Advertisement
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/.
https://www.boards.ie/group/1878-subscribers-forum

Private Group for paid up members of Boards.ie. Join the club.
Hi all, please see this major site announcement: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058427594/boards-ie-2026

People who say money can't buy happiness don't know what they're talking about

2

Comments

  • #32
    Liam Byrne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,152 ✭✭✭✭Liam Byrne


    HeadPig wrote: »
    Forever alone - if you're rich enough, there are always gold diggers out there; not a very pleasing prospect, but more pleasing than being alone.

    You have GOT to be joking ?

    There must be nothing more soul-destroying than being - supposedly - "liked" for what you have, rather than who you are.

    Thankfully, I wouldn't know, mind.


  • #33
    ArtSmart
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,610 ✭✭✭ArtSmart


    Priori wrote: »
    I like this quote:

    "A wise man should have money in his head, but not in his heart."

    ~ Jonathan Swift
    xactly. the bauld Johnny.

    Far as i know even the Buddhists believe you need a reasonable income, before you can do the 'enlightenment thingy'. (monks are provided for)


    anyway, it's simples.

    money is the world's most powerful tool.

    in intelligent hands, yippee. it can educate, enlighten, give space and time, improve health etc etc.

    in the hands of a fool = disaster.

    so, as tools go, money is de best. by a long shot.


  • #34
    Eve_Dublin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,884 ✭✭✭Eve_Dublin


    I dunno, for me it's a case of not knowing any better. I've always been "broke" or what others would consider broke and I can't see that changing in the near or distant future and I'm happy as larry. I've no idea how great it is to ride in a Ferrari or eat Cavier or wear a Dolce and Gabanna dress because I never have so to crave something I never had in the first place seems impossible to me. I'm only going on what I observe. Rich people or at least the ones in the public eye seem like a very confused, lost bunch and I've no desire to be like them. I've enough and I don't want more, thanks.


  • #35
    .same.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 160 ✭✭.same.


    Anybody you finds that having money is making them unhappy please send me a pm as i'm sure i can help you out:)


  • #36
    ilovesleep
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,619 ✭✭✭ilovesleep


    Money can indeed buy you happiness. Have you priced mini convertibles - the best looking car ever. I want one in yellow or pink.


  • Advertisement
  • #37
    Lando Griffin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,952 ✭✭✭Lando Griffin


    Well if the public sector get anymore paycuts they will be very unhappy about that, going on strike a giving us all grief, so if they had less cuts and more money they wolud be happy. Pure and simple.
    I am not in the public sector, nor am I trying to provoke the private sector nor do I have alot of money or alot, if any debt but I am happy to be able to do all the things that bring happiness, work, rest and play. End off.


  • #38
    dark crystal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,962 ✭✭✭✭dark crystal


    Money can certainly buy you happiness in many forms.

    It can free you from all those money worries we all have day in and day out, week in and week out, year in and year out. They're gone!

    It can buy you the best doctors, psychiatrists and healthcare. Money doesn't make you any healthier than you be without it, but we're none of us going to live forever anyhow and at least you get the peace of mind knowing you didn't have to wait any longer or suffer any more than you had to, simply because you couldn't afford the finest care available.

    Stressed parents could afford nannies and cleaners, for that extra bit of 'me' time they scarcely seem able to get.
    They could send their children to the finest schools and colleges, allow them to see the world and see that their extended families would never want for anything.

    You could happily give money to charities and deserving causes, which would make you feel better for having done so.


    There are so many ways in which money could make you that bit happier. Those who say otherwise are kidding themselves.

    If you are, by nature, reckless with money, a miserable git or a general dic*head, money won't change that. Having money doesn't make you a bad person - you have to be a bad person already to fall into that trap.


  • #39
    Snakeblood
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,461 ✭✭✭Snakeblood


    Liam Byrne wrote: »
    You have GOT to be joking ?

