What makes us happy??

[zephcom]

One of the most common misconceptions is that money will make us happy. That is the capitalist mantra...making more money will make us happier. According to this article, that isn't so:

Harvard professor says 'winning a $20 million lottery won't make you happier in life'—but these 4 things will

Happiness isn't based on how much money one has. Well, it is to a limited extent:

The Exact Amount of Money it Takes to Make a Person Happy Just Got an Update

The question becomes, if the above amount of money and the four things in the first article are true, why do we still try to make more and more money?

Is it no wonder that Americans are constantly angry? How many people out of the 320 million of us hit that sweet spot of just enough money to do be comfortable and being able to access the four things which will make us happy.

I think maybe America may just have its priorities out of whack. Why don't we try to make people happy instead of rich? It would take a whole lot less money to do that. And it would be more fun.

Take me for instance. I live in a 40 year old double wide (it is in good condition...maybe even excellent condition for its age), on five acres of land. M'Lady and I make maybe 80-90 thousand a year. We have friends and relatives living nearby. We belong to some organizations that provide us with opportunities to socialize and also contribute to our communities.

Disregarding the national and international issues. we are really happy. Our local community is awesome. I don't see any reason why I should pursue additional wealth.

The question is how to bring this sense of happiness to others?

 

[Not David]

I would say God but I believe having a goal in life is a good idea, a lot of people focus on short-term pleasure.

 

[BioLeap]

One of the most common misconceptions is that money will make us happy. That is the capitalist mantra...making more money will make us happier. According to this article, that isn't so:

Harvard professor says 'winning a $20 million lottery won't make you happier in life'—but these 4 things will

Happiness isn't based on how much money one has. Well, it is to a limited extent:

The Exact Amount of Money it Takes to Make a Person Happy Just Got an Update

The question becomes, if the above amount of money and the four things in the first article are true, why do we still try to make more and more money?

Is it no wonder that Americans are constantly angry? How many people out of the 320 million of us hit that sweet spot of just enough money to do be comfortable and being able to access the four things which will make us happy.

I think maybe America may just have its priorities out of whack. Why don't we try to make people happy instead of rich? It would take a whole lot less money to do that. And it would be more fun.

Take me for instance. I live in a 40 year old double wide (it is in good condition...maybe even excellent condition for its age), on five acres of land. M'Lady and I make maybe 80-90 thousand a year. We have friends and relatives living nearby. We belong to some organizations that provide us with opportunities to socialize and also contribute to our communities.

Disregarding the national and international issues. we are really happy. Our local community is awesome. I don't see any reason why I should pursue additional wealth.

The question is how to bring this sense of happiness to others?

Different things make people happy.

 

[Tanj]

I think maybe America may just have its priorities out of whack. Why don't we try to make people happy instead of rich? It would take a whole lot less money to do that. And it would be more fun.

Jacinda Ahern, who lets face it should be president of the universe for life, has just done something like this in NZ.

Our plan for a modern New Zealand we can all be proud of

 

[zephcom]

Jacinda Ahern, who lets face it should be president of the universe for life, has just done something like this in NZ.

Our plan for a modern New Zealand we can all be proud of

Hmmm. A thirty year plan that is designed to make life better for everyone??? What a novel idea. Here in America, 'long term planning' is all about how to win the next election cycle.

I doubt America will ever be anything more than a tool for the wealthy to increase their stash of money and keep the rest in poverty. I have said many times that America's government is the best government money can buy. And every two years it goes up on the auction block for a new round of purchasers.

 

[brinny]

Freedom, liberty, and when oppression is thwarted and throttled and sent into oblivion.

 

[brinny]

...on another note...

light'nin' bugggz

 

[brinny]

...giving a balloon to a small child and seeing their face

 

[OldWiseGuy]

The question is how to bring this sense of happiness to others?

If you are happy that's one less person that isn't.

BioLeap nailed it. What makes one person happy might make another miserable (been there done that).

Regarding income, I hit the "sweet spot" a few years back, and have no need to earn more (although I get annual raises and compounded earnings from savings). I don't know about others but I feel that my skills and contribution should earn me a certain wage, and I'm satisfied that I've achieved it.

I also won't feel completely content until I have at least a $million in savings (and I'm close...very close).

Regarding the "four things", I enjoy all four, especially gratitude. I believe I am blessed in that God has pretty much given me "the desires of my heart".

 

[zephcom]

If you are happy that's one less person that isn't.

BioLeap nailed it. What makes one person happy might make another miserable (been there done that).

Regarding income, I hit the "sweet spot" a few years back, and have no need to earn more (although I get annual raises and compounded earnings from savings). I don't know about others but I feel that my skills and contribution should earn me a certain wage, and I'm satisfied that I've achieved it.

I also won't feel completely content until I have at least a $million in savings (and I'm close...very close).

Regarding the "four things", I enjoy all four, especially gratitude. I believe I am blessed in that God has pretty much given me "the desires of my heart".

The question is how to bring the financial security which creates the 'nest' that enables people to be happy to the masses. It appears that we know the target number which achieves this and yet we still insist that many, if not most, people should live below that target.

One could suggest a study to see what percentage of people who protest in the streets, commit mass murder, use drugs irresponsibly, and otherwise demonstrate that they are unhappy live above or below that target income level.

