Does money buy happiness? ____________________________________________________ The Meaning of Life by Cukey Sapodillo The American businessman was at an outdoor fresh food market at a coastal Costa Rican farm village when a small truck with filled with boxes of fruit pulled up. The American complimented the driver on the quality of his fruit and asked how long it took to pick it all. The Costa Rican farmer replied, only a little while. The American then asked why didn't he pick more fruit? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The American then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time? The Costa Rican farmer said, "I sleep late, tend to the orchard, pick fruit, have lunch, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, señor." The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should pick more fruit, plant more trees, spend more time farming and with the proceeds, buy a bigger orchard, and with the proceeds from the bigger orchard you could buy several orchards. Eventually you would have a fleet of trucks. Instead of selling your harvest at fruit stalls in small villages you would sell directly to city markets, and eventually open your own fruit exporting business. You would control the product and distribution." "You would need to hire orchard and distribution managers, leave this small coastal village and move to San Jose, then Mexico City, then Los Angles, then New York City where you will run your expanding enterprise." The Costa Rican farmer asked, "But señor, how long will this all take?" To which the American replied, "15-20 years." "But what then, señor?" The American laughed and said: "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions." "Millions, señor? Then what?" The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal farming village where you would sleep late, tend to your orchard, pick fruit, have lunch, play with your grandchildren, take siestas with your wife, stroll into the village each evening and play guitar with your amigos.
see that IS the key...... most people are unhappy because they don't have enough money to support their family's immediate needs..... You just proved that money does buy happiness
EqtTrdr, You made some great points on the other thread. "try having "healthy kids" without money to keep them healthy... try having a "solid and loving relationship" when all you do is fight over bills..... try being able to "pursue your passion" without the financial means to live day to day or depending on what that passion is, invest enough money to see it to fruition...." "Money = Happiness = Lesson over..." -EqtTrdr
just goes along the lines of the story posted from this thread poster who was trying to prove the opposite is true...
Everyone does need money to cover basic needs, beyond that there's no proof that money can buy happiness. People seem to believe that they will be happy when they have lots of money but the rich knew the answer, it wasn't the case.
Happiness is relative. If you're not happy in your personal life money will not help you. Money can offer you security and that could contribute greatly to your happiness and peace of mind. I know I was a hell of a lot happier before I took a 30% pay cut a year ago.