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Your last quote captures the point of the age-old phrase. The point of "Money can't buy happiness" is that happiness doesn't have a UPC. The connection between

Your last quote captures the point of the age-old phrase. The point of "Money can't buy happiness" is that happiness doesn't have a UPC. The connection between money and happiness has tangible intermediaries. You have to spend the money in order to be happy. The wisdom of it is putting the ball in the hands of the listener. A lot of times people can get excited just about making money. That's fine because there are so many wonderful things you can buy. On the other hand, I'm sure there is at least an inkling of a further goal behind the idea of making money. No one is trying to be the guy from the parable who dies with a ton of money in the bank (guy has no descendents/will either). Money can be a trap if it is used as a proxy for future desires that are never realized. "Money can't buy happiness" leads to the question: What is it that you do want?

Retric 11y ago
High scores in video games are effectively meaningless. People still chase them. IMO, dying with a lot of money is no sadder than devoting your life to packman. It's hard to think of being a CEO as a Hobby, but internally the rewards are similar to a guild leader. People tend to attach a lot more meaning to cash than it really deserves. It's not a virtue, just a token of exchange and nothing more.
- bgilroy26 11y ago
  How are video games meaningless? They are entertainment. If someone devotes their life to pacman, they hopefully enjoy it! It seems to me that we do not disagree. From my point of view the CEO/guild leader discovered that he/she enjoys working and that they do not enjoy anything that is very expensive. That is great! All I am saying is that making a lot of money should go hand in hand with asking 'What will I use this money for?'. To your point, if you ask the question and decide that you get a lot of personal fulfillment from activity that makes money, you might not be able to spend it as fast as it comes in.

Retric 11y ago

High scores in video games are effectively meaningless. People still chase them. IMO, dying with a lot of money is no sadder than devoting your life to packman. It's hard to think of being a CEO as a Hobby, but internally the rewards are similar to a guild leader. People tend to attach a lot more meaning to cash than it really deserves. It's not a virtue, just a token of exchange and nothing more.

bgilroy26 11y ago
How are video games meaningless? They are entertainment. If someone devotes their life to pacman, they hopefully enjoy it! It seems to me that we do not disagree. From my point of view the CEO/guild leader discovered that he/she enjoys working and that they do not enjoy anything that is very expensive. That is great! All I am saying is that making a lot of money should go hand in hand with asking 'What will I use this money for?'. To your point, if you ask the question and decide that you get a lot of personal fulfillment from activity that makes money, you might not be able to spend it as fast as it comes in.