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EthanL 
LSU Fan
Harvey LA
Member since Oct 2011
2180 posts
| How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 8:07 am)
As Americans, we have proven to the world, and ourselves, that we know what it takes to get rich, acquire material things, and build wealth.
We have more millionaires, more billionaires than anyone.
So capitalism is a proven method.
Is it time to invest in, and figure out, especially in this economy, what it takes to be happy?
I thought this was an interesting discussion per a group of NPR goons, about the 'happiness' factor in the U.S., as opposed to other countries, who are less wealthy, but more happy.
What do you guys think? Is our happiness/contentment directly tied to our wealth indices?
Or can we be just as happy as say, and even more so, as say, Brazil, with a lot less?
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TrueTiger
LSU Fan
Republic of West Florida
Member since Sep 2004
2472 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 8:25 am to EthanL)
How long is a piece of string?
Yes there are many that are happy with less. The point is not to find a "one size fits all" rule. The goal is to allow people the freedom to determine where their point of contentment is. The freedom to pursue happiness whether that means being like Donald Trump or taking a vow of poverty and becoming a monk, is the point. I'm sure that many millionaire and billionaires have discovered nothing but misery. So, obviously it wasn't the money. But they were allowed to seek the answer. The government should never draw up a standard and force conformance, that would certainly guarantee misery for all.
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wryder1
LSU Fan
Pollock
Member since Feb 2008
1773 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 8:33 am to EthanL)
Who are you and who is the government to decide what makes me happy?
Maybe some people like to make their millions and billions to help others? Did you ever think that people like to put them in these positions to help their family or community? I guess that's for the government to do and not the individual.
Why can't you see that the government invents these arguments so simple minded people, like yourself, can spread this idea then vote to take more money from people.
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lsutothetop
LSU Fan
tGoldenBoot
Member since Jul 2008
5639 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 8:34 am to wryder1)
Are you retarded? He didn't say anything about forcing government to redistribute wealth. It's a philosophical question about the correlation between wealth and happiness.
This board sometimes.
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TotesMcGotes 
Virginia Fan
New York, New York
Member since Mar 2009
8779 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 8:40 am to wryder1)
quote:
Why can't you see that the government invents these arguments so simple minded people, like yourself, can spread this idea then vote to take more money from people.
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tigerskin
LSU Fan
Member since Nov 2004
7621 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 8:43 am to EthanL)
I do think it is an interesting question. Not so much at a "national" level, but more on an individual one.
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Ye_Olde_Tiger
LSU Fan
Member since Oct 2004
966 posts
 Online
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 8:59 am to tigerskin)
There's nothing wrong with me that a little more money wouldn't fix. J/k kind of. I know money doesn't necessarily make you happy, but it's a really good start.
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TigerTattle
LSU Fan
Out of Town
Member since Sep 2007
3923 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 9:10 am to EthanL)
quote:
Is our happiness/contentment directly tied to our wealth indices?
Only insofar as stress related to the ability to comfortably pay the bills. Some are happy with financial security, some need more security than others.
IOW, happiness lies in the eyes of the individual. In my case, wealth plays no part. Never been rich, never will be unless I win the lottery, yet I and plenty of others I know are fairly happy people. Cliche aside, family, health, love are more important to most people than riches.
I would be very unhappy, however, if money were taken from someone who is rich and given to me to make me rich, too. I didn't earn it, they did, and if I want to be rich, the burden to reach that status rests on me, not them.quote:
Is it time to invest in, and figure out, especially in this economy, what it takes to be happy?
What do you mean by "invest in?"
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LSURussian
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Feb 2005
63133 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 9:14 am to EthanL)
quote:
Is our happiness/contentment directly tied to our wealth indices?
I've been rich and I've been poor.
Rich makes me happier.....
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davesdawgs 
Georgia Fan
Georgia
Member since Oct 2008
10964 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 9:16 am to EthanL)
quote:
How 'Rich' do we really need to be?
It's obviously relative to what makes you happy. Basically most work to build a life for themselves and their family and hopefully save enough to retire comfortably. If you want to travel the world in style, then obviously it takes more. If you are happy living a simple life, then clearly it takes less.
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Cajun Tigah
LSU Fan
Tennessee Mountains
Member since Jan 2005
2749 posts
Online
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 9:20 am to EthanL)
Wealth has very little to do with happiness, it takes very little money to be happy. Enough to survive and a few luxuries is enough to make most people happy as far as money is concerned.
As for how rich someone needs to be. Well, that is up to the individual and no else.
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SmackoverHawg 
Arkansas Fan
Member since Oct 2011
5726 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 9:27 am to LSURussian)
quote:
I've been rich and I've been poor. Rich makes me happier.
This +10000000. If you're not happy without money, you won't be with it. BUT, even misery is better with boatloads of cash! 