    There must be nothing more soul-destroying than being - supposedly - "liked" for what you have, rather than who you are.

    Thankfully, I wouldn't know, mind.

    There's not being liked for any reason, which would be profoundly dispiriting, I assume.


  • #40
    bnt
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,244 ✭✭✭✭bnt


    Perhaps money can't buy happiness directly, but it can certainly "buy out" the causes of unhappiness. You still have to get over the last hurdle yourself, but money can lighten the load you carry as you seek happiness. In my opinion, of course.

    Government resting upon the will and universal suffrage of the people has no anchorage except in the people's intelligence.

    — Grover Cleveland



  • #41
    SeanW
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 10,056 ✭✭✭✭SeanW


    Obviously a lack of money can make you miserable, if you cannot reliably provide your basic needs (food, shelter, medical etc) but there is a limit.

    I'm pretty sure that if I had a lot of stuff - Ferraris, gold chains, trophy girlfriends etc, I would be happier only for a short time as eventually the "new" would wear off it all and it would become the new "normal."

    Look at the celebrities - living in mansions in California having everything they could ever want, but half of them are leading sordid personal lives and the other half are in and out of rehab for drugs, alcoholism and who knows what else!

    I have read - and I believe it to be true - that if one intends to use money to buy happiness that they should do so by way of holidays and enjoyable experiences, as these will create positive memories lasting much longer than the holiday itself - and much longer than some new physical trinket.

    So in short - yes, money can buy happiness - BUT only to a point. The rest depends on your frame of mind (perhaps Buddhist thinking might help with that?) and your state of health.

    https://u24.gov.ua/
    Join NAFO today:

    Help us in helping Ukraine.



  • Advertisement
  • #42
    Dudess
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37,214 ✭✭✭✭Dudess


    That phrase refers to immense wealth rather than just money - and no, that can't buy happiness for many (for some it can I've no doubt).


  • #43
    Little Acorn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,531 ✭✭✭Little Acorn


    If you are suffering from depression or a broken heart as somebody else mentioned, then no..money probably won't make you instantly happy.

    If however you are just in a regular frame of mind, happy enough with life but in a situation where some new found wealth would seriously rid you of some of your stress, then I think that yes money would definitely add some extra happiness to your life.

    So it might not make you happy, but I believe that it could make you happier.

    If I could get rid of the strain of my own debts and my boyfriend's and my families debts, and I could buy/build a lovely house in a safer area for my mum and brother to live in, then that would really be a huge weight of my shoulders/mind.

    If I could afford to build my own dream home, buy some things that I always wanted, and afford to travel to all the places in the world I want to visit, then this would also make me even happier. I would see these things as not absolutely necessary for happiness, just "bonuses" of wealth that I would thoroughly enjoy and appreciate.

    Another "bonus" [but not an absolute necessity for happiness in life], would be having the ability to spend some money on people I love like my nephews, other family, boyfriend and friends. If I had huge wealth, I could do all these things and give the rest away. I would enjoy giving a lot to my local area like the rape crisis center, places that hold counselling and AA/NA/GA groups, local youth clubs and schools, local hospitals , barnardos etc.
    Volunteering is helpful, but I would like to also be able to give them some much needed hard cash.

    So I'm already happy, and know I can be very happy without wealth, but I really do believe that money would make me even happier. [Especially regarding the more serious money worries]
    I don't think many people would turn down big lotto money if they won!:)


  • #44
    Priori
    Closed Accounts Posts: 421 ✭✭Priori


    ArtSmart wrote:
    so, as tools go, money is de best. by a long shot.

    Yep, and like any tool, the bad worker will often blame his unhappiness on it (I'm talking about those mega-wealthy people who claim their unfathomable riches are a source of discontent).


  • #45
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 61,084 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    HeadPig wrote: »
    People who say money can't buy happiness don't know what they're talking about. I agree that material goods don't make a person happy,

    How do you know?

