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misher
Joined: 14 Oct 2008
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 Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 8:59 am Post subject: |
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I live in Sweden. I've been here for a little over a year now (I moved here immediately after finishing my contract in Korea) and I have to say that this place is filled with seemingly happy people because they're not purely motivated by money.
There's a word called "lagom" that people seem to be instilled with. The meaning isn't exactly conveyed by Wiki - because to them, the perfect amount is just enough, not too much, not too little. So their "lagom" is like our "ample".
Why am I going on about this? It's because people don't expect to live like moviestars here. People live within their means and are happy with it. They like simple things and enjoy a quiet existence. Now some might say that life here is a little boring (understatement), but being overly concerned with money isn't at all part of the equation (unless you're a teenage club-goer, but they're like that everywhere). |
That was my experience too living in Northern Germany and traveling around to Denmark/Sweden/Holland etc. In terms of money I thought the attitudes of many were spot on. Many were just happy to own a car and travel. Taxes are high but quailty of life was also high as well. THe reckless pursuit of materialistic things to flaunt one's perceived social status I find quite disgusting. This rechid excessiveness and living beyond one's means is also one of the big reasons why our world is going to crap. It is one of the things I couldn't stand about Britain and also about Korea . Ze Swedes have it right. |
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Epik_Teacher
Joined: 28 Apr 2010
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| Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Money may not buy happiness, but you can damn sure rent it!!!!!!! |
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laguna
Joined: 27 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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| hagwonnewbie wrote: |
Everything's relative. If you are getting wealthier, you're probably feeling happier than you were before. If you're rich and your wealth is declining, you may feel less affluent or less happy.
Of course the income divide is growing, so some wealthy people are getting richer and some people are getting poorer.
I also suspect that countries outside of South America for example tie the notion of happiness to wealth, where South Americans are more likely to tie it to health and family.
Does having a lot of money make some people happy? Sure it makes people who want to buy stuff and spend money happy. For people who don't need all that crap, happiness is defined differently. |
You don't know what the hell you're talking about
Try not eating for a week or having a place to sleep and getting a major infection in your eye because of your living conditions
You're talking some bullshit philosophical point that doesn't actually take into account the human aspect
If you're rich and your wealth is declining, your happiness will go down a bit? Uh, yea, it sure goes down while you're on your yacht happily banging your trophy wife and not having to ever worry about working some shitty job.../s |
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hagwonnewbie
Joined: 09 Feb 2007
Location: Asia
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| Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 8:04 am Post subject: |
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| laguna wrote: |
| hagwonnewbie wrote: |
Everything's relative. If you are getting wealthier, you're probably feeling happier than you were before. If you're rich and your wealth is declining, you may feel less affluent or less happy.
Of course the income divide is growing, so some wealthy people are getting richer and some people are getting poorer.
I also suspect that countries outside of South America for example tie the notion of happiness to wealth, where South Americans are more likely to tie it to health and family.
Does having a lot of money make some people happy? Sure it makes people who want to buy stuff and spend money happy. For people who don't need all that crap, happiness is defined differently. |
You don't know what the hell you're talking about
Try not eating for a week or having a place to sleep and getting a major infection in your eye because of your living conditions
You're talking some bullshit philosophical point that doesn't actually take into account the human aspect
If you're rich and your wealth is declining, your happiness will go down a bit? Uh, yea, it sure goes down while you're on your yacht happily banging your trophy wife and not having to ever worry about working some shitty job.../s |
Wow. Just wow.
You're referring to two extremes that aren't representative of the majority of human beings.
I'm not trying be philosophical. I was just trying address the fact that happiness is defined differently across different cultures. Moreover, if you ask any individual if they are happy with their life, their response may change given what kind of day or even year they're having.
Can anyone else chime in? Am I way off or is Luguna coming off as some nutt job? |
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Skipperoo
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 8:10 am Post subject: |
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| Well, you're both right, but Laguna is utterly misrepresenting/misunderstanding your position. |
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ulsanchris
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
Location: take a wild guess
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| Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2010 12:22 am Post subject: |
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| 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. |
I know this because it has been printed in numerous newspaper and magazine articles. I think Time had a big write up about this several years ago. You can look it up if you wish. Me, I can't be bothered. |
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The Gipkik
Joined: 30 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2010 12:40 am Post subject: |
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From http://www.biopsychiatry.com/happiness/happygene.html
"Based on all this: if it is true that increased affluence does not translate into greater happiness or mental health once a person has reached a certain basic level of wealth within a developed nation (around �15,000 pa); if it is also true that once you have achieved that level it is the quality of your early care rather than genes that primarily determines your capacity to enjoy your affluence; if it is further true that a crucial ambition of politics should be to improve the emotional well being of citizens; then politicians should be re-organising our society with the goal of improving the quality of early care rather than of increasing economic growth."
Sounds like it's in the genes and having a certain amount of money while living in a developed country.
If most posters struck it rich, they'd probably go through a honeymoon period of delirious freedom and possibilities, which would inevitably erode over time. You'd still be stuck with yourself.
I've got a much better dream. Work really, really hard at something productive and challenging you like to do and watch what happens. Now that's happiness. |
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Senior
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2010 12:52 am Post subject: |
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| ulsanchris wrote: |
| 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. |
I know this because it has been printed in numerous newspaper and magazine articles. I think Time had a big write up about this several years ago. You can look it up if you wish. Me, I can't be bothered. |
Case closed. |
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laguna
Joined: 27 Jun 2010
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tiger fancini
Joined: 21 Mar 2006
Location: Testicles for Eyes
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| Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2010 7:49 am Post subject: |
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| hagwonnewbie wrote: |
| Does having a lot of money make some people happy? Sure it makes people who want to buy stuff and spend money happy. For people who don't need all that crap, happiness is defined differently. |
People NEED to buy stuff and spend money. That is, if they want to have a family of their own and live in a nice place. And if they want their children to be comfortable and successful in life. Generally speaking, poor families struggle and rich families don't. |
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