Maybe the real solution to America's problems is just that far too many people earn too little money for them to ever be 'happy'.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

The question is how to bring the financial security which creates the 'nest' that enables people to be happy to the masses. It appears that we know the target number which achieves this and yet we still insist that many, if not most, people should live below that target.

One could suggest a study to see what percentage of people who protest in the streets, commit mass murder, use drugs irresponsibly, and otherwise demonstrate that they are unhappy live above or below that target income level.

Maybe the real solution to America's problems is just that far too many people earn too little money for them to ever be 'happy'.

There are too many people for everyone to earn enough to be 'happy', and we need fewer all the time to produce what we need. It's an overpopulation problem. Even with unemployment numbers below 5 percent there are millions who don't have jobs here, and millions working at low wage jobs.

I remember a young church member who had started a dairy farm. He was milking 40 cows and yet was failing to make a profit. He consulted with the Ag department at our university. An agent analyzed his operation and determined that he needed to pare down his herd to 20 cows, as his overall operation and land couldn't support 40 cows.

Our economy can't support our current population numbers.

 

[zephcom]

There are too many people for everyone to earn enough to be 'happy', and we need fewer all the time to produce what we need. It's an overpopulation problem. Even with unemployment numbers below 5 percent there are millions who don't have jobs here, and millions working at low wage jobs.

I remember a young church member who had started a dairy farm. He was milking 40 cows and yet was failing to make a profit. He consulted with the Ag department at our university. An agent analyzed his operation and determined that he needed to pare down his herd to 20 cows, as his overall operation and land couldn't support 40 cows.

Our economy can't support our current population numbers.

I don't think that is true at all. While the planet has an over population problem, America does not. What we have is a broken economic system. Our economic system allows a handful of people to possess more money than the bottom half of our entire population. That means 6-7 people collectively possess or control more money than 160 MILLION people.

And we have a government which gives even more free money to those few people every year. We seem to know how to allow people to be happy, we just don't care about them and their happiness. And that attitude from government often spawns rebellion.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I don't think that is true at all. While the planet has an over population problem, America does not. What we have is a broken economic system. Our economic system allows a handful of people to possess more money than the bottom half of our entire population. That means 6-7 people collectively possess or control more money than 160 MILLION people.

And we have a government which gives even more free money to those few people every year. We seem to know how to allow people to be happy, we just don't care about them and their happiness. And that attitude from government often spawns rebellion.

Anyone who wishes to succeed can do so here. People are just not making the right choices. Regarding the control of money, it can be borrowed by those who qualify. Much wealth is built on borrowed money. Most can put themselves in a position to build wealth and security if they make the right decisions. That said there are still too many people for everyone to do it, and more arriving every day who have no chance at all.

The way most people spend their money lends itself to the accumulation of wealth by a few.

 

[zephcom]

Anyone who wishes to succeed can do so here. People are just not making the right choices. Regarding the control of money, it can be borrowed by those who qualify. Much wealth is built on borrowed money. Most can put themselves in a position to build wealth and security if they make the right decisions. That said there are still too many people for everyone to do it, and more arriving every day who have no chance at all.

You've never been a woman or person of color, huh?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

You've never been a woman or person of color, huh?

Not that I've noticed.

There a lot more to this problem than gender or ethnicity. Largely bad decision making. Sadly, many are predisposed to failure for some reason as well.
I think many blacks have a tough time accepting white culture, which often becomes an adversarial attitude, which is a setback. Women (unmarried mothers mostly) struggle as well, for obvious reasons.

I don't want to ignore a growing problem in the Latino community, that of the refusal to learn English by a growing number, in the misguided belief that Spanish will rival English in the near future as more Spanish speaking peoples immigrate here. The key to assimilation is learning English. It seems that they have no intention of assimilating.

 

[ViaCrucis]

According to St. Augustine the summum bonum of human life is God. Of course he may have been a bit biased.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[S.O.J.I.A.]

my day off.

 

[zephcom]

Not that I've noticed.

There a lot more to this problem than gender or ethnicity. Largely bad decision making. Sadly, many are predisposed to failure for some reason as well.
I think many blacks have a tough time accepting white culture, which often becomes an adversarial attitude, which is a setback. Women (unmarried mothers mostly) struggle as well, for obvious reasons.

I don't want to ignore a growing problem in the Latino community, that of the refusal to learn English by a growing number, in the misguided belief that Spanish will rival English in the near future as more Spanish speaking peoples immigrate here. The key to assimilation is learning English. It seems that they have no intention of assimilating.

<chuckle> One can only dream that reincarnation is true and that you will come back as a black woman.

Sadly, even if it does happen, you probably won't remember the superior way you dismiss everyone other than yourself.

 

[Lost4words]

A good bowl of food, under the table, makes me happy.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

<chuckle> One can only dream that reincarnation is true and that you will come back as a black woman.

Sadly, even if it does happen, you probably won't remember the superior way you dismiss everyone other than yourself.

I'm just trying to help by pointing out various reasons for the failure of people in general and minorities and women in particular. A good coach points out the shortcomings of his players as well as their attributes. I'm only an 'assistant' coach so I focus on the shortcomings.