    Maybe it can't make some people happy. Happy is a concept that is
    unique to each and every person. You cannot determine it or solve it or equate it.

    As for money making people happy, again, anyone claiming it can or can't is inaccurate. It is all down to that person, whether he/she allows it, how they behave and react and live.

    Me, I live for the big win, and I am quite confident that it could do a whole lot to at least try and make me happy, or happier.

    Bottom line: Most people spend a lot of their lives wanting more money, not to be greedy, but
    to get by easier in life. They stress and worry and think about it a whole lot. Now, give it to them, and suddenly all that stress and worrying and thinking about it CAN fade and disappear.
    That in itself has to be positive. Imagine a world where you now no longer have to worry about paying a single bill ever? C'mon, that has to be something that could make you happier.


  • #46
    Agricola
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,547 ✭✭✭Agricola


    Its a expression used by the vast majority of the population, ie the paupers, in order to make themselves feel better about the fact that they havent an arse in their trousers.
    Nobody on this earth would choose a life of compulsory work to make a living over a life of voluntary work to keep yourself active or indeed a life of doing fúck all if you so choose.
    Of course wealth cant buy you a commodity called happiness which comes in a bottle, but I like to test out the life and see how I get on with it. Pretty well Id imagine.


  • #47
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 61,084 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Agricola wrote: »
    Its a expression used by the vast majority of the population, ie the paupers, in order to make themselves feel better about the fact that they havent an arse in their trousers.
    Nobody on this earth would choose a life of compulsory work to make a living over a life of voluntary work to keep yourself active or indeed a life of doing fúck all if you so choose.
    Of course wealth cant buy you a commodity called happiness which comes in a bottle, but I like to test out the life and see how I get on with it. Pretty well Id imagine.

    Well said

    I could never understand folks who spend a lot of their time moaning about having to work, and then they turn and say, "oh, I'd probably still work if I won the lotto because I'd get bored." No, boring people get bored, end of!


  • #48
    !MAVERICK!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 449 ✭✭!MAVERICK!


    Money and someone to share it with makes you happy.


  • #49
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 61,084 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    !MAVERICK! wrote: »
    Money and someone to share it with makes you happy.

    Absolutely. A big thrill I would get is spending money on folks and making them smile. That in itself would be a huge kick.

    Never go this attitude: My kids will work for their money. I am not spoling them?
    What use is being in this world if you cannot make people happier, or spoil
    them from time to time? Also, what is spoiling about ensuring your offspring
    never have to worry about paying a bill? I wouldn't at all call that spoiling.


  • #50
    Kenya Handsome Warship
    Posts: 6,645 ✭✭✭ Kenya Handsome Warship


    walshb wrote: »
    Absolutely. A big thrill I would get is spending money on folks and making them smile. That in itself would be a huge kick.

    Never go this attitude: My kids will work for their money. I am not spoling them?
    What use is being in this world if you cannot make people happier, or spoil
    them from time to time? Also, what is spoiling about ensuring your offspring
    never have to worry about paying a bill? I wouldn't at all call that spoiling.

    It is spoiling. I know plenty of rich kids and none of them are very nice people. If you've never worked a day in your life, it's hard to understand what it's like to work in a low-paid or service job. Hence you treat those people like ****. It's also hard to have any ambition if you're handed everything on a plate. Don't like your job? Just quit. Don't like your college course? Just drop out. It's just not good for your character to never have any kind of responsibility. And these people never seem very happy either, because they don't appreciate any of it.

    If I were rich, I'd definitely make my kids work for their money. They'd have plenty of nice things, but I'd want them to understand the value of money.


  • #51
    Yahew
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,488 ✭✭✭Yahew


    Money wont make you happy, but poverty will make you miserable.


  • Advertisement
  • #52
    Sonnenblumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,834 ✭✭✭Sonnenblumen


    Money does make other people happy.


