PSYC 2100 12/6/11 Money Giveth, Money Taketh Away: The Dual Effect of Wealth on Happiness This study questions whether or not money can buy one’s happiness. Evidence from this study have proven that the income a person shows an important impact on happiness. Those who are more luxurious, when experiencing the best things in life, they tend to forget the simple joys that life brings them instead. When being reminded of wealth, it can apply a deep insight of effects on thought and behavior. In simpler terms, when people are thinking of money, it may lead them to think that any experiences they desire is likely to be attainable.
Having large amounts of money is not a purpose in that of itself, because you have done absolutely nothing with it. Having large wealth is merely another possession, and possessions don’t normally contain a purpose. Using the wealth you have accumulated to bring your family comfortability and financial security for generations is a purpose. One may argue that obtaining large amounts of material items, and living a luxurious lifestyle is a purpose, but honestly, who is your purpose benefitting? You don’t have to save the world to be a success, but if you only benefit yourself, who are you a success
As John Verdant introduces two families with similar economic conditions but completely different values, it is not difficult to find out that the family believes having more actually harms themselves (Verdant, 152-155). I believe people who are less obsessed with consumerism would have a better living standards if they were living in a society with scarce materials. However, those people who are obsessed with consumerism would be willing to conduct some unethical things in order to gain self-interested benefits. On the other hand, nowadays thrift is a way of showing a person is well-educated and money-conscious. In fact thrift is highly valued in many Asian countries’ value systems.
By only donating money that we spend on things not necessary to survive we are still able to live a life that is comfortable and the idea of rich and poor people can be thrown away. Though this could probably only be achieved with government intervention, the possibilities are endless. Of course a big downside to this idea is the fact that we work hard for our money. It can seem like a waste to give it away after we work long and hard to obtain it. Another con is that after living with an excess of everything for so long, the people who are most prosperous might not be as willing to give it up.
A Raisin in the Sun Essay Have you ever wanted something so bad, and then once you got it things didn’t go as planned? Good things come to those who wait, but when you have the greed for money some people will do anything. When money is on the table, a man will learn who you can and can’t trust. Money should not be put before happiness and the happiness of your family members, but many people forget that when their eager about success. Everyone’s dream is to be wealthy and successful, but that shouldn’t persuade a person to be selfish towards others.
The things in life that cannot be purchased are family, love, and your religious beliefs. Knowing this, I wonder if the richest people in the world hold religion at the center of their life in the same way someone less fortunate would. In all honesty, I crave to be financially confident and to be able to have money for my cravings of nice material things, (isn’t this why we work in the first place?) though I am aware those things that I crave hold no spiritual value. Just as an animal performs his tricks with a treat as his motivation, we humans seem to be disciplined to “work hard, play later”; to go to school and get good grades to have to have the reward of a good paying job and so on and so forth.
It is difficult to determine. It is true that the man is making himself happier by moving away, but what about those he left behind mourning his absence? How does this action maximize pleasure if more people are unhappy then happy? This can surely be debated among utilitarian thinkers, but it
Epictetus would look down on modern Western civilization for its rampant materialism -- nowadays, it seems that it requires vast amounts of money to be happy. Epictetus, however, suggested that we don't need money to be happy. In fact, he stated that we don't need any external things to be happy. He concluded that happiness results from attaining virtue and valuing only that which we can control. Happiness Follows from Virtue Epictetus asserted that while there is no inherent problem in seeking material comfort, the only true good thing is virtue because only virtue can be beneficial in all situations; thus virtue would not ever fail to bring happiness.
Even giving one's fortune to charity was no guarantee that it would be used correctly, since there was no guarantee that a charitable organization would actually use the money pursuant to one’s wishes. Furthermore, charitable giving usually aided the poor in their impoverished state. Carnegie’s theory urged a movement toward the creation of a new way of giving which would create opportunities for the beneficiaries of the gift to improve themselves. Many times, the poor are not looking for hand-outs. Instead they are searching for ways to improve their state of being.
My dream it that we can all live in a happy world, where we can all be friends with everyone, without discrimination of color, religion, nationality and most importantly that we can decide what it better for us. But I know that some times that is not possible because some people do not have that ability, and sometimes their disability to think right is very dangerous in our society. I rather have criminals and mentally ill persons medicated than having to think all the time about what could happen. I know that this way I can be sure in some way that I live in a not totally but in somehow safe world. I think it is sad that government has to force people to be medicated but it is very