Can Money Buy Happiness?

[jackfengshui]

It is conventional wisdom that money cannot buy happiness, and even if it does, it only does so up to a point.

Now a recent study claims to show that it indeed can. There is an almost linear relationship between life satisfaction and income.



I think the study does not cover the higher income levels, and if it does, the "happiness" will level off.

[boomer49]

Isn't Happiness an SP out of Albany?

[Tiger]

Originally Posted by jackfengshui

I think the study does not cover the higher income levels, and if it does, the "happiness" will level off.

Anyone want to give me some money (or a government grant) to test Jack's hypothesis?

[GP]

Originally Posted by jackfengshui

I think the study does not cover the higher income levels, and if it does, the "happiness" will level off.

Speaking from personal experience no doubt

[JohnnyCap]

Is it possible the last century, give or take, has seen an adjustment in our mores, such that persons equate money with happiness by definition?

[GP]

This is in contrast to....

Americans 'snapping' by the millions

http://www.wnd.com/2013/04/americans-snapping-by-the-millions/

[cowboy8055]

Money might buy you more fun but not true happiness.

[Always Horny]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCap

Is it possible the last century, give or take, has seen an adjustment in our mores, such that persons equate money with happiness by definition?

If you read the article, it explains why, and it makes sense.

The more money you have, the more freedom you have in deciding which job to take, where you can live, what kind of health care you can afford, etc. The opposite of that, is feeling trapped. And feeling trapped can definitely cause a high level of stress which is translated into unhappiness.

It does explain there is a difference in general happiness and day-to-day satisfaction. After a while, day-to-day satisfaction doesn't increase while general happiness continues to increase (though I would think there is a leveling off point eventually).

[taggert]

"Money cant buy you happiness, but it can buy you a yacht big enough to pull up right along side it." David Lee Roth quoted in Rolling Stone magazine.

[jackfengshui]

Originally Posted by GP

Speaking from personal experience no doubt

Not really. It is merely my theory that one needs some money to initially cover basic "needs" and then a little bit more to provide some additional "wants", leading to increasing "happiness". Beyond that, however, additional happiness depends more on one's degree of contentment than anything else.