (who didn't receive publicity and are just another hash on the statistic chart) who have also been miserable from being poor.
Originally posted by: BlinderBomber
What I think you fail to understand (apologies for sounding harsh) is that freedom and wealth as the pinnacle of life are socially constructed within our society. We are taught to believe that freedom is essential, that individuality matters. The reality is, however, we could have been taught the opposite and could leave happy, productive, lives in a different society.
Just because we live in a world where tremendous value is placed on those characteristics doesn't make them better or more correct than another society's ideas.
Originally posted by: JLGatsby
Originally posted by: Vic
Quite the opposite. Only poor people can possibly think that being rich will solve all their problems.
And only a rich person would think that being poor or normal presents no additional problems.
Originally posted by: JLGatsby
Originally posted by: BlinderBomber
What I think you fail to understand (apologies for sounding harsh) is that freedom and wealth as the pinnacle of life are socially constructed within our society. We are taught to believe that freedom is essential, that individuality matters. The reality is, however, we could have been taught the opposite and could leave happy, productive, lives in a different society.
I win on all four points. Part of it, you invent this "money is a burden" myth, but give no solid examples. Other parts you don't even explain yourself, just invent out of nowhere statements (""you could argue it makes it harder.") with no basis.
And in the quote part, you're just blurring what "happiness" is. Yeah I guess some people in North Korea are happy to, but the truth is they don't know what true happiness is.
My arguments are far stronger than yours.
Originally posted by: BlinderBomber
I'm not saying people in north korea are happy, I am saying YOU have no authority to decide on what happiness is.
I'm not blurring what happiness is, you are confusing material comfort and happiness. They aren't the same, they never will be the same.
Originally posted by: BlinderBomber
Sadly, I think I misread the title of this thread and got caught up a meaningless debate in which neither side will concede.
Will my money buy ME happiness? fvck no.
Originally posted by: Thraxen
Originally posted by: BlinderBomber
I'm not saying people in north korea are happy, I am saying YOU have no authority to decide on what happiness is.
I'm not blurring what happiness is, you are confusing material comfort and happiness. They aren't the same, they never will be the same.
You just contradicted yourself. For some people material comfort may indeed be happiness... after all, who are you to say it's not?
Originally posted by: Thraxen
Originally posted by: BlinderBomber
Sadly, I think I misread the title of this thread and got caught up a meaningless debate in which neither side will concede.
Will my money buy ME happiness? fvck no.
So if I sent you $10K you wouldn't be a little happy?