...between wealth and happiness presented in texts 1 and 2 In the first text “The Sandra Bullock Trade” David Brooks presents his own subjective attitude towards the topic “money vs. happiness”, and Brooks is convinced that there is little or no connection between being wealthy and being happy. “Marital happiness is far more important than anything else in determining personal well-being” he says, and underpins this with the statement that if you are happily married everything else doesn’t matter, you will be reasonably happy anyway. On the other hand he claims that if you have an unsuccessful marriage you will never be truly happy. He introduces some statistics to backup his opinion showing that the relationship between happiness and income is tenuous after the point where basic necessities have been achieved. “…people are happy in their 20’s, dip in middle age and then, on average, hit peak happiness just after retirement at age 65” According to Brooks and this assertion happiness is based on age rather than on income, and he also mentions that the daily activities most associated with happiness are the ones where you socialize with others. All together he’s of the opinion that happiness does not rely on the fact that you are either wealthy or not. In text 2 the topic is seen in a different way. It’s not seen as an “either money or happiness”-situation but more by the way the money is used. According to studies of consumption people do get happier spending money, but it depends...
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...jobs or even become very successful and make an above-average income. The infrastructure of our society revolves around money, so we are constantly bombarded with the importance of obtaining it. We are planted on the path of school and over the years it gradually directs our minds to pursue a profession in which to make a living. Society also sets the norm, from advertisements of expensive products to celebrities and wealthy role models, we become to think that financial success is the source of all happiness. Almost all goods and services can be acquired with wealth so there is a reason why we are driven towards money. Many believe the sole reason for wealth is to bring happiness and to fulfill the things you enjoy. What is not known is that there is a limit to money’s power to provide happiness. There is a point in which financial success no longer provides happiness. As we build up finances we acquire the necessities and even extra needs and wants in life that do provide happiness, but beyond a certain point, we begin feeling pressured to achieve more. Money brings happiness when we are starting along, building up to financial stability. When we start from nothing to something we understand that the money is rewarding. Our needs and wants are being fulfilled giving a sense of accomplishment as well as enjoyment of the item or service received through money. You can see it when a child gets a toy that they want. They nag or gesture signifying their want for it. They are working...
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...Income and Family Happiness Xueqing Feng Business 652 QBA-Research Harding University June 19, 2012 Abstract This study proposes to know whether the family happiness correlated to salary, and whether the family happiness is correlated to satisfaction on living conditions or family members' relationship. The study will be for the family in Little Rock, AR. Hypothesis testing and regression analysis will be used to analyze the data gathered from 50 subjects. PROBLEM FOR STUDY INTRODUCTION Which factor is the strongest one to affect the family happiness? Most people would think about the income at the first time. Because of the strong purchase power enable a higher quality of life, family be able to enjoy a better life including the life style, food, living condition, things for use and better to pursue the family gold. As one of the basic foundation, income is seems likely considered an most important factor to develop the family happiness. Financially richer people tend to be happier than poorer people, according to sociological researcher Glenn Firebaugh, "We find with and without controls for age, physical health, education, and other correlates of happiness," said Firebaugh, "that the higher the income of others in one's age group, the lower one's happiness. Families whose income earners are in jobs with flat income trajectories are likely to become less happy over time. Thus the relative income effect...
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...Tiffany Coulam December 11, 2014 Business Ethics Professor Kitanov Market Economy vs. Market Society Market is defined as an area or an arena in which commercial dealings are conducted and is from the Latin mercatus which means ‘buy.’ This is absolutely appropriate for the environment where economic transactions take place. But is this same arena appropriate for the facets of life that have traditionally been governed by more spiritual and moral beliefs? Many intellectuals have posed the question, “Should everything in this world be up for sale?” In the book, What Money Can’t Buy, Michael J. Sandel states that we have morphed from a market economy into a market society. He argues that the market has entered into areas that moral law should reside over and there are, or should be, ‘moral limits’ to markets. In the wake of the worst economic crisis since The Great Depression, it is time to rethink the notion that markets values are the end all and be all of our society. Americans tend to believe that the market’s invisible hand is the greatest caretaker, the best in producing the greatest good for the greatest number of people. The recent financial crisis could not even shake this mentality. The people “discredited the government more than the banks” (Sandel 12). For decades, industrialism and market triumphalism have prevailed over this nation. There are strong arguments for the capitalist markets and their benefits. The finer things in life such as, leisure...
