Comments on: Money weakens ability to savour life’s little pleasures

By: Nathan Myers

Nathan Myers — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 02:36:32 +0000

From Harvey: “‘In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.’ Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant.”

By: Brian Too

Brian Too — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:25:06 +0000

“I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. Rich is better.”

I forget who said that but it has stuck with me.

By: Doug Garant

Doug Garant — Thu, 27 May 2010 17:20:46 +0000

Ed, I love the choice of photo (“gelt” for Passover): it’s both money _and_ chocolate!

By: Ed Yong

Ed Yong — Thu, 27 May 2010 07:49:26 +0000

Actually the psychological literature is very clear that (a) people greatly overestimate the effect that positive events will have on their happiness and (b) that people are awful at predicting what will make them happy. This is why experiments and actual data are important rather than using gut reactions or 'common sense'. I've written more on this here and I'd recommend Daniel Gilbert's Stumbling on Happiness for more

By: Zoe

Zoe — Thu, 27 May 2010 03:13:48 +0000

I’ve thought about it some more. I do think there’s a level, middle class, where a bit of extra money really wont’ make a speck of difference in happiness. But if you were to get a whole lot more money – surely you’d be happier. Someone who comes into a sh*t load of money and doesn’t get happier must be an idiot. I know that’s not argument, but come on!

By: Gregg Swanson

Gregg Swanson — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:04:15 +0000

It would have been interesting for the study to see what type of background the participants had. Our underlying values create our beliefs and these in turn, create our reactions or responses to situations.

In my experience many people that use money as a goal are doing this to prove something, and no matter what they accomplish they’re never happy.

However, when a person pursues their passion and is happy in this pursuit, money often arrives easily. So money may not bring happiness, but happiness does bring abundance.

By: Dionigi

Dionigi — Wed, 26 May 2010 06:02:32 +0000

I too think that money would allow me to do what I want to do not what I need to do to survive.
Remember that money does not give health but it gives a better class of doctor and all the medical benifits rich people tend to get better health care and don’t have to worry over whether they can afford the insurance or costs not covered.
Money doesn’t bring love but you have a lot bigger group of people to choose from and a trophy wife.
Poverty brings misery and a shorter life span.
I would rather risk misery and be rich but do not spend all my time chasing money for monies sake, life is meant to be savoured.

By: Zoe

Zoe — Wed, 26 May 2010 05:29:55 +0000

@3: Funny, I would always start with the thickest book

By: Zoe

Zoe — Wed, 26 May 2010 05:28:52 +0000

To enjoy a sunny day it’d have to be a weekend.

My point: if I had more money I wouldn’t have to work in my bloody job (and no, it’s not the job itself – I just don’t like working for other people and according to their schedules) and I could enjoy a sunny day. With some chocolate.

Somehow I never believe those studies…I’m not poor and I agree, a little more money isn’t going to make me happier. A lot more money, though, would allow me to do what I want (ie. not work for a boss). And I am sure I’d be happier than I am now.

By: southlakesmom

southlakesmom — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:16:23 +0000

It does make one wonder about whether we’re really “helping” when we pour money into developing countries trying to ‘raise’ their standard of living. When my husband was in Kenya the slum dwellers he worked with radiated joy regardless of the circumstances. On the contrary, here in the Washington, DC area it seems that no matter how much money is poured into people’s communities, it is never enough for them to say they are now “happy.”

There’s an interesting trend among the young (20-30) people to opt for jobs that ‘make a difference’ rather than ‘produce a lot of money.’ Perhaps they’ve started to understand that money and happiness are not the same thing.