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philosophy and religion » can money buy happiness?

greene's avatar
16 years ago
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greene
cursed, but the demons i confronted with dispersed
i'm going to go ahead and say probably yes. but only for the type of person that doesn't just quickly grow accustom to things being good. like, if you were the type of child that was really happy on christmas morning but bummed out again by new years...and you haven't changed much... then no.
greene's avatar
16 years ago
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greene
cursed, but the demons i confronted with dispersed
i don't know if anyone of you other than lucas have heard of ken wilber, but he wrote in one of his books something bout their being 4 quadrants of the brain and each of them being dependent on the other... i don't remember what the quadrants were and if they were literal or a metaphor, but, none the less i will try to explain what he said.. much like how smiling makes a person happier because the physical is tied to the emotional (that doesn't really work for me, though) adding money to quadrant I of the brain will give a boost to the other three quadrants. those other quadrants control things like your interpersonal relationships and memories of your past. so adding money to your life makes your word view rosier according to wilber (at least temporarily)
greene's avatar
16 years ago
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greene
cursed, but the demons i confronted with dispersed
*word view
greene's avatar
16 years ago
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greene
cursed, but the demons i confronted with dispersed
gah! *world view
phi_'s avatar
16 years ago
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phi_
... and let the Earth be silent after ye.
If it can't, you're not spending it right.
asemisldkfj's avatar
16 years ago
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asemisldkfj
the law is no protection
absolutely not. maybe if I kept myself occupied with material things like literally 100% of my time (if this was even possible) then it could work.
 
16 years ago
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Trent
I don't know about happiness, but if you already love life it definitely can add another fun dimension.
greene's avatar
16 years ago
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greene
cursed, but the demons i confronted with dispersed
is fun the 4th dimension (AHHH MY BRAINS)?
Chiken's avatar
16 years ago
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Chiken
Don't Let Your Walls Down
honestly im gonna say no. yeah it's nice to have money but there are things you can't buy with money that truly make for a more meaningful life.
Étrangère's avatar
16 years ago
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Étrangère
I am not a robot...
Of course it can, the problem is that so many people expect too much from it. Money has no say in the permanence level of any initial happiness...

It's like eating, feeling fully satiated, then assuming you'll never be hungry again. Hopefully no one really thinks like that.
Fsmart's avatar
15 years ago
r3, link
Fsmart
in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Physiological and Safety are certainly aided by money. higher levels might be helped hurt or indifferent to the effects of money. thus money may help the aspiring playboy/inventor achieve happiness while driving the romantic/philosopher, just seeking a few good friends and an honest love, away from happiness. so the lesson, if you get loaded become the playboy.
dannyp's avatar
15 years ago
r1, link
dannyp
dʎuuɐp

Maslow's hierarchy levels Physiological and Safety and certainly aided by money.


hey fsmart, what the fuck kind of sentence is that?

In Maslow's heirarchy of needs, Physiology and Safety are certainly aided by money.*
--

Now for my answer:
It can.
Étrangère's avatar
15 years ago
r1, link
Étrangère
I am not a robot...
Today a customer came in that I recognized. He walks slowly, unsteadily, with one hand permanently curled into a fist. It's barely useable. He's maybe 60 years old, and tall. He wears thick glasses.

He comes in once or twice a semester asking to get a few copies of this and that. Sometimes it's a page from a book, other times something for one his notebooks. These notebooks are labeled with big, single letters awkwardly cut out and glued onto bright construction paper...like a kindergartener's. My co-workers groan when he comes in because he has a hard time expressing himself clearly and gets angry the instant we ask him to repeat himself.

Today he came in and asked for pages from a big book. After I'd finished, I asked if I could help him with anything else. Smiled. He glared at me, then answered "One million thirty-seven years wasted."

I said "What do you mean?"

He burst into a long, jolty sentence that I couldn't understand. Then he just said "Stroke."

I stood there with him, silent; both of us looking down at his dirty backpack. He turned and shuffled away. I went into the back room and cried.

It made me wonder...are his thoughts coherent? Is it the verbalizing that makes them so confused, or is that the way he thinks now? No wonder he's so angry. I can't imagine that kind of constant frustration and disappointment.

So in some cases, the answer is a resounding no. Money cannot buy happiness. I could give that man every piece of currency in existence, and he still couldn't fix what's been broken. I have a feeling at this point nothing else could make him happy.
nny's avatar
15 years ago
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nny
M̮͈̣̙̰̝̃̿̎̍ͬa͉̭̥͓ț̘ͯ̈́t̬̻͖̰̞͎ͤ̇ ̈̚J̹͎̿̾ȏ̞̫͈y̭̺ͭc̦̹̟̦̭̫͊̿ͩeͥ̌̾̓ͨ
Technically crystal meth is happiness. So yes, you can buy happiness.

But as kids in the hall once stated. Fuck happy.

Fsmart's avatar
14 years ago
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Fsmart
hey fsmart, what the fuck kind of sentence is that? - DP
sorry man. you're right. i need to take more care when i post.

my question, "can happiness buy money?"
lucas's avatar
14 years ago
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lucas
i ❤ demo
> hey fsmart, what the fuck kind of sentence is that? - DP
> sorry man. you're right. i need to take more care when i post.

hahaha
hmorgan's avatar
14 years ago
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hmorgan
h*may
>It made me wonder...are his thoughts coherent? Is it the verbalizing that makes them so confused, or is that the way he thinks now?

If the language center (one of two) in the brain is damaged by a stroke, the person's cognition is not necessarily affected, just their ability to express themselves clearly through speech. Thoughts are linked directly to language, language being the mechanism for expressing and communicated them to others, but you can still think even if you can't talk.

Can money buy happiness? It depends, of course, on the situation. Factors influencing whether it can or not include 1) who has the money 2) how much money they have 3) how much money they used to have 4) how they use it 5) their disposition.... etc.
Can money buy my happiness? No, but it would probably be a wonderful help. When basic needs are met, I tend to be more creative, energetic and happy. Therefore, if I had money to cover basic needs for an undetermined amount of time, I could devote more time to enjoying my life and helping other people enjoy theirs, thus promoting a more general form of happiness.
nny's avatar
14 years ago
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nny
M̮͈̣̙̰̝̃̿̎̍ͬa͉̭̥͓ț̘ͯ̈́t̬̻͖̰̞͎ͤ̇ ̈̚J̹͎̿̾ȏ̞̫͈y̭̺ͭc̦̹̟̦̭̫͊̿ͩeͥ̌̾̓ͨ
With money, I can buy your happiness.

Weasley's avatar
14 years ago
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Weasley
20 x 10 living
money can purchase things which make happiness.

therefore, money can buy happiness.

on the other hand, if someone is being bribed to do something they feel against doing, this is invalid.
 
13 years ago
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Vezella22
In my own opinion, Having money is have all. People live on money and also die of money. It is a pity with its strengh.



http://www.watchmoviesonlinefree.tv
phi_'s avatar
13 years ago
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phi_
... and let the Earth be silent after ye.
... wut?
Chiken's avatar
13 years ago
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Chiken
Don't Let Your Walls Down
clever bot?
phi_'s avatar
13 years ago
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phi_
... and let the Earth be silent after ye.
Bots have opinions now. And they're capitalists! D:
lucas's avatar
13 years ago
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lucas
i ❤ demo
oh no!
asemisldkfj's avatar
13 years ago
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asemisldkfj
the law is no protection
lol @ capitalist bots
nestor's avatar
13 years ago
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nestor
nestor
wtf @ "It is a pity with its strengh"