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...People grow up believing money is everything. In a sense, money really is everything. Money buys food to eat and electricity for light. Money buys new cars for transportation. Without money, it would be very hard to live in this world. There are people that are homeless and live under bridges, but those homeless people go out every day still chasing that dollar, whether it be panhandling or recycling. Why? Well, that’s because they need to eat and drink and they simply can’t do that without having money. But in the end, does money buy happiness? Gertner (2003) states money can buy temporary happiness. Like when you buy a brand-new BMW you are only happy for a short amount of time and then it diminishes (p. 46). After having my fourth child,...
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...experience of materialism and the negative effects that our society brings with it. I remember in high school, more specifically sophomore year, I was lucky and thankful enough to be the recipient of a substantial gift from my parents. For my 16th birthday they gifted me with a $15,000 check and said to spend it wisely. I could not believe it, I was so ecstatic and shocked I had no idea what to do. After a few days of careful consideration, I finally decided buying a car would be the best investment at the time. I did what most people do and bought myself a car, a BMW. Little did I know that the BMW would come with negative judgments from my high school peers. In the eyes of my peers I was known as the rich snobby kid who used his parents’ money to buy himself a flashy BMW to boast about. I was placed into a virtual social class of sort, being “better than everyone.” I was viewed as a selfish show-off, called rude and unwanted names just because of the car I owned. But this could not be farther from the truth. In no way did I feel better than anyone else, nor did I ever boast about having a fairly decent car for my age. But of course in our society, what I said did not matter, everyone judged me by the car I drove. I was left with feelings of sadness, dissatisfaction, and disappointment. I almost wanted to sell my car because I knew that would be the only way to make the judgments disappear. In James Twitchell’s Two Cheers for Materialism, he discusses the emphasis that our society...
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...Taylor Moskalyk – 500296291 Professor Maurer CGEO 108, Sec. November 27, 2011 “Giving Happiness a Number: A look at Gross National Happiness as an overall strategy” It seems nowadays that the world is moving in one direction, with the west taking the driver’s seat, Europe riding shotgun, and the rest of the world sitting in the back with Africa, the crying infant in need of a diaper change. But there is one Country that seems to be going against the grain; putting greater significance on things humanity seems to forget from time to time, like human well-being and the environment. Sandwiched in between China and India is a small country called Bhutan, a country that takes a different approach when looking at the well-being of its citizens. In 1972, 17 year-old Jigme Singye Wangchuck became the 4th Dragon Emperor of Bhutan, and implemented a new system that structures an economy around the happiness of its population. Gross National Happiness (GNH) is the sadly unorthodox alternative to GDP, based on Buddhist beliefs; it puts value in the happiness, not money when valuing a country. It is the only country in the world that uses this system of measurement. Although this system has the best intentions for the people and its surrounding environment, it is not the best overall strategy because it doesn’t adequately incorporate economic growth, which is very important to a country’s well-being. At first glance it seems like a truly distinct, altruistic approach to GDP but it...
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...to approach both Kantianism vs. Utilitarianism for those who are not students of ethics words like utilitarianism and Kantianism may sound little foreign but for those are trying to tackle the world of ethics then these two represent important viewpoints. There are many similarities between utilitarianism and Kantianism but some can confuse some people. However, there are important differences between the two philosophies that I will try to explain. In Utilitarianism this philosophy believes that consequences of action are responsible for people judging that action as morally right or wrong. Thus, a believer of utilitarianism would say that the outcomes of the actions that is deemed morally right would be good. The theory says that people choose actions that help in maximizing happiness and at the same time remove misery, pain and agony. The worth of any human action depends upon its utility or value. Now with the view on Kantianism was put forward by Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher he focused on the duty he believed his philosophy take the position that the morality of an action is dependent upon whether the individual has adhered to the rules or not. Here are some points or highlights why Kantianism vs. utilitarianism. * Attitude towards what is right or wrong is what constitutes the basic difference between utilitarianism and Kantianism. * Utilitarianism says that an act is justified if maximum numbers of people are deriving happiness out of it. This simply means...
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...Happiness The question you start off with is on a scale of one to ten how happy are you? Five is average ten is supper duper high. Most people think there are very happy. Interesting enough most people think they are happier than the people around them. There are slight differences depending on age, place with in a country you live, and men vs. woman. The happiest people tested on earth live in Switzerland most unhappy people were Bulgarians. Studies have shown that people are happier on sunny days, but when people were asked about how the weather was before asked how there life was they would take in account the weather with there answer. Poorer countries don’t have the same shelter, food, money, and knowledge as countries like the United States but they are still about just us happy as us witch surprises some psychologists. People believe that happiness is in genetics and that know matter what happens in your life weather you are paralyzed or something bad happens in your life after about a year your happiness will be back up to its original level of happiness, Suggesting that