Money Doesnt Buy Happiness (in America-Rankings from the World Happiness Report

[napi21]

Chances are, if you live in the U.S., you feel worse today than you did 10 years ago. Don’t worry, it’s not you. This is a national problem: America’s rank on the happiness scale is falling.

“The predominant political discourse in the United States is aimed at raising economic growth, with the goal of restoring the American Dream and the happiness that is supposed to accompany it,” wrote Jeffrey D. Sachs, one of the editors of the report. “But the data show conclusively that this is the wrong approach.”

Sachs suggested five means by which to improve social trust: campaign finance reform, policies aimed at reducing income inequality (such as public financing of health), improved social relations between native born and immigrant Americans, working to move past the fear of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and improved access to high-quality education.

“America’s crisis is, in short, a social crisis,” Sachs wrote. “Not an economic crisis.”
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-20/world-happiness-report-2017-rankings-released

Proves the rich have it all wrong! More MONEY isn't that great!

[gopiscrap]

1. none of these are anhything the fucking repukes are even remotely

working on

[unblock]

2. money doesn't buy happiness, so quit complaining and give it all to me.

at the level you see these things mentioned in the popular press, these things are so simplified as to be useless at best and dangerous at worst.

part of the problem is that "money" isn't just about the size of your bank account. how you get it, how it's distributed, many things about it have a lot to do with it.

if i go into business with a partner and we split it 50-50, i could be pleased with a modest income/profit.

but i might be rather unhappy if i knew i was only getting 40% while my partner was getting 60% for the same amount of work, even if i'm making a bit more money than in the 50-50 scenario, because the business is more successful. the extra dollars might not offset the bitterness of the unfair allocation.


also, of course, it's long been said that wealth may or may not buy happiness but poverty sure as shit doesn't. truth is, money *can* buy some things that *do* buy happiness, at least up to a point. enough money to pay for basic food, clothing, shelter, and healthcare can indeed make you happier.

it is true, though, that beyond a certain relatively modest point, any happiness extra money gives you is fleeting.



regardless, this doesn't mean that taking away basic services from poor people isn't going to make them unhappy!
when there are rich bastards trying to get even more money however they can, it's important for the happiness of the rest of us to fight tooth and nail to restore basic fairness and decency in how our country allocates its resources.

[Merlot]

3. Money buys peace of mind.

Money buys things that can make your life better: food, clothes, shelter, medical care.

The happiness is up to you, but if you're preoccupied with survival happiness will have to wait.

[mitch96]

4. Americas crisis is, in short, a social crisis,

Interesting how the happiest countries are mostly social democratic countries. Mix of free market capitalism and social welfare and I mean that in a good way... If you don't have to worry about medical expenses, education and welfare of your fellow countrymen is a good start!!
m