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ShortyRob
LSU Fan
Savannah, GA
Member since Oct 2008
23923 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 9:33 am to EthanL)
quote:
How 'Rich' do we really need to be?
"Need" to be? No one "needs" to be rich. No one really "needs" more than food and water. People used to live just fine without permanent shelter. Who gets to decide the level of "need".
quote:
We have more millionaires, more billionaires than anyone.
A very good sign. I'll be if you identify the nation with the LEAST amount of rich people, you've found a suck assed place to live.
quote:
Is it time to invest in, and figure out, especially in this economy, what it takes to be happy?
Different people have different things that make them happy. No policy devised by anyone will be "what it takes to be happy" because there are 300M plue people in our nation and nearly that many different ways to be happy.
quote:
What do you guys think? Is our happiness/contentment directly tied to our wealth indices?
Directly tied? No. Very related? Go ask an the average Ethiopian or Rwandan and let me know what you find.
quote:
Or can we be just as happy as say, and even more so, as say, Brazil, with a lot less?
Why do you keep speaking of nations as individuals. Is "Brazil" happy? There are a lot of people there. I'm sure some are happy and some are not.
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accnodefense
Kennesaw St. Fan
Member since Dec 2010
2104 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 9:38 am to ShortyRob)
I think the best solution is to have a small centralized group of bureaucrats, elected or unelected, deciding how much each person should have.
But the rules that these bureaucrats apply to the masses do not apply to them. They can be as rich as they want, because they care more and know more than we do, therefore they deserve more.
This would be the fairest way.
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SmackoverHawg
Arkansas Fan
Member since Oct 2011
5726 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 9:41 am to ShortyRob)
I think the class warfare the dem's have waged over the years has led to many people's unhappiness. Envy destroys happiness. Someone always has more. There is no way to legislate happiness.
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Godfather1
LSU Fan
Home Sweet Home SE Louisiana
Member since Oct 2006
26195 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 9:42 am to Ye_Olde_Tiger)
quote:
I know money doesn't necessarily make you happy, but it's a really good start.
It makes you secure. And when I'm secure, I'm happy.
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Zach
LSU Fan
Member since May 2005
55313 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 10:13 am to EthanL)
Some random observations:
1. If you were born poor it doesn't take much money to feel rich as an adult. My income is not high, but it's way beyond anything my parents made.
2. Being rich enough to walk out of a job you don't like even before you found another one is a good feeling.
3. Being rich enough to retire before 65 is a good feeling. I know a guy who retired at 63. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor 3 months later. Died at 64. Tomorrow is not a guarantee for any of us.
4. Similarly, working after 65 because you WANT to instead of because you HAVE to is a good feeling.
5. Rich enough for your kids to refer to you as "the bank of dad" is a good feeling.
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hawkster
Member since Aug 2010
4475 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 10:26 am to EthanL)
Capitalism is a proven method, because it is based on a central fact of human nature, which is the willingness of the successful to take risk to get rewards. As you further limit or prohibit or confiscate the rewards, then the risks will no longer be taken and basis of capitalism will collapse. (And although capitalism may make successful risk-takers wealthy, it also provides the funding for the lazy, hopeless government dependents as well).
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SmackoverHawg
Arkansas Fan
Member since Oct 2011
5726 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 10:45 am to hawkster)
Financial security and good money management skills are a "must have" for happiness. I know lots of people that hate the rich because of their own money problems. What these DA's don't realize is that they ARE RICH. They just live beyond their means and live paycheck to paycheck. Soaking "the rich" does nothing to solve their problems. Misery really does love company. Don't fool yourself dems/libs/prog's it's not about spreading the wealth, it's about spreading the misery. You can't make everyone happy. It's impossible. Some people are just hardwired to be miserable, envious a-holes that blame everyone else for their prob's.(Typical dem voter) So, the only way to create equality is to bring everyone else down to their level.
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Poodlebrain
LSU Fan
Way Right of Rex
Member since Jan 2004
12636 posts
| re: How 'Rich' do we really need to be? (Posted on 12/8/12 at 10:48 am to EthanL)
What is the source of America's wealth? Some of it comes from the natural resources of our territory. However, that is a miniscule portion of our wealth. Our wealth is mainly derived from the things we have produced that other people have wanted to purchase. From real estate development to making movies American wealth comes from satisfying the wants of others. So we deserve to be as rich as we are able while satisfying the desires of others for the goods and services we produce.
The problem is that other people desire the wealth we have, and we have no monopoly on the ability to produce goods and services competitively. This is amply evidenced by the decline in manufacturing jobs in the United States. The wealth from producing those goods are accruing to the people where the manufacturing occurs. They are not building wealth at the same rates Americans did because the people of those contries sell their labor for less than Americans. It is what makes them competitive as manufacturers. They will close the wealth gap with the United States as long as they can provide more satisfaction to customers for the same price.
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