43% of Americans say salary can’t buy happiness [OC]

27 comments

1. Whomever said money can’t buy happiness has never been poor.

   Poverty is one of the leading causes of depression. Financial insecurity is a leading cause of anxiety. Financial disagreements are a leading cause of divorce.

   You don’t need to be a millionaire to be happy, but you do need enough money for your basic necessities.

2. Conclusion: the upper middle class know how much money it takes to buy happiness, and it’s a lot more than the poor think

3. Reminds me of the Weird Al line: “If money cant by happiness, I guess I’ll have to rent it”

4. Money doesn’t buy happiness but it does prevent disasters that might kill your happiness

5. I’m not at all surprised that lower-income households find happiness in things other than money!

6. Really dislike the difference in basis (household income, desired salary). 

7. It would be interesting to explore a breakdown of this data in urban vs rural areas. Or divided by some stratification of areas by cost-of-living.

8. Such a tiny sample and no info as to how these people were sampled. How can we say this is reflective of all Americans.

9. 48% of poor people think money can’t buy happiness. That’s propaganda.

10. I think its a little more subtle.

    Salary can absolutely buy happiness. Take a family of 4 living on $50k/year, and up that to $250k/year, and they’re going to be much happier, less stressed, and things will be great.

    But take that same $250k/year and have them experience something traumatic and they won’t be happy anymore. Upping their salary from $250k to $500k while also having one of their kids die or a spouse commit infidelity isn’t going to make them happier.

11. The poorer you are, the more this is ingrained. If you grew up in a ghetto, unless you’re trying to be athlete, which is like, next to 0. You’re crawling your way out every single time. Some don’t get out. As you come into money, you realize, “Huh. Yeah. Money does not buy happiness, ” but it does allow for less stress, more resources, more time, less labor, and more availability to do things you want. Like having children. Women are now having more children in their 40s than ever before.

    Growing up poor, I have a hatered of money. I grew up saving every cent I got from birthday cards, found on the street, summer jobs just by the off chance my mom actually needed it for bills, which she did. My brother stole 200 from me to buy drugs. Like, when you’re poor, you get forced into situations. If money was no object and everyone had equal amounts, the story might be different.

    You can be poor and depressed. You can be rich and depressed. But you will get a hell of a lot of more opportunities with money. And while I don’t think money = happiness. I do think it allows people to do more and make better decisions. My mom had to marry or be broke with one child. Where her parents couldn’t/wouldn’t help support her.

    Being poor and bringing children into that same environment isn’t healthy.

12. It seems very weird to do a survey based on individual salary and then chart it based on household income. Especially when dual income households often have kids which tends to completely change household economics. Or when there’s often great disparity in salary between two people.

13. It can’t buy happiness, but it definitely helps stave off depression.

14. People tend to think of happiness as something to obtain — they think it’s “out there”, and with enough money we can “go and acquire” it. But happiness isn’t ever “out there” and it’s not something which can be obtained. The commodification of happiness is itself a barrier to happiness.

    What I have found is that happiness is entirely internal. It’s like standing around a glass sculpture or a silly mirror. Everything looks magnified and out of place and creates silly angles. But adjust your perspective just slightly and it’s a totally different view. That’s what I think happiness is.

15. I’ll take a job that pays average salary (60-70k) but makes me feel fulfilled. My current job makes me feel fulfilled because i feel like im doing something worthwhile in my lifetime that benefits the world in someways

16. As my mom always says, money can’t buy happiness but it sure as hell makes it easier to find happiness

17. They only ask rich people this question? Blah blah blah money doesn’t buy happiness but it does give you peace of mind and freedom. I’m pretty content with myself and life right now but I’d be a bit more happy with more money, but that’s also because I worked on my traumas and issues.

18. 250k a yr is the number. Per person.

19. I can refute this by the simple fact that I’ve never seen a sad person on a jet ski.

20. I think the issue is that well-paying jobs spill the stress over into your home life, so the money goes up but your happiness goes down.

    Like my career pays well enough, but I’m working 60+ hour weeks, answering emails at night, and I spend a lot of my free time thinking about work. I am relatively “happy” but there is so much room to add more meaning in my life—just no time.

    Meanwhile if you gave me the same salary for free and I could do whatever I wanted, I would be a lot happier. If you think you wouldn’t, I’m sorry but there’s a skill issue there.

21. Money may not buy happiness but it sure alleviates worry and stress. Unless of course you’re worried about losing a high salaried job or are working 80 hrs/week

22. No, it says 43% of Americans say money does not determine their happiness.

    I know it seems minor, but that’s a pretty key difference. It’s not saying that money can’t help these people in bringing happiness, rather that many people believe they can find happiness despite their financial situation.

23. 43% of Americans don’t know wtf they’re talking about. You know what buys happiness? Peace of mind. You know what’s difficult? Not being able to afford food, housing, healthcare, etc. Money buys all that AND more.

24. I’ve been poor and been rich.

    Being poor sucks ass. Everything – getting a stain on your favorite shirt, getting a parking ticket, breaking a shoelace, buying some bread that turns out to be moldy and the grocery store wont take it back…all that kind of shit is a HUGE blow to your life. When you are in this state, the world seems very mean and cruel.

    Being rich means that if you get pulled over for speeding you can joke around with the cop and tell him you appreciate how he keeps your community safe because you can probably use a QR code to pay the ticket before you even drive away and the money is so insignificant it doesn’t even matter to you. It is a much more pleasant life.

25. Like my girlfriend always says: “Money doesn’t buy happiness, but I’d still rather cry on a yacht than my room”

26. It all depends what the stipulations are on the money. I left a $150k a year job and now make around 60% (I’m lucky I know). The stress imposed by the $150k job was killing me. Literally changed the person I was. I dropped down, took the pay cut and my wife is happy to have the fella she married back and we are all much happier.

27. It might not, but it does pay bills and unexpected expenses and those come with free depression if you get enough of em

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