[vans1974]

For me it totally does! Having nice things makes me happy! With tons of money you can even buy better health as well! I think you can buy almost anything in this world with money. I know you can't buy true love, and perfect health, but it still positively influences those things as well!

[manwithnofriends]

No it doesn't. The richer are more powerful, more influential and thus more greedy and narcissistic and likely to be psychopathic. They are happy making others unhappy.

[Ubermensch]

Your choice of the word "positively" I think is a matter of possibility. Money can and oftentimes does negatively affect health and "true love." I tend to totally disagree with you. I interpret happiness to mean feeling complete and feeling like you have a purpose. I try to distinguish between this and contentment. Being content is being satisfied, but being happy is being fulfilled. Contentment is passive, happiness is pro-active.

My own personal "philosophy" is that true happiness depends on nothing except yourself. Not love, not religion, not health, not anything material, etc...I believe true happiness is the ability to be happy with nothing. To feel that even if all your money was taken from you that you still would have purpose and meaning. Happiness is only dependent on your will, your drive, your beliefs/thoughts.

Values play a very important role in this. Happiness is striving after what you value most. Working towards your dream. So to me, your highest value should be in something that is more intangible than money, something like knowledge, self-awareness, self-discovery, enlightenment, etc...That way, you can always chase your dream because it is ever-changing. People mostly live life thinking that once they have this or attain this position/status they will be happy, but in reality it's all just a futile attempt to fill some hole in yourself. That's what I think anyway.

[gayleggg]

I don't believe money can buy happiness, but I do think it can make ones like a lot easier in many ways, leaving more time for happiness. Money can't get rid of my depression but the medicine I could afford if I had money might could. I know if I had money I could afford the therapy I need.

[A Red Panda]

Money can't buy happiness, or everyone rich would be happy.

But it can buy the things that would make being happy easier - health care, food, a home, etc. Those aren't guarantees to make someone feel happy, but someone who needs those things and can't afford them it can definitely be a barrier to happiness. So money removes barriers to accessing things.

[Pikku Myy]

If things make you happy - yes. Not in my case.. trying to simplify and get rid of every-thing... lol

[vans1974]

Money does buy happiness or at least a type of it! When I said having nice things makes me happy, I didn't just mean only expensive luxurious material possesions! But to back up a bit...define happiness! To everyone it's a little different. But isn't enjoyment, fulfillment, peace of mind, joy, pleasure, comfort, contentment, gratitude, satisfaction, all types of happiness? They're basic human needs and desires. In order to have anything in this world, it requires money from either you or someone else...food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, insurance, education, safety, communication, electricity, heat, medicine, freedom, employment, being with family and friends etc., it all costs money!!

no. it can just "distract" you.

[Webgoji]

Not having to live paycheck to paycheck and play spin-the-wheel to decide which bill gets paid would certainly make it easier to focus on the important things in life ...

[vans1974]

Originally Posted by Useless Me

no. it can just "distract" you.

For some "distraction" can bring a temporary peace of mind...which is type of happiness.

[Alone & confused]

No, but you can choose your own brand of misery. I am reminded of Kurt Cobain every time someone asked me that.

[Ubermensch]

The human race lived for many many years before the invention of money, and I'd bet many of them were happy. Money and the whole idea of ownership and possession complicates everything and adds more stress to what would be a pretty simple life. We're all brainwashed to believe that we need certain things, when we really don't. And we're all brainwashed even further to the point where we believe that in order to get the things necessary for us to survive we need to work at some job so that we can get money and buy them. It's simply not true. It's possible to live without all these things. Admitedly, probably 95% of us, myself included, aren't capable of such a life for pure sake of not having the knowledge of how to survive off the land, but it's possible.

Also, I think that we as humans would have a better sense of community if this were the case. If we were forced to live off the land, we would find that we would need to depend on one another in order to survive. In this society everyone is so isolated and distant from one another and "independent" that we don't realize how much we truly depend on other people that we never even meet. Someone's hard work and sweat was poured into every food item you buy at the grocery store, but no one ever stops to think about things like that. We just go buy our milk and bread and feel proud that we're doing everything on our own, which is nothing more than an illusion.

