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It’s funny, people are so different! I’d always taken it as an axiomatic Truth of the world that money doesn’t buy happiness. When I finally caved and took a hi

It’s funny, people are so different! I’d always taken it as an axiomatic Truth of the world that money doesn’t buy happiness. When I finally caved and took a high-paying job, I was shocked (shocked I tell you!) to find that it made my life a lot easier. So much breathing room :) This isn’t a disagreement or a hook into some discourse or anything. I don’t have a point. Just thoughts

elmer2 2mo ago
"that money doesn’t buy happines" I think people get this meaning wrong all the time. The love of money doesn't buy happiness. Having money can definitely make your life easier, and you can spend it on things that make you happy.
- throwaway_7274 2mo ago
  Yeah absolutely. And obviously I’m overplaying my naïveté and idealism for effect here, a little bit, but I was still surprised how much it really did improve my quality of life. I don’t even buy a lot of things, really, I still don’t own a car and hope I never will. But now I just don’t feel quite so wracked with guilt over getting a haircut or getting the organic raspberries or whatever. There are so many little waste-of-time tasks that I don’t have to waste as much time on. I dunno. It’s funny. “Selling out” is real easy. It makes everything real easy. I do wonder if this is the first step down the path to “I am a prisoner to my Stuff. Where did my life go” Just thinkin out loud into the internet
  - don_esteban 2mo ago
    There are two thresholds. Below the lower threshold, you have to worry too much about money to just get by. Unfortunately, too many people live below this threshold. Even in rich countries. Below this level, it is difficult to be truly happy, as your life is filled too much with money worry. Above the upper threshold, all you basic and not so basic needs are covered and more money does not buy you much in terms of happiness. Of course, these thresholds are very individual. The lower your thresholds are, the freer you are. Both marketing and general enshittification from late stage capitalism are trying to push both of these thresholds up. On the other hand, the society should strive to get most/almost all people above the lower threshold. Both by pushing the expenses of basic needs down (education/health care/public transport), and by creating environment for easier earning (good economic environment for entrepreneurship, antitrust regulation, minimal wages, unions, social assistance). Well, at least most countries see it that way. US has a slightly different take ...
    - dec0dedab0de 2mo ago
      I am extremely wary about the discourse around "late stage capitalism" but you are absolutely correct about lowering thresholds. I think that is the core of what I was trying to express.
chasd00 2mo ago
> money doesn’t buy happiness. it doesn't but it's more comfortable to cry in a Mercedes.
titanomachy 2mo ago
Money might not buy happiness but poverty can definitely buy sadness
- FeteCommuniste 2mo ago
  Money doesn't buy happiness but definitely makes pursuing it easier.
  - gavmor 2mo ago
    [dead]
dec0dedab0de 2mo ago
I was the same way, and the same work from home job I took in 2014 was the first time I didn't have to worry about bills, or picking up the check for a nice dinner. Everything was immediately better in every measurable way. The hidden tolls of what I've been missing have caught up with me. I don't know if you were around hn when the soylent guys were posting on here, but at one point one of them was having problems because they left out some trace substance that only becomes an issue after a long time of not having it. That's how I see it, there are trace elements required for happiness that I discounted at a young age. I'm not sure what they are exactly, but I was getting them previously, while being miserable about the macro issues. I brought up money, because I was specifically thinking of my best friend, and his friends, and others who all work in construction. They work way harder in a day than I have my entire life. They have a refined skillset that took decades to master. They are outdoors, sometimes in horrific conditions. They get to bullshit and joke and call each other a bitch. They get to come home and enjoy the simple things like cooking a burger on the grill, without feeling bad about missing an unreasonable deadline, or not filing a patent for those last 20 ideas that would change the world. They get to be strong and feel confident about their chances of winning a fist fight and have wives that understand and except their flaws. Meanwhile I am over here with a pile of old electronics I don't want to give up because they have cool components I dream about using. I have sex with hundreds of women that I have no future with. I look intimidating at a glance, but have no muscle to back it up. My kid is an adult and doesn't need me anymore. It just feels pointless. At some point I convinced myself that making more than most of my friends and family gave me worth. That I would be a loser if I switched careers to something more fulfilling that made less than 6 figures. I know in my heart that is not true, but I am still struggling to make the leap. ...sorry for spiraling at you, I am aparrently going through something at the moment.

