Would rather be rich and miserable or poor and happy?

[fishnfla]

Poll question: Would rather be rich and miserable or poor and happy?

Timeless, age-old theoretical question, but for me a reality decision

[NewJeffCT]

1. if you're rich...

you can at least rent happiness for a little while.

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. Yes, but then you'll only find out that the happiness you rented won't

play or has a big rip up the back...and you're even more miserable. :hi:

[progmom]

3. nope

Not real happiness.

If having money didn't make me happy, what good would it be to me?

And if I could be happy without being rich, then I think I would be just fine.

[JI7]

4. what do you mean by "poor"

[wryter2000]

5. My question, too.

If you don't have enough money to meet basic needs, you can't be happy.

If the question means "you have enough money but not much more, and you're happy," I can vote for that.

[progmom]

7. I figure it means you have enough to survive

ie meet basic needs.

[fishnfla]

9. paycheck to paycheck, I guess

and struggling to pay the necessities of life. No frills or luxeries. maybe i should have said "poorer"

[JI7]

14. if it meant struggling to pay for basic needs such as food

home etc then i might go with rich and miserable.

but if it meant being able to pay for basic needs such as food, decent home, clothes etc in a secure job. but not enough that to afford eating out at good restaurants, buy designer clothes, or even go to the movies regularly then i might pick the "poorer and happy".

[leftofthedial]

6. after being poor and miserable for what seems forever now

I'd take either one.

[progmom]

8. .

:hug:

[tjdee]

10. I'd like that in cash, please.

Money eliminates many day to day problems and presents many opportunities to fix whatever you're miserable about.

I'd even venture to say that if you're rich and miserable, you're incredibly selfish or incredibly stupid.

[fishnfla]

13. Money doesnt buy everything

My business partner is worth millions and has everything, and at the same time, nothing important. For birthdays and holidays we have a saying: "what he wants he already has, what he needs money cant buy"

[tjdee]

21. But he's inherently happier because of the money.

It's like....Maslow's hierarchical needs (ignore the "cheez" part, LOL) :



If needs in the lower levels isn't met, people can't climb to the next step. Rich people have the first two levels knocked off. Poor people are stuck, automatically, beneath them.

Wealthy minds are freed up to worry about other things, and by default (in my opinion) they are happier. If they're not, there is something wrong, and I should get their money, LOL.

[ZenLefty]

11. What really sucks is being poor and miserable

Been there, done that.

[ET Awful]

12. Can I be rich and miserable just long enough to pay off all my debt

and then be poor and happy? :)

[Magrittes Pipe]

15. I'd rather be poor and miserable.

I must pay my penance.

[AZCat]

16. Yep, another vote for P&M here

I'm used to it by now - the change to anything else is likely to kill me. :)

[McKenzie]

17. Ask yourself "How much is enough?"

What do you want to do with "more" that you can't do already?

A rhetorical question, but a salient one nevertheless. I'm very well off financially; I have no social life to speak of. When I was younger I seemed to be happier. Maybe that's the rose-tinted spectacles syndrome and maybe the responsibilities I now shoulder make me yearn for a time when things seemed less fraught and complex.

However, two years ago I could have died. I'm not joking either; one of my fellow patients died and he was only 36 years old. I remember walking along the beach thinking about it and it changed everything. I've never been attracted by money, not ever. But, when one is facing one's possible demise it focusses the mind in a way that only those who have been there can grasp. Sorry if that comes over as pompous; it's not intended as such.

When I shuffle off this mortal coil, every penny goes to charity, minus a few thousand quid to relatives. Money counts for nothing and I don't believe in inherited wealth because wealth that comes along that way screws up the social order. Western people need to look closely at how well off they are in any case. I suppose everything is relative to the circumstances one lives in and our longing for material wealth is a corollary to subtle advertising and programming. Buy the toothpaste, get the girl (or guy) and all that.

That said, happiness has little to do with material wealth and everything to do with inner peace.

Quality of life has absolutely nothing to do with money but I suspect that those who come here know that already.

edit: context

[SarahB]

18. As long as my basic needs are met...

Food, clothing, safe place to live, etc.- I'm set. Money can't buy the most important things in life.

[DrGonzoLives]

19. Give me the money

Yeah, I said it.

[fit4life]

20. It would help if I could actually compare the two.

Since I only range from poor & miserable to poor & happy, I have no way of knowing what it would be like to be rich & miserable. :)