N

noname223

Archangel
Aug 18, 2020
5,379
Hard to make a decision on how to start this thread.. I could tell the story that I recently bought be a playstation 5 and well it induced some excitement and moments of happiness. (probably because I barely buy expensive products I wanted to buy one for more than 2 years and waited, ruminated and waited. I think this long waiting process really contributed to the good feeling when I had one in my hands).
Of course this is still an hyperbole and contains some form of a joke.
There recenty was a study published on the topic hence the title.


  • A new study seems to contradict the theory that happiness eventually plateaus as wealth rises.
  • It found that for the vast majority of people, money does buy you happiness.
  • For a small group of people, their happiness levels off "abruptly" when their income hits $100,000. (roundabout 15-20% of people. The assume reasons for that might be people with grief, sadness because of a love interest, or clinical depression.)

"In the low range of incomes, unhappy people gain more from increased income than happier people do," the researchers wrote. "In other words, the bottom of the happiness distribution rises much faster than the top in that range of incomes. The trend is reversed for higher incomes, where very happy people gain much more from increased income than unhappy people do."



"In the simplest terms, this suggests that for most people larger incomes are associated with greater happiness," says Killingsworth, a senior fellow at Penn's Wharton School and lead paper author. "The exception is people who are financially well-off but unhappy. For instance, if you're rich and miserable, more money won't help. For everyone else, more money was associated with higher happiness to somewhat varying degrees."

Mellers digs into this last notion, noting that emotional well-being and income aren't connected by a single relationship. "The function differs for people with different levels of emotional well-being," she says. Specifically, for the least happy group, happiness rises with income until $100,000, then shows no further increase as income grows. For those in the middle range of emotional well-being, happiness increases linearly with income, and for the happiest group the association actually accelerates above $100,000.

However, he adds that for emotional well-being money isn't the be all end all. "Money is just one of the many determinants of happiness. Money is not the secret to happiness, but it can probably help a bit," he says.


So here my commentary starts again so far my half-knowledge bullshit I usually spread was limited in this thread. My last update on that question was there would be a plateau at rounabout 5k earning within a month. Even if you got more money than that the happniess level barely increases which seems to be not true (at least this is what this study suggests). Personally poverty is one main reason for my future suicide. I think it is still true that money usually has a decreasing utility function. (hard to put in words). I mean by that give someone who earns 30 k a year 100.000 bucks and he will be extremely glad and happy for some time about the amount he got. Give 100.000 dollars to Elon Musk and he won't give a fuck. I think this is how that game works.

For me this plateau theory seemed to be plausible that maybe there is an amount of money where an increase barely makes a difference.

My side notes: I think it is still obvious money can't buy happiness for all of us. Especially not here in this forum. There are heatlh issues and life circumstances where even a billion does not make any difference. Someone recently posted a billionaire committed suicide. And I think this proves money cannot heal all issues. However I think when the governments really would care to decrease suicide numbers they should start to seriously battle poverty. For me and not only for me financial issues are a major reason for suicide. So the saying money can buy you happiness is still an hyperbole. There are many people in this forum who write stuff like I earn 6 figures a year but I still feel emotionally totally empty and extremely unhappy. I don't want to insult people with this thread. It is rather a catchy and interesting title for this thread because the media reported in a similar way.

One more thing. I think having absolutely no money makes people usually unhappy. On the other side such a law does not apply to people with wealth in a similar magitude. I watched a TV show recently. Something interesting was said. The person said new studies show the people in countries with more wealth are on average more happy than people in country wilth less wealth. There might be such a general law studies suggest. There seem to be two exceptions though. People from East europe are too unhappy for their wealth status. Reasons for that might be a traumatizing decline of the Soviet Union. And people in Latin America are too happy for their wealth status. He added there are theories that religiousness might be a reason for that.


What do you think on this issue? (way too short thread I know)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: thelookingontheway, tuyu and blankfairy
Sulyya

Sulyya

Synergist
Mar 6, 2023
542
So many variables that unfold as you think about it.

Money can lessen the stressors in your life. But gaining a lot of money tends to introduce stressors with it (as you get older you may make money, but start getting bills)
Having money enables positive activities like charity, socializing, gyms, travel. It also enables addiction, gambling, regrettable excess.

Solving poverty is about the only concrete positive that is almost asterisk-free. I keep thinking about a PS5 but I know that it'll be a big dust collector within months and I'll wish I'd just sent $800 to my savings instead.
 
  • Like
Reactions: thelookingontheway and tuyu
shalashaska

shalashaska

The revolution will not be televised.
Mar 10, 2023
12
It's a vicious cycle, isn't it? Poverty and excessive richness are both ends of the spectrum and both present different forms of suffering. Goes to show that there really is no escape in this life I guess. I've been taught from birth to live a simple life, only really striving for what you need, and focusing on your relationships with others which will bring the most happiness. Of course, that's not always the case, but you certainly present an extensive research on it. So idk maybe everyone's just screwed no matter what lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: Homo erectus
H

HadItAll

I just want to be completely forgotten
Feb 20, 2023
243
Money can't buy happiness is a silly little quote.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Homo erectus
A

absolomonisgone

Specialist
Jan 23, 2023
322
You have money and don't want to enjoy no go outside no leave house you eat sleep another 80 year ok
 
F

Forever Sleep

Earned it we have...
May 4, 2022
9,900
Often, I think happiness is linked to contrast. If you ate your favourite food everyday and got to do the things you most loved- would it really keep you entertained EVERY day? I reckon even favourite things become boring if there's no contrast.

If everything in life is just easy- or- given to you- how are you going to feel any sense of accomplisment? It's like the word 'spoilt'. To be 'spoilt' means you have been over indulged- likely with money or any of the luxurious, nicer things in life. But it also means- 'to diminish or destroy the value or quality of.' I find that interesting because I think it's true. Children who are spoilt can become VERY difficult to handle. It doesn't always seem to make them happy because I guess they just get to a point where they expect it. It's not even a treat anymore.

I guess though- the other extreme- for people who are struggling to make ends meet- who just have to work all the time- they're not getting any contrast either. Their lives are ALL about strife and struggle. Of course an injection of money would give them the freedom to have some leisure time.

Still- poorer people who win the lottery sometimes just blow the lot because they have no idea how to manage money- then, they have the agony of knowing they had it all and lost it.

I have a peculiar reationship with money- I think because I inherited some. I feel quite a sense of guilt around having money rather than earning it (although I do earn it as well.) I've actually spent a lot of my inheritance on education and my home. Still- there is this sense of failure because I didn't earn it all.

I think money CAN bring some people happiness but I think it depends greatly on the person. What I'm almost certain of though is that not having enough money to get by on is likely to make your life EXTREMELY stressful and difficult.
 
Zegers

Zegers

Enlightened
Dec 15, 2021
1,761
Maybe it can if the other pieces of the puzzle are in place.
 
LunaXCBN

LunaXCBN

The Best Thing (That Never Happened)
Feb 6, 2023
119
Yes, money can buy happiness
not permanent happiness, but happiness nonetheless. The rich fucks of the world say it cant because they've gone completely numb from the amount of money they have.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: dump224477 and tuyu
tuyu

tuyu

im not afraid to die.
Mar 19, 2023
44
Didn't read the whole post but have read similar articles / studies. Well, I sure as hell wouldn't be working if I didn't need the cash for survival (maslows hierarchy anyone? Basic needs = food and shelter???? And in a capitalistic society we need to pay to get those?) And maybe I could sloth around with my games / anime or actually use the money to start a business to make some change in the world. But too bad, to get money I need to work for it, I need to constantly upskill myself so I can ask for more money from corporate overlords (yay to studying after work!! Oh the joy)

I sure as hell would just unalive if I'm homeless and jobless unless I've already determined a solid reason for staying alive. Major respect to anyone who got themselves out of that situation but sorry I'm a weakass who can't

Edit: well just skimmed through the post , defo seems like a study I've read about where it says happiness goes up with your income til you hit a certain threshold (supposedly til your basal needs are met with what you've earned)
 
Last edited:
bijou

bijou

meow meow meow
Jan 23, 2023
173
there are no atheists in a society where money is god
 

Similar threads

dundunch1cken
Replies
4
Views
217
Suicide Discussion
PianoGoat
PianoGoat
Cyber4ngel!
Replies
2
Views
371
Suicide Discussion
Cyber4ngel!
Cyber4ngel!
Nonno_Eek
Replies
4
Views
298
Suicide Discussion
Nonno_Eek
Nonno_Eek
L
Replies
2
Views
225
Suicide Discussion
Life'sA6itch
L
Darkover
Replies
5
Views
448
Offtopic
Hvergelmir
H