My definition of happiness:
“What is happiness? The feeling that power increases - that resistance is being overcome” -Nietzsche

But in today's world everyone wants a life free of struggle, which completely misses the point. Struggle is needed for happiness. In order to be happy you must overcome some great obstacle. This helps you to figure out your strengths and weaknesses and allows you the opportunity to fulfill your potential and discover what great things you are actually capable of.

[avlady]

i think money helps but will not buy true happiness. i don't really think i even know what i'm talking about either because at one point in my life i had a lot of money and i was definately more happy than i am today, not having to worry where my next meal is going to come from. i am just saying it needs to be considered in happiness attainment

[venusss]

well, not having need to worry about how to make the ends meet makes things easier.

[vans1974]

Originally Posted by Ubermensch

The human race lived for many many years before the invention of money, and I'd bet many of them were happy. Money and the whole idea of ownership and possession complicates everything and adds more stress to what would be a pretty simple life. We're all brainwashed to believe that we need certain things, when we really don't. And we're all brainwashed even further to the point where we believe that in order to get the things necessary for us to survive we need to work at some job so that we can get money and buy them. It's simply not true. It's possible to live without all these things. Admitedly, probably 95% of us, myself included, aren't capable of such a life for pure sake of not having the knowledge of how to survive off the land, but it's possible.

Also, I think that we as humans would have a better sense of community if this were the case. If we were forced to live off the land, we would find that we would need to depend on one another in order to survive. In this society everyone is so isolated and distant from one another and "independent" that we don't realize how much we truly depend on other people that we never even meet. Someone's hard work and sweat was poured into every food item you buy at the grocery store, but no one ever stops to think about things like that. We just go buy our milk and bread and feel proud that we're doing everything on our own, which is nothing more than an illusion.

My definition of happiness:
“What is happiness? The feeling that power increases - that resistance is being overcome” -Nietzsche

But in today's world everyone wants a life free of struggle, which completely misses the point. Struggle is needed for happiness. In order to be happy you must overcome some great obstacle. This helps you to figure out your strengths and weaknesses and allows you the opportunity to fulfill your potential and discover what great things you are actually capable of.

My definition of happiness:

"Happiness is a mental or emotional state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy." -Wikipedia

In todays world you need money to survive! If you're struggling with money, then you're most likely stressed, and if you're stressed then, you're not in a state of well-being! Bottom line!

[Ubermensch]

Everything you buy is made by someone, therefore it's possible to make everything you need yourself instead of buying it. I'm not saying it wouldn't be difficult, but it's possible. But I'm not talking about money being used for things needed to survive. I'm talking about money used to buy material possesions that are meaningless and may add a trivial amount of pleasure/comfort to your life, but nothing spiritually, nothing substantial or permanent. Having 5 cars isn't going to make you any happier than having 1. Also, your argument implies that if you have money then you won't be stressed, which is completely false. Many many people who have lots of money end up committing suicide because they can't deal with the stress. With money comes bills and petty competitions and compulsions to buy the next best thing, and the next thing you know you're all stressed out because your local retail store just sold out of the latest iPhone, leaving you without one. Take away everything you have except for money, including your friends and family and people who love and support you and see how happy you are. Money can't buy love, neither self-love or love of another, therefore it cannot buy happiness. I'd gladly burn all the money I have for the love and support of a family. I can be happy without it. Just to clarify, I'm not saying that money is evil or anything like that. It can be used to increase your happiness by doing things like going on vacation, spending time with your loved ones, etc., but if you take away those things, then what can money buy that will make you happy? A car? A house? What good is a phone without somebody you love to talk to? What good is seeing a beautiful place without having anyone to share the experience with? If you've seen the movie "Into the Wild" you'll know that happiness is only real when shared.

[curelifewithhope]

money cannot buy the real true happiness.

[marmaduke]

Yes money can buy happiness. Money makes happiness much more easy to achieve.

Tell someone poor & starving that money don't buy happiness.

After saying that, Man does not live by bread alone.
Money without love or company will not make you happy.

