La_LovelyLady

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Can money truly buy happiness? Is it the root of all evil? Does it represent power? Does someone's fortune make them a better person? What is your honest opinion on money and it's affect on society's behavior? :wiggle:

Jimi

The more money I make, the better. Money can't buy you love, but it certainluy can buy you happiness. I could buy a yacht, and go sailing to the South Pacific, and go scuba diving.... that would make me happy. Money isn't the root of all evil, humanity is. A person would be just as evil with our without money. It effects society's behavior because we put so much emphasis on money.

zzyzzgy

society is way to fixated on money. everything is done with the bottom line in consideration.
NibiruZen, is it the idea/ability to sail the South Pacific and scuba diving that would make you happy or is it the financial freedom allowing you to do that that is more enticing? if money didnt exist and anyone that wanted to could do that, would it still be enticing?
(not picking on you, you just happened to be the first reply i read )

Jimi

It would be enticing. That's my goal, to own a yacht. Has nothing to do with the actual monetary value, has to do with the fact that I can do what I want to do. I'm not "fixated" on money in the least. I just know that money is something that anyone would like to have more of.

zzyzzgy

owning something implies monetary value.
i didnt mean to suggest that you were fixated on money. that was just an opening statement. i was just curious if you would sail the Pacific for the sheer joy of it or if the financial freedom to do so was your motivation.
i believe that if money didnt exist, society as a whole would be more focused on learning and knowledge than material goods.
the current caste system is divided by rich/poor. unfortunately, that is also a dividing line between races. (not as bad as it used to be, but still a big gap nonetheless) if knowledge was the caste system in place, would the racial lines be as clearly obvious?

Jimi

Owning something doesn't mean monetary value. The monetary value is a pre-conceived value placed on an object using a specified tender. There are more values on objects than just monetary. The barter system seems good, in theory, but production would be a fraction of what it is. As far as a "caste-system" in the US, it doesn't exist. Everyone has the chance to become successful, no matter what race, creed, or any of that other jazz that people use as an excuse not to be something more than they are.

Jimi

By the way, I'm not trying to start a debate with you, I'm just answering your questions. I know you're not implying anything as far as materialism or anything toward me. I was just reading my replies, and I came across that way I think.

namsdrawkcaBehT

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Firstly, happiness must be defined - It is basically the release of endorphins by your brain.
Can money buy endorphine injections? Yes
Therefore money can buy happiness.

But this aside.

I believe money does indeed represent power, provided you know who to pay off, and because it can buy power it also corrupts. "Absolute power = Absolute corruption"

Also on the money making you a better person, it really depends. Generally "earnt money" is better than "inherrited money", simply because the person has usually worked hard for it, or has come up with some brilliant idea. Whereas people who are born rich are a lot of the time elitists.

sharpwheel

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Money can't buy happiness, but it sure helps to put your mind at ease. Naturally, you can't buy the intangibles, but money can set you into a place where the intangibles are easier to attain.

Car Enthusiast

lack of money can make you sad, that is for damn sure

Superhuman

Indeed.

Up to a certain point money does make me happy. There's no need for me to become a millionaire but I do want to have my own place to live, insurance, health-care, education etc in order to be happy. The only thing that's going to buy me those things is money.

Pacemaker

Money won't make someone "happy" what it will do is allow the person to be happy. What makes most modern people unhappy? Stress. (whether in the form of bills, work or other things) If you had a good amount of money most of the things that cause stress can be removed. However, if you aren't happy because your girlfriend ran off with Brad Pitt than I don't think money is going to help.

Jimi

In which case, it could be said that no one will ever be truly happy, because something can and will probably go wrong at any given time. Therefore, ultimately, money can make someone happy, because the person, aside from the trivial problems, could be a generally happy person.

kgilly

If money didn't exist, there would still be some kind of barter system. In this barter system some items wouls still be worth more than others, making some items more desirable than others. Having money doesn't make you a better person just as being the person who barters with cows doesn't make you a better person. Money is not the root of all evil. One may choose to do good with their money such as give to charities, put food int he man in the corners mouth, or promote the right to vote tot he young, just as if you were bartering you may give cows away as food to those who were in need. Some take there money or bartering value and are greedy with it, they think how can i use this money to better myself? rather than how can i use this money to better my society? Its simply how one lets money or the monetary value thereof effect their lives.

Personally I would be happy if I could just live my life on a farm in poeace and never worry about anythin except me and my dog. That would make me happy..but in our society tha is not possible...so some amount of money is required to stay happy.