Yes. Money does buy happiness. You don't have to think about atleast 1 factor in life. Money is needed for everything in life. Thats the truth.
Yes, money does buy comfort, and that translates to happiness in an already happy soul. But happiness has to come from within. Finding your Ikigai matters
This thread has been going around in my mind the past week. : ) Good to see a classic anika thread after a while… pose a question for which there is no one right answer, everyone reads the question differently, and responds in their own way. Just like how we’re all human but each a little different. And after a long time, seeing a thread here go to four pages. Well done. : ) I am nominating it for FP and declaring it the winner too. : ) Yes, the general "feel good" advice prevalent in society is that money is important but love (all kinds of love) is more important. Yes. While it is true that humans are naturally social beings, solo living or having a family but lacking in the friends area is viewed as something that needs to be "fixed," rather than simply another valid way of living. Agree. You’ve summarized it neatly: "The world glorifies relationships." And I think a lot of this glorification comes from stories, movies, social media, and cultural scripts that present relationships as the "main goal" of adulthood. For many, it works. For many others, it simply doesn’t resonate, and that should be equally acceptable. Money trumps love in the sense that if one has enough money but not enough love, a lot of things can be bought - experiences, comforts, and activities that come close to providing the purpose and contentment that love brings. As you mentioned, money lets you travel, pursue hobbies, and naturally meet people along the way. With money, one retains control of one's life. With love (and relationships), one is dependent on the goodness of others. And honestly, that part is often glossed over. In relationships, your peace is tied to someone else’s moods, choices, values, and emotional stability. With money, your peace is tied to your own judgment and decisions. By contrast, if one has enough love (and relationships) in life but not enough money, then life can be very difficult and not as pleasant. No matter how strong the love is, it cannot make up for things that money provides. Love cannot pay medical bills, reduce stress from instability, or give you freedom. Love (and relationships) adds emotional richness, but that’s just the gravy. Love is the gravy and money is the chicken in a butter-chicken curry. By a narrow margin, the chicken is more important. So much agree. Enough money is a dire need. Enough relationships (from spouse, friends, kids, etc.) is not a dire need. Having relationships is nice, meaningful, and enriching, but not essential for survival, dignity, or long-term quality of life. Financial stability, security, independence, and the ability to shape your own day-to-day existence absolutely are. After so long I typed up a long response, and looks like I have lost the touch! Instead of typing [ / quote ] at one point, I typed [/money]
I think with age, i have come to view things differently... In my teens and early twenties, i felt love was the only thing i needed. My entire world was filled with my lovers thoughts. I thought my life would begin and end with him and everything and anything he did was the best thing in the world and being able to stand beside him with him would fulfil my life's purpose. And then came the late twenties and early thirties - where i ended up marrying my lover. understood that love is good but having money was better. Struggling with parenthood, work, adapting to the marriage took a toll on me. Infact my entire world then started revolving around money. I wanted to earn more money. Put my children in the best schools, go to malls over the weekend, watch movies, buy the latest gadgets, eat at top rated restaurants. You know the drill......the one that society subconsciously forces us to adopt making us believe that living well means to do all those things. Here differences cropped up between my husband and I. We were never on the same page. It was always fights either about money or something about love. So at this stage, i wished that i never loved him and got married to him and honestly felt maybe being married to a person who was monetarily stable would have eased my life. And then in late thirties - the stage i am in, as a couple, we have now faced crisis some due to my family, some due to our past behaviours. Anyway, the gist is, after having lived through the worst situations in life, where money could have eased us out of all the issues, but never being able to get it, but even if we got it, being not able to make sense of how things happened around us, it made me realise that, its not money but contentment which i was lacking. Being content is the biggest wealth we can ever have. Being sane in any situation, having a sense of balance in both sorrow and happy times, being content with what we have. So yes, if you ask me now, i would choose love. But a sane love not the insane one. I cant imagine having all the money in the world but not having a loved one to spend it with. I had all the issues in the world but a loving family helped me keep sane and we sailed through it holding each other's hands. So any time, any day, i would choose a sane love with contentment in life!
Yes . I am kinda siding with money only. most of the inputs are very inputs are very individual experiences here. or couple. i was talking to my mom as i do daily. almost every day she had some complaints on my brother wife. lot i ignore as usual in law issues. But seeing this thread, made me think . We are just wondering how money impacts us . I and my brother still do not have that money neither earlier. But if we had , we could have brought big land or 2 apartments. where brother is with his family in 1 and mom in next right next. i cannot bring her here in usa till i get citizenship. if i were in india. DH family could also we would have planned. Close but not close. i remember when my DD needed braces , we did not have money some 5 yrs back. now she will get in after adult . my mother sister ( husband, not well and 2 daughter grown having some issue) so cannot work. son is taking care. love and feelings are viewed very isolated in personal manner. but in the grand scheme of things, they matter less. it is the ability to help your close ones, for that we need money. just my thoughts.
