Select Page

Money Doesn’t Make Happy: Arguments For & Against [Shocking]

Money Doesn’t Make Happy: Arguments For & Against [Shocking]

You’ve probably heard it often: ” Money doesn’t buy happiness “, but what is the meaning of this statement? And is that statement correct? Let’s discover the philosophy and arguments of both those for and against. Read further…

What is the meaning for ‘money doesn’t buy happiness’?

According to some of the experts and research in this article, money doesn’t buy happiness, but what does ‘money doesn’t make happy’ mean?

That means simply: people with a paid job abundant, plentiful profitable company or winning lottery ticket on average are no happier than those with average or below average income. Well, what are the arguments for this?

Money does not buy happiness: the arguments

A logical-sounding argument is: If money were a strong factor of happiness, then the world’s three richest people – Jeff Bezos, Amazon owner, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and investor Warren Buffet – should live in ecstasy and happiest people on the planet.

A 2016 study from the London School of Economics found that being physically and mentally healthy and in a good relationship ultimately brings happiness – not money. When someone’s poverty is resolved, someone becomes only 5 percent happier than before. When someone’s health, relationship issues, anxiety, or depression are resolved, someone becomes 20 percent happier than before.

Another argument is: You get used to wealth, luxury cars and fancy restaurants, so you just as happy – or are even less happy if someone used is ‘normal’ cars and restaurants. Children are especially vulnerable to this habituation. Children of lottery winners then have a lot to do with material things and have no idea of ​​the value of money.

Another argument for ‘money does not buy happiness’ is: When you have a lot of money, there is a chance that you will also think about money and talk about money more often  – in relation to people with an average amount of money .  For example, people with a lot of money need to think about where to keep their money so that it is safe and does not devalue.

If I don’t do anything with my 800,000 euros, and just leave it in the bank, then 16,000 euros a year will just go up in smoke due to inflation … so I have to sell my other real estate now so that I can use the proceeds together with that. 800,000 euros in new real estate. But … if I now have to sell my real estate immediately, I cannot wait for the highest bidder to come and I might miss out on 150,000 euros … Headaches, headaches ….

People with a simple rented house don’t have those worries. That’s great, because money is a  superficial theme  to spend your time and attention on, compared to topics that go deeper, such as family, friendship and activities.

Money doesn’t buy happiness: quotes and proverbs

I have never seen a bag of money score a goal.
– Johan Cruijff

You don’t have to own money to be worthy.
– Gandhi

A drop of tenderness is more than money and power.
– Buddha

A rich man is often nothing more than a poor bastard with a lot of money.
– Onassis

Having enough is happiness; having more than enough brings bad luck. That is true of all things, especially money.
– Lao Tse

You can buy a very nice dog for money, but not the wagging of its tail.
– Josh Billings

Money alone has not made anyone rich yet.
– Seneca

Power is the right of the strong, justice is his interest; It is better to leave his children a good conscience than money.
– Plato

‘Money doesn’t buy happiness’ or ‘Money can’t buy happiness’.
– English equivalent for ‘Money doesn’t buy happiness’

Money does not buy happiness, it has in common with poverty.
– Simon CarmiggeltSimon Carmiggelt

A business that produces nothing but money is a poor type of business.
– Henry Ford

You are not really rich until you have something that money cannot buy.
– Garth Brooks

Money doesn’t buy happiness, but …

You may also have heard these statements:

  • “Money doesn’t buy happiness, but luckily I have money.”
  • “Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it helps.”

Let’s see what the arguments are for this …

Money does make you happy: arguments

“Money makes you happy,” you sometimes hear from some people. Experts also say this. According to a recent  survey  of Swedish lottery winners, money does make you happier. “The research proves that a higher income makes people more satisfied with their life.”

The main argument is that money below a certain threshold level does make a lot of happiness: it is clear that having no money at all or too little to make ends meet is very miserable. It’s really hard to be happy when you have to flip every dime three times before you can spend it. You have to have a certain amount of money and above that it doesn’t matter anymore.

Money does make you happy, but there are conditions for that

Money brings happiness, provided the following is in order:

  • You have to be able to handle money.
  • Money is not the end, but a means.
  • According to Ad Kil – professor at Nyenrode Business University – the only way money makes you happy is if it ‘solves part of your daily worries’.

For a more in-depth look at what self-made millionaire Michael Pilarczyk has to say …

Money or luck … Why not both? Money is needed to create beautiful moments

One of the people who can make a good argument about how money can make you happy is Michael Pilarczyk. He himself has built his wealth from scratch – lost – and rebuilt it again, so he has the right to speak.

He says that all kinds of happiness-giving things of life are paid, like …

  • The flower for your parents.
  • The present for your children.
  • A vacation.
  • A dinner.
  • Do fun things with your children and your family.
  • Give your children a magical day by taking them to the Efteling.
  • Invite all your friends and / or family for a trip or ski vacation. If you have the money you have worked hard for, then you are happy to give it for moments like this.

Do you keep nagging about ‘money doesn’t make you happy’? Then make a lot of money and just give it all away

A message to the people who themselves remain poor and keep saying that money does not make you happy: First experience what it is like to have a lot of money and only then judge. If it doesn’t make you happy, you can still give it away.

Start the experiment and find the answer for yourself. Make a lot of money in the coming period and do good things with it. Follow these three steps:

Step 1: Make a Lot of Money
It’s not difficult. See this article on getting rich.

Step 2: enjoy the tax you pay
Your tax money goes to all kinds of social purposes. So you make a big contribution with all that tax money that you pay as a rich person.

Step 3: also give the rest away
With more money you can also give more . What did you think about…

  • 1,000 euro tip to your pizza delivery person.
  • Clothes for a homeless person.
  • 1,000 euros for a street musician.
  • More tax, which goes to all kinds of social purposes.
  • 100,000 euros for the homeless shelter.
  • 100,000 euros to the local church.
  • 100,000 euros to the local football association.
  • 100,000 euros to another charity such as Unicef.

Money is good, take a look …

Is money bad? Not if you can spend it on good things:

  • With money you can pay for the medical care for your parents.
  • With money you can pay for a good education for your children.
  • Money can help an orphanage.

Look how many people got into shit because of money troubles. Just look at the unfavorable situations people find themselves in because they had too little money. So money makes you happy in a number of ways.

What if we nuance it? You don’t have to be a millionaire: have enough money for a good life

money does not make you happy

How you use your time – and how effective you are – is much more important than how much money you have or will make. Make sure you have enough money to live a fun life. That makes you the most ‘rich’ and happy because you can actually apply it.

It is difficult to explain this in a paragraph here, so read more in this separate article about effectiveness and smart working.

Sources: Find out more about this topic

On your luck!

About The Author

Rubin

Hello! Thanks for reading these articles. My intention is to make happiness as simple and clear as posssible. By the way, excuse my English. I am not a native English speaker since I live in Amsterdam. Much appreciated if you use the comments to make suggestions on my grammar. See ya in another blogpost!