elmer2 2mo ago

"that money doesn’t buy happines" I think people get this meaning wrong all the time. The love of money doesn't buy happiness. Having money can definitely make your life easier, and you can spend it on things that make you happy.

throwaway_7274 2mo ago
Yeah absolutely. And obviously I’m overplaying my naïveté and idealism for effect here, a little bit, but I was still surprised how much it really did improve my quality of life. I don’t even buy a lot of things, really, I still don’t own a car and hope I never will. But now I just don’t feel quite so wracked with guilt over getting a haircut or getting the organic raspberries or whatever. There are so many little waste-of-time tasks that I don’t have to waste as much time on. I dunno. It’s funny. “Selling out” is real easy. It makes everything real easy. I do wonder if this is the first step down the path to “I am a prisoner to my Stuff. Where did my life go” Just thinkin out loud into the internet
- don_esteban 2mo ago
  There are two thresholds. Below the lower threshold, you have to worry too much about money to just get by. Unfortunately, too many people live below this threshold. Even in rich countries. Below this level, it is difficult to be truly happy, as your life is filled too much with money worry. Above the upper threshold, all you basic and not so basic needs are covered and more money does not buy you much in terms of happiness. Of course, these thresholds are very individual. The lower your thresholds are, the freer you are. Both marketing and general enshittification from late stage capitalism are trying to push both of these thresholds up. On the other hand, the society should strive to get most/almost all people above the lower threshold. Both by pushing the expenses of basic needs down (education/health care/public transport), and by creating environment for easier earning (good economic environment for entrepreneurship, antitrust regulation, minimal wages, unions, social assistance). Well, at least most countries see it that way. US has a slightly different take ...
  - dec0dedab0de 2mo ago
    I am extremely wary about the discourse around "late stage capitalism" but you are absolutely correct about lowering thresholds. I think that is the core of what I was trying to express.

chasd00 2mo ago

> money doesn’t buy happiness. it doesn't but it's more comfortable to cry in a Mercedes.

titanomachy 2mo ago

Money might not buy happiness but poverty can definitely buy sadness

FeteCommuniste 2mo ago
Money doesn't buy happiness but definitely makes pursuing it easier.
- gavmor 2mo ago
  [dead]

dec0dedab0de 2mo ago

I was the same way, and the same work from home job I took in 2014 was the first time I didn't have to worry about bills, or picking up the check for a nice dinner. Everything was immediately better in every measurable way. The hidden tolls of what I've been missing have caught up with me. I don't know if you were around hn when the soylent guys were posting on here, but at one point one of them was having problems because they left out some trace substance that only becomes an issue after a long time of not having it. That's how I see it, there are trace elements required for happiness that I discounted at a young age. I'm not sure what they are exactly, but I was getting them previously, while being miserable about the macro issues. I brought up money, because I was specifically thinking of my best friend, and his friends, and others who all work in construction. They work way harder in a day than I have my entire life. They have a refined skillset that took decades to master. They are outdoors, sometimes in horrific conditions. They get to bullshit and joke and call each other a bitch. They get to come home and enjoy the simple things like cooking a burger on the grill, without feeling bad about missing an unreasonable deadline, or not filing a patent for those last 20 ideas that would change the world. They get to be strong and feel confident about their chances of winning a fist fight and have wives that understand and except their flaws. Meanwhile I am over here with a pile of old electronics I don't want to give up because they have cool components I dream about using. I have sex with hundreds of women that I have no future with. I look intimidating at a glance, but have no muscle to back it up. My kid is an adult and doesn't need me anymore. It just feels pointless. At some point I convinced myself that making more than most of my friends and family gave me worth. That I would be a loser if I switched careers to something more fulfilling that made less than 6 figures. I know in my heart that is not true, but I am still struggling to make the leap. ...sorry for spiraling at you, I am aparrently going through something at the moment.