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Money 'can' buy happiness
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Globutron



Joined: 13 Feb 2010
Location: England/Anyang

PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I find the male-female ratio much more interesting. That, and that Korea have their own separate page dedicated to their suicide
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engrishprease



Joined: 22 Oct 2009

PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 8:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Money can get you many things, like comfort from not having to worry about your bills, freedom to do what you want, opportunity to travel/vacation around the world, more options when it comes to women and/or men, and much much more.

If that can't buy you happiness, I don't know what will..

This "Money can't buy happiness" is based on some silly premise/notion that someone without money actually has "something" that gives them happiness but most folks grow up and learn the difference between the real world and fairy tales. That silly, poor but happy person would be even more happy with money..
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World Traveler



Joined: 29 May 2009

PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 8:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Louis VI wrote:
Quote:
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.


Right, but without much money, you are less likely to be respected, have control, or have many friends to rely on. Sad but true.
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Louis VI



Joined: 05 Jul 2010
Location: In my Kingdom

PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 8:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

World Traveler wrote:
Louis VI wrote:
Quote:
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.

Right, but without much money, you are less likely to be respected, have control, or have many friends to rely on. Sad but true.

Money controls people and friends who give a damn about your wealth or lack thereof aren't friends worth having.

True and not so pathetic.
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NYC_Gal



Joined: 08 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 8:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Senior wrote:
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.


There is no suicide in Korea and Japan. It's fandeath. Didn't you know?
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Louis VI



Joined: 05 Jul 2010
Location: In my Kingdom

PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 8:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I took a lesser paying job to work exactly where I wanted to instead of chasing the biggest paycheque somewhere I'd be grumbling about the pollution, traffic and the like.

I've visited rich countries like Japan and America and poor countries like Mexico and Thailand and have seen a lot more stress and less smiles in richer locales. Perhaps BEING rich makes it easier to be happy but STRIVING to be rich as so many middle class folk do sure ain't a recipe for happiness: newer property mortgages, car loans, seeking expensive things or sacrificing free time to work more to reach financial goals - these are not happy people, or at least they don't look like the sort of happy people I most admire.

Quote:
This "Money can't buy happiness" is based on some silly premise/notion that someone without money actually has "something" that gives them happiness but most folks grow up and learn the difference between the real world and fairy tales. That silly, poor but happy person would be even more happy with money.

More happy?! Chances are money is entirely BESIDE THE POINT for such a silly person.

Now run along and dedicate most of your time to making more money and planning how to spend that money and how to make more money. Think of how happy you are to have more money, or how your unhappiness will end once you just make enough money, how you will have more friends once you have more money, or how the friends you have are there in part because of your money. Then sit back and count your money, and go to sleep happy that the money you have in the bank means you will have good dreams and a better day tomorrow than some shmuck who hasn't as much money as you.
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Sergio Stefanuto



Joined: 14 May 2009
Location: UK

PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 10:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Louis VI wrote:
I took a lesser paying job to work exactly where I wanted to. . .


Of course you did.
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NYC_Gal



Joined: 08 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 10:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmmm. More money would buy me 100 acres or so on a mountain. I'd have an orchard, a natural spring, a huge vegetable garden, maybe some goats and chickens, and high-speed internet. Don't forget: all the muscly shirtless men for tending the grounds Wink

Oh, and a house on a warm island somewhere for those cold winters.

I couldn't care less about acquiring the latest toys, unless you count my every-3-years new computer (I give my old one to a family member, friend, or donate to a local school, depending on the situation) and occasional kitchen gizmos.

I think that money would buy happiness in that scenario.
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DrugstoreCowgirl



Joined: 08 May 2009
Location: Daegu-where the streets have no name

PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 11:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

People who say money doesn't buy happiness have obviously never had money Very Happy
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engrishprease



Joined: 22 Oct 2009

PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 11:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Louis VI wrote:
Money controls people and friends who give a damn about your wealth or lack thereof aren't friends worth having.

It's not that they give a damn about your wealth or lack thereof, it's the simple fact that having (many) friends costs (a lot of) money, especially in an expensive city like Seoul, unless you don't mind being a cheapskate/leech, in which case you probably wouldn't have many friends to begin with.

Louis VI wrote:
I took a lesser paying job to work exactly where I wanted to instead of chasing the biggest paycheque somewhere I'd be grumbling about the pollution, traffic and the like.

Would you have taken the lesser paying job if the pay difference was 500,000won per month? How about 1,000,000won? Let me ask this another way. Do you actually think there would be any complaints on these boards if all the ESL teachers in Korea got paid the same amount as neurosurgeons in the 'States?

Louis VI wrote:
I've visited rich countries like Japan and America and poor countries like Mexico and Thailand and have seen a lot more stress and less smiles in richer locales.

Have you actually lived (for an extended period of time) with these "poor" folks or is this opinion based on the few cursory glances at the folks you've met while on vacation? You clearly never grew up in a poor family or knew anyone who has.

DrugstoreCowgirl wrote:
People who say money doesn't buy happiness have obviously never had money.

Couldn't have said it any better myself.
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milspecs



Joined: 19 Jun 2008

PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 1:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Money doesn't buy happiness.
It buys crazy ass happiness.
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The Gipkik



Joined: 30 Mar 2009

PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Okay, well, what then is happiness? Talk to the oldtimers and they might give you a very different perspective. When times were tough, when things were less than sure, when life was unpredictable and challenges were almost insurmountable. Those were the best days of their lives. Money buys a lot of good stuff, even the illusion of freedom, but there is no way in hell that it can buy happiness. Happiness isn't having all your desires met and then dying and going to heaven. That sounds like what a 6 year old might envision as happiness. The ID out of control! Even heaven sounds like a tedious affair. Who wants or needs immortality? The fascinating thing about happiness is that you can't say with certainty that you are happy in the here and now. It might be a lot of things, but it's hindsight that will decide.

Of course, there is a huge range between being impoverished and being complacently affluent.
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NYC_Gal



Joined: 08 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 4:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My grandparents would beg to differ. When times were tough my grandpa worked 3 jobs and hardly saw my grandma. Once they retired, they started traveling the world. They tell me that retirement has been the best time of their lives, and I hope to be so content someday. Clearly without money they wouldn't have been able to retire and travel.
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The Gipkik



Joined: 30 Mar 2009

PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 4:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

NYC_Gal wrote:
My grandparents would beg to differ. When times were tough my grandpa worked 3 jobs and hardly saw my grandma. Once they retired, they started traveling the world. They tell me that retirement has been the best time of their lives, and I hope to be so content someday. Clearly without money they wouldn't have been able to retire and travel.


It's not easy to quantify or qualify this one--especially through anecdotes. However, I keep thinking about some developing countries, such as Thailand, and how life with an increasing amount of money to spend per person should mean greater happiness. What seems to be happening is that the striving sets in and community interconnectedness gradually disappears. Maybe this is a completely different variation on the theme; a different world view. And it also might be a generational perspective. It all depends what kind of hardships, if any of a real and tangible kind, each group of individuals had to contend with, fight against. When there aren't any really big issues at stake any more for so many middle class people, it becomes a matter of money to satisfy all their worldly needs. Money becomes more than a creed but a reason to live.
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NYC_Gal



Joined: 08 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 6:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gotta learn how to enjoy what you have Smile
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