Can Money Buy Happiness?

[Asmodeus]

My old Ethics prof once told the class "Whoever said money can't buy happiness needs to give it to me so I can show them!". He then presented a study done by researchers looking to quantify happiness and they concluded the "cost of happiness" to be 10 million USD. That is supposed to be the amount needed to buy whatever you desire...a nice home, cars, etc., and enough to live off without ever worrying about money again. Anything beyond that is considered excessive.

This was many years ago, but the point I would like to discuss here is can you buy happiness, or is it really just comfort?

We've all seen the stats of how much the 1% make, but are they any happier than the other 99%? Obviously, there will be many people who will state that family makes you happy, and love, but in the absence of the non-tangible feels, could you just buy your way to a happy life?

I personally think that there should be a cap on anyone making over 10 mil and the rest should be filtered back to help those in need, but that's not a popular opinion in our capitalist society. The excessive riches of just Elon Musk alone could solve hunger in many places. More food, less yachts.

Perhaps we would need to (re)define happiness first before attempting to quantify it? UGH.

[Silver]

Money can make one's life more comfortable. Hence, Maslow's Hierarchy. Yet, rich people still experience unhappiness due to their own set of problems that either have nothing to do with money or perhaps due precisely because of possessing too much of it.

More money can bring momentary happiness, but there will usually always be other problems that reintroduce unhappiness.

The real culprit, when it comes to money, is directly linked to capitalism.

And happiness is simply one of those fleeting emotions we can never hold onto indefinitely. We're too human for such idealistic fantasies people love to see portrayed in fiction.

[arewethereyet]

It depends on what makes you happy and if that thing is for sale.

[Ahriman]

I would much rather be unhappy living in a nice house than unhappy living in a crappy apartment.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I have money and I’m happy. When I was broke, I was also happy. The biggest thing money buys is time.

It’s also a helluva stress reducer. Deciding where to eat is a lot easier than wondering if you’ll eat.

Boru

[The Grand Nudger]

More normative declaration than factual observation, imo. About earned vs unearned happiness contextualized as things bought and things worked for - but not quite, since earning the money to pay a sex worker will likely be understood by people who believe as much to be on the wrong side of that line regardless of how hard the customer (or sex worker) worked to get the money which afforded them happiness in the transaction.

[Angrboda]

I suspect the hedonistic treadmill effect guarantees that people are intrinsically set to achieve a specific amount of happiness and nothing external will move that needle permanently.

Did anybody mention yoga?  

[Ahriman]

I suspect the hedonistic treadmill effect guarantees that people are intrinsically set to achieve a specific amount of happiness and nothing external will move that needle permanently.

Did anybody mention yoga?  

Drugs can move that needle, but that's not such a great approach. Borderline impossible to avoid, though, living in the United States.

[europeanatheist]

money cannot buy happiness but can buy you lack of concern, that is close to happiness. It works until a certain threeshold, after a certain amount of money you start again to be worried.
In the end it is like Marylin Monroe summarized: it is beter to cry in a Rolls Royce than on a crappy sofa (or something similar, I do not recall her exact words)

[Thumpalumpacus]

Money alleviates worry. Happiness is a daily decision. The two are interconnected but not reliant upon one another.