  • #53
    Orando Broom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,351 ✭✭✭Orando Broom


    KINGVictor wrote: »
    Money is good to have, no doubt about it but you have consider lots of other variables to be happy, for instance consider the guy (Steve Jobs) below:


    Attachment not found.

    He is one of the richest men in the world worth billions of dollars, at the moment I think he would trade most of that money for good health.

    I think you'll find Steve Jobs is planning to dispense with a substantial barrow load of money to fix the problem.


  • #54
    Naikon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,564 ✭✭✭Naikon


    Life is basically just a massive ongoing competition for limited resources. It appears logical to me that more money works in you favour when competing with others. It's not the way it should be, but that is basically how I see it. Assuming you are still alive, of course.


  • #55
    kkdela6
    Closed Accounts Posts: 414 ✭✭kkdela6


    someone said that money wont make anyone unhappy

    didnt your one dolores mcnamara win the euromillions and it pretty much ruined her life, having to get all that security and a few various tragedies within the family?

    however, even the most depressed of people would be absolutely delighted if they found 50 quid on the ground, so yes in some respects money does buy happiness!


  • #56
    Yahew
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,488 ✭✭✭Yahew


    Part of delores' problem was that she stayed in Limerick. She wouldnt be so obviously rich in New York, or London, and nobody would blink an eye. Also I bet there are ways to make it real difficult for "criminal gangs" if you know the right people too - roman abromovich seems to manage.


  • #57
    MissMiami
    Closed Accounts Posts: 115 ✭✭MissMiami


    Money can buy some people happiness. If you were working in a dead end job and struggling to pay bills, and then won a fair bit of dosh you'd be happy.

    I've been working since I was about 14 years of age in various jobs and have had a part-time job right through the whole of college so that I have a bit of savings and yet can afford to splash out on some nice items. My most recent purchase was a pair of Louboutins and they are so comfortable and I love wearing them.

    I'm happy that I earned my money by working hard and can reward myself. I wouldn't say no to winning the lotto though! At the end of the day, some people are never going to be happy with what they've got so I guess money isn't going to make much of a difference.


  • #58
    df1985
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,432 ✭✭✭df1985


    My family was always pretty well off and i was a bit of a spoilt kid. Having money is overrated.My skint mates are happier than me to be fully honest id say. The things money can buy are superficial and the happiness that comes from them is temporary.

    Money may well make life that little bit easier, but it doesnt matter how much you have in the bank-if youre lonely or depressed for whatever reason, you're bank balance wont make a difference to how you feel. (i speaking from experience)


  • #59
    Kenya Handsome Warship
    Posts: 6,645 ✭✭✭ Kenya Handsome Warship


    df1985 wrote: »
    My family was always pretty well off and i was a bit of a spoilt kid. Having money is overrated.My skint mates are happier than me to be fully honest id say. The things money can buy are superficial and the happiness that comes from them is temporary.

    Money may well make life that little bit easier, but it doesnt matter how much you have in the bank-if youre lonely or depressed for whatever reason, you're bank balance wont make a difference to how you feel. (i speaking from experience)

    That's something a rich person would say. Being able to afford a good private hospital isn't superficial. Neither is having a decent place to live and being able to afford good food. Being rich might not cure things like depression or other illness, but it certainly doesn't make it worse, IMO.


  • #60
    this is arse
    Closed Accounts Posts: 261 ✭✭this is arse


    It's always rich people that seem to say this. I'd prefer to find out for myself rather than taking their word for it...


  • Advertisement
  • #61
    Scanlas The 2nd
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,144 ✭✭✭Scanlas The 2nd


    Your mindset and health are the most important factors for happiness with mindset being number one.

    The right mindset is such that you have a perspective where you don't attach identity to your thoughts and emoitions. You can observe your thoughts and emotions from a distance. They don't control you. Your constant inner dialogue shuts up and you become at peace.

    On top of that foundation money adds happiness to your life for sure. Without that foundation you ego can cause you even more unhappiness with more money.


Advertisement
Advertisement