4 ms·

You say this, but you offer no evidence to contradict the study, which is based on ... evidence that you're wrong. But think about it: A single person making

by dgacmu 9y ago

You say this, but you offer no evidence to contradict the study, which is based on ... evidence that you're wrong. But think about it: A single person making $105k is just touching the top 10% of income earners in the US: https://dqydj.com/income-percentile-calculator/ https://dqydj.com/income-percentile-calculator/ Having spent some time in about that bracket in an average cost-of-living area (earned slightly more, but I'd spent the previous few years being a broke grad student), I can attest that it felt amazingly rich - there were few things I would have done with more money. My life satisfaction came from my job, my relationships, and my hobbies. There's a lot of evidence supporting the general conclusion that happiness is either logarithmic in income, or asymptotic after a point. Just blowing it off as "a joke" doesn't hold water. There's also considerable evidence that things like friendships, family, good relationships with neighbors, etc., are much more important contributors to happiness than income.

monkeyfoop 9y ago
You felt rich at 105k? We're talking about human happiness, the capacity for love, freedom, and self actualization. Happiness. We're not talking about buying overpriced liabilities such as fancy cars, furniture and clothes. I make over 150k and it's awful working 160 hours a month. Think about why this study is messed up: Wage earners spend the Best part of day typically indoors, taking orders from another person. Wage earners send their children to be taken care of by strangers. Wage earners send their kids to the zombie factory (public schools) The fact is that someone with a few million can: - take care of their own children/babies - educate their own children - take care of their aging parents - take care of sick relatives - can explore the world Don't tell me that having 2M in the bank will not make you, your family, and neighborhood FAR "happier" than someone making 300k in wage slavery. I can tell you for a FACT that making that much money (millions) will objectively lead to higher quality of life for people and their families. I'm personally working hard now to accumulate several investment properties and live free for life so that I can retire before 40 so that: - I can raise my kids - help parents, family, friends - explore world and learn - focus all my free time on healthy living - get best medical treatments You damn right it will make me happier to be able to do yoga 3 times a day, raising my kids and also building cool shit without Having to answer to a boss. You know it's true that lots of money makes you immeasurably more fulfilled. Don't listen to socialist lies that you only need some bullshit 105k (<75k after tax)
- super-serial 9y ago
  I agree this study is BS. They have no one in their data who has $5 million+ in the bank and has F* you money... because those people are supposedly outliers. I would be an order of magnitude happier if I could work on my own projects instead of working for someone else. There's a reason people do side-hustles and punish themselves trying to get something going outside of their normal $100k salary... it's for the hope of having true financial freedom. The study is correct that $100k vs $150k doesn't make much difference at all... but if I had $1 million in a bank it would be a huge difference.
- drukenemo 9y ago
  I'm totally with you here. But we need to realize very feel people perceive/realize the world under these terms. Most people feel like they are destined for a job their entire lives and that extreme wealth are for the few lucky/extraordinary other ones. Even in an YC forum.
  - AstralStorm 9y ago
    The perception does not matter in as much as it is actually aligned with reality. Which I suspect it actually is if you're not one of the initially rich. Few can produce ground-breaking ideas or are lucky enough to actually earn a million dollars quickly (as opposed to stealing it).
    - drukenemo 9y ago
      Also, very few even try. Which I highly suspect has an awful impact on these facts.
- johnmax 9y ago
  well I have had all this opportunity (raise my kids, do charity, do yoga 3 times a day), but for me, a nice job (be it for my own company or for someone else) brings more happiness. the first things become very boring, very fast. i am speaking for me. if you look at most millionaires, they continue working full-time. it just needs to be a good job, of course

by dgacmu 9y ago

monkeyfoop 9y ago

You felt rich at 105k? We're talking about human happiness, the capacity for love, freedom, and self actualization. Happiness. We're not talking about buying overpriced liabilities such as fancy cars, furniture and clothes. I make over 150k and it's awful working 160 hours a month. Think about why this study is messed up: Wage earners spend the Best part of day typically indoors, taking orders from another person. Wage earners send their children to be taken care of by strangers. Wage earners send their kids to the zombie factory (public schools) The fact is that someone with a few million can: - take care of their own children/babies - educate their own children - take care of their aging parents - take care of sick relatives - can explore the world Don't tell me that having 2M in the bank will not make you, your family, and neighborhood FAR "happier" than someone making 300k in wage slavery. I can tell you for a FACT that making that much money (millions) will objectively lead to higher quality of life for people and their families. I'm personally working hard now to accumulate several investment properties and live free for life so that I can retire before 40 so that: - I can raise my kids - help parents, family, friends - explore world and learn - focus all my free time on healthy living - get best medical treatments You damn right it will make me happier to be able to do yoga 3 times a day, raising my kids and also building cool shit without Having to answer to a boss. You know it's true that lots of money makes you immeasurably more fulfilled. Don't listen to socialist lies that you only need some bullshit 105k (<75k after tax)

super-serial 9y ago
I agree this study is BS. They have no one in their data who has $5 million+ in the bank and has F* you money... because those people are supposedly outliers. I would be an order of magnitude happier if I could work on my own projects instead of working for someone else. There's a reason people do side-hustles and punish themselves trying to get something going outside of their normal $100k salary... it's for the hope of having true financial freedom. The study is correct that $100k vs $150k doesn't make much difference at all... but if I had $1 million in a bank it would be a huge difference.
drukenemo 9y ago
I'm totally with you here. But we need to realize very feel people perceive/realize the world under these terms. Most people feel like they are destined for a job their entire lives and that extreme wealth are for the few lucky/extraordinary other ones. Even in an YC forum.
- AstralStorm 9y ago
  The perception does not matter in as much as it is actually aligned with reality. Which I suspect it actually is if you're not one of the initially rich. Few can produce ground-breaking ideas or are lucky enough to actually earn a million dollars quickly (as opposed to stealing it).
  - drukenemo 9y ago
    Also, very few even try. Which I highly suspect has an awful impact on these facts.
johnmax 9y ago
well I have had all this opportunity (raise my kids, do charity, do yoga 3 times a day), but for me, a nice job (be it for my own company or for someone else) brings more happiness. the first things become very boring, very fast. i am speaking for me. if you look at most millionaires, they continue working full-time. it just needs to be a good job, of course