[MotownJohnny]

It's a complicated question. Money can be used as a tool, it can be used as a drug, it can be used as a weapon. To make a blanket statement like "all rich people are evil" is pretty invalid, just like saying "all poor people are lazy" - neither are true, they run the entire spectrum of humanity.

Does it "buy happiness" -- well, I live in an affluent town, and, while people do try to buy happiness with it, the fundamental things that affect life are the things that can't be bought - health, relationships, family, friendships, community. Health is a good example - I can't "buy back" my recent mental health history, no matter how much I wanted to. I suppose I could try to bribe people in key places. Blue Cross and the hospital records department, to make the records disappear -- good luck in the real world finding those people. I have been throwing money at this problem to try to "fix it" -- it doesn't work - not bribes, all kinds of therapy, medical treatments, etc. It's still here.

Do people here have problems - of course. Money just makes it more easy to hide them, gloss over them, and people have a level of decorum/behavior that makes it less overt most of the time. But, the problems are still there.

[curelifewithhope]

what is happiness? is it simply pleasure like feeling good? money can buy pleasure.
if money can buy happiness, all the rich people should be happy. Are all rich people happy? no

[venusss]

Originally Posted by Ubermensch

Everything you buy is made by someone, therefore it's possible to make everything you need yourself instead of buying it. I'm not saying it wouldn't be difficult, but it's possible. But I'm not talking about money being used for things needed to survive. I'm talking about money used to buy material possesions that are meaningless and may add a trivial amount of pleasure/comfort to your life, but nothing spiritually, nothing substantial or permanent. Having 5 cars isn't going to make you any happier than having 1. Also, your argument implies that if you have money then you won't be stressed, which is completely false. Many many people who have lots of money end up committing suicide because they can't deal with the stress. With money comes bills and petty competitions and compulsions to buy the next best thing, and the next thing you know you're all stressed out because your local retail store just sold out of the latest iPhone, leaving you without one. Take away everything you have except for money, including your friends and family and people who love and support you and see how happy you are. Money can't buy love, neither self-love or love of another, therefore it cannot buy happiness. I'd gladly burn all the money I have for the love and support of a family. I can be happy without it. Just to clarify, I'm not saying that money is evil or anything like that. It can be used to increase your happiness by doing things like going on vacation, spending time with your loved ones, etc., but if you take away those things, then what can money buy that will make you happy? A car? A house? What good is a phone without somebody you love to talk to? What good is seeing a beautiful place without having anyone to share the experience with? If you've seen the movie "Into the Wild" you'll know that happiness is only real when shared.

So I can make my own electricity, mine my own coal or gas or oil to keep myself warm (no way to make my own lumber mill or hatchet if I decide wood is good enough to make fires).

There is NO way you can survive in modern world without money... or very complicated ways.

For me travel is happiness. I need money to travel, even for low budgetest of the low budget travels.

So yeah, it's easier to be happy with some cash on hand. You can use money wisely and as mean to happiness.

[Ubermensch]

There's no difference in the world today and the world a million years ago. There's still trees, water, wildlife, minerals, etc. There's African tribes that DO survive without money in today's world.

[Ubermensch]

It's been done before, it can be done now.

[venusss]

No, it really can't. Not in today's society. "Milions" years ago, there hasn't been so many of us. Earth cannot provide us all in the old way.

There's still trees, water, wildlife, minerals, etc.

so you can kill and skin animal with your bare hands, lumber trees with bare hands... or make stone instruments?

And if so... what would be purpose of this extreme version of Survivor? Surely not happiness.

[Ubermensch]

I said it was possible, not that everyone could do it, or that it had a purpose. My point is to illustrate that it is possible to do, and possible to be happy living this type of life, as many of our ancestors probably were and African tribesman as well. You're right that there are too many of us for the Earth to provide for, but nonetheless the human race would still survive, just in a smaller number.

As far as killing animals goes you can make traps/snares and some weapons can be fashioned without using anything other than your hands (i.e. spears, atlatls, clubs, "throwing sticks," etc.) Once materials are gathered, flintknapping can also be used to fashion sharp tips for spears and arrows for bows. Stones can be sharpened against each other to be create knives and other tools needed.