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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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 Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 2:03 am Post subject: Money 'can' buy happiness |
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| 'Yes, money makes you happy - we see the effect of income on life satisfaction is very strong and virtually ubiquitous and universal around the world,' said psychology professor Ed Diener of the University of Illinois, who led the study. |
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_548549.html
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Both positive and negative feelings are more likely to be linked to being respected, being in control of your life and having friends and family to rely on.
Prof Diener said the study found a few very unhappy people among the rich |
This is interesting, because I've often heard the saying that money can't buy happiness.
Take for example the song Satisfied Mind:
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How many times have
You heard someone say
If I had his money
I could do things my way
But little they know
That it's so hard to find
One rich man in ten
With a satisfied mind |
Check out this article on the world's happiest countries:
By and large, rich countries are happier � and that's no coincidence.
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-35010143
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| The fact is good times probably have more to do with the size of your wallet than the size of your trophy shelf. The five happiest countries in the world � Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands � are all clustered in the same region, and all enjoy high levels of prosperity. |
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nukeday
Joined: 13 May 2010
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Senior
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 2:14 am Post subject: |
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People who say they don't need money are flat out liars. It's like saying I don't need food, water, housing and clothing. It's actually much worse than that. They are really saying I don't need life.
On prosperity. Quite simply if you are rich, every single bad thing improves. eg child abuse, alcoholism, pollution. Try and think of a bad thing. I can guarantee that economic growth and prosperity cure it. |
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Senior
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 2:34 am Post subject: |
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Your data doesn't show that at all. It shows some rich countries have high suicide rates eg Japan. But what was Japan's suicide rate in the past? Is it improving or getting worse?
Just look at the graph for Hungary, it proves my point. In the 80s, Hungary was a communist dictatorship. As the people got more freedom and prosperity, their rate of suicide declined. Plus, for all those poor countries at the bottom of the list, there is no data!
Nine out of the top ten countries on that list have long harsh winters with little sun light. I'm going to say that the lack of vitamin D is as likely to be the cause of high suicide rates, than high standard of living. |
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nukeday
Joined: 13 May 2010
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 2:41 am Post subject: |
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There are only no data for the bottom ten or so. The wealthiest countries are in the top 50, quite a few in the top 20, with two wealthy Asian countries in the top 10.
As for Japan, "Despite an economic upturn in 2007, suicide rates have continued to be high, prompting concern by the Japanese government.[14]"
Now, obviously this doesn't prove that "wealth kills" and "poverty protects," however obviously wealth is not a cure-all...especially w/ regards to a lack of sunlight and vitamin D. |
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Senior
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 2:53 am Post subject: |
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| nukeday wrote: |
| There are only no data for the bottom ten or so. The wealthiest countries are in the top 50, quite a few in the top 20, with two wealthy Asian countries in the top 10. |
Did Korea and Japan have high suicide rates when they were poor? Considering Japanese culture has a tradition of ritualized suicide it might be fair to make that assumption.
Additionally, much of the data is more than 10 years old. As well as fully half of the countries on Earth are not even represented!
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| As for Japan, "Despite an economic upturn in 2007, suicide rates have continued to be high, prompting concern by the Japanese government.[14]" |
Japan is a country with high suicide rates. We know that already. I don't see any cause to link that with prosperity.
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Now, obviously this doesn't prove that "wealth kills" and "poverty protects," however obviously wealth is not a cure-all...especially w/ regards to a lack of sunlight and vitamin D. |
My idea about vitamin D has nothing to do with my theory on prosperity. They aren't linked. They are separate thoughts.
Wealth absolutely cures all. Every single indicator is improved when wealth improves. |
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ulsanchris
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
Location: take a wild guess
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 5:13 am Post subject: |
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Korea and Japan are the richest countries in asia and yet they are the least happy.
Increased wealth brings an increase in happiness up to a certain point. After that there is no real gain in happiness and infact happiness can decrease. |
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Quack Addict
Joined: 31 Mar 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 6:02 am Post subject: |
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| We need more cowbell! |
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pangaea
Joined: 20 Dec 2007
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 6:23 am Post subject: |
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To me, money is freedom. When the bills aren't behind, I don't have to work 2 jobs to pay them, and I can afford to quit a job that I hate, I am much less angry, stressed, and depressed. I also love to travel, so having the funds to do that makes my life better. In that sense, yes, money does buy happiness. Of course, it seems like some people work just to have more money so they can spend all the extra on new things. I would much rather live well within my means than stretch my budget to the limit with a house on the edge of what I can afford, new cars, credit card bills, etc.
I had a friend who inherited 2.5 million dollars from his father's estate. His philosophy was, "Money can't buy happiness but it can sure as hell allow me to look." |
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Young FRANKenstein
Joined: 02 Oct 2006
Location: Castle Frankenstein (that's FRONKensteen)
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 6:37 am Post subject: |
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| Of course money can buy happiness. Money gets you a waverunner, and have you ever seen anyone frown on a waverunner? No. |
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DeMayonnaise
Joined: 02 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 6:49 am Post subject: |
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| Young FRANKenstein wrote: |
| Of course money can buy happiness. Money gets you a waverunner, and have you ever seen anyone frown on a waverunner? No. |
I imagine my buddy was frowning when his other friend drove over him, yes, directly over him on another wave runner, breaking his hand in multiple places.
This is a dumb threat. The study is from Illinois...those FIBs don't know anything and should immediately be discredited. |
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Senior
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:51 am Post subject: |
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| ulsanchris wrote: |
Korea and Japan are the richest countries in asia and yet they are the least happy.
Increased wealth brings an increase in happiness up to a certain point. After that there is no real gain in happiness and infact happiness can decrease. |
How do you know this? What was the suicide rate in Korea and Japan in the past? Although there are lots of suicides, how do you know the rate isn't dropping? I'm not saying it is, I'm just saying I haven't seen evidence to support your idea. |
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Juregen
Joined: 30 May 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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When money is a problem, you are unhappy.
When money is not a problem, it are the other things that matter. |
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Louis VI
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
Location: In my Kingdom
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Both positive and negative feelings are more likely to be linked to being respected, being in control of your life and having friends and family to rely on. |
All more important than money. Those who chase $$$ often seem like an insecure bunch. |
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jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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| pangaea wrote: |
| "Money can't buy happiness but it can sure as hell allow me to look." |
So true. |
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