Of course money buys happiness. The more I have had the happier I have been and I have never ever seen anyone who finds themselves the recipient of a windfall unhappy about it. Quite the reverse. It buys health, influence, leisure, friends, comfort, experiences, travel, education and even the pleasure of giving it away, but it has to be used wisely otherwise it will bring unhappiness.

I would like to know if Tiger Woods thinks that money buys happiness. I wonder how much he would pay to be able to live at home with his wife and kids? Better still how much would his wife pay to have a faithful husband? Happiness is very fleeting whether rich or poor. Everyone will face sadness in life and money will not change that one little bit. In some cases it will make things worse. On judgement day money will testify against those who are greedy, selfish and unrepentant. How miserable they will be like the rich man Jesus spoke of

Its nice to see this subject approached through evidence rather than rhetoric. But it's unlikely the data will persuade those who take "money can't by happiness" as an article of faith - whether for religious reasons like runner, or because of political ideology, like Clive Hamilton with his "affluenza" theories

Yes runner. And just what did happen at home, or perhaps, didn't happen!

Has anyone considered the fact that all that money can't buy you effection from your partner, but it sure can buy love in other places.

There is always two sides to any story!

nationmaster produces statistics on "life satisfaction" by nation

which is an aka "happiness"

I ran a comparision with tax as % of GDP by nation and discovered a negative correlation between the level of tax and the levels of happiness...

hypothesis

the more the government taxes people, reducing their personal discretion (at an income level, at least) the less happy they are

therefore

vote liberatian (= lower taxes and smaller government)

and not socialist (= higher taxes and bigger government)

If you want to be happy with your lot in life.

Runner thinks money is a problem. Has he told his son, the one with the "work ethic", you know, the acquisitive one?

Better yet, has he told Pastor? What car does pastor drive? I'd love to know how how his lifestyle compares to the flock, and how much he pays tax on.

Rusty.

The idea that money doesn't buy happiness is a myth generated for plebs, by plebs. Or maybe just parents.
Money in complete and utter isolation can't buy happiness. But then, poverty can't buy happiness either.

The paradox of declining female happiness is an interesting phenomenon, and I personally think it is related to the increasing complexity surrounding family life in our culture.
An interesting aspect of this female happiness decline is that boys and girls are matching until the twelfth grade of school, when feminine happiness begins to decline.
http://bpp.wharton.upenn.edu/betseys/papers/Paradox%20of%20declining%20female%20happiness.pdf

This study segues nicely into Contraceptive Technology Shock theory.
http://www.brookings.edu/articles/1996/fall_childrenfamilies_akerlof.aspx

This examination of the knock-on cultural effects of abortion is also very interesting in relation to the experience of young women. Certainly, absolute control of fertility can be a dominating aspect of life for young unmarried women, (for a variety of reasons examined in this study) and can form a context for how women experience their lives, even in latter years, when the immediate pressure of unmarried sexuality has passed.
http://mirrorofjustice.blogs.com/mirrorofjustice/stith/abortionwomenvulnerable.pdf

Rusty you write

'Runner thinks money is a problem. ' I do. That's news to me. I wonder how you came to that conclusion. Re read what I have written and I point out that money will not but you lasting happiness.

BTW For most of the last 15 years my pastor has driven a second hand car over 10 years old. Only recently has he purchased a new small 4 cyclinder. Sorry to burst your bubble. His salary would also be a fair bit less than most of his congregation. Then again don't let a bit of truth get in the way of your prejudices or pre conceived dogma.

Good for you runner.

I recall when one of the right wing evangelist franchises opened in my home town. The new pastor happily milked the poorest members of the congregation. I acutely recall the time he and one of the flock came into the local office supply shop. Obviously the company needed a filing cabinet, but only the best would do. The cheque was from a family who was heavily in debt, had been extended much help by the town and by the long established church of which they were previously a member.

This particular mulcting franchise espouses the same propaganda lines you do at every turn, they are willing to hire any scumbag as a pastor, and use dodgy tricks to get the money at all costs. I frankly don't believe you. Your views are uninformed, bigoted and if your church had value you would differentiate your own line from the churches that clearly have none, and take them on rather than honest scientists, citizens and atheists.

BTW, since nothing of any complexity could exist without a creator, who created your piddling "junior deity"? The question has occupied much better minds than yours for centuries, let alone your pastor and you should pull your head in till you can answer it satisfactorily.

Do occupy your every waking moment on the problem.

Rusty

Rusty

You really are drawing at straws. Rebel against your Creator by all means (you are certainly not alone). However I suggest to come up with something better than a pathetic little story about a filing cabinet. Climategate showed you just how dishonest those 'scientist' are that you place so much faith in. I think some of the climate change scientist could well be some of those dodgy ex evangelist you refer to. I must admit though most Pastors I know earn far less than what they did in previous occupations. Climate scientist working for Governments would not get a look in if they did not fudge the figures (not unlike evolutionists). I would suggest you keep your trap shut until you can come up with a more logical fantasy than the big bang. It really is fairytales for adults. Has not any thinking person told you that yet.

runner, you really are a Parody McChristian aren't you?

No runner, no "thinking person" has.

You need to understand that what you do doesn't qualify. You just crib the same old hobby horses off the back of old billy graham pamphlets and it must be embarrassing. Get some new material. At least you recognise that our stuff is for adults, rather than the kiddie stuff you cling to.

Speaking of embarrassing, ever watched the sideshow at a big fundy *church* when the ATM breaks down?

Bye bye, don't let those homo greenie pagan astronomers get you, they hide under the bed you know.

Rusty

Rusty

,you just crib the same old hobby horses off the back of old billy graham pamphlets and it must be embarrassing. Get some new material.'

And yes you need to change your story time after time as each evolution fraud is exposed time after time. One minute the aboriginals are the missing link as far as the scientists are concerned the next minute they build a big story over a dubious fossil. I don't need to change my faith as I see the stupidity of the ongoing changes in your theories rather than accept what nature obviously reveals (a Creator). You keep sprouting your dogmas. You are sure to change them in a year or so as 'new' evidence is fabricated.

runner, Staying wrong is not the same as being right.

Numerous theories have improved over the years. Taxonomy has benefited massively from molecular data for instance. Heavier than air flight was regarded impossible and infectious diseases caused by miasma. Heavier things fell faster than light ones and people believed in spontaneous generation of macroscopic organisms. Now we have better taxonomy, flight, germ theory, ballistics and evolution. You simply display a depressing ignorance every time you speak.

If I want the same story over again, without corrections or improvements, I just read fiction. I find the one you cling to rather dull.

Any time you want education rather than entertainment, you could get it. Remaining ignorant is not helping you.

Take heart from the charming story in which Moses needed three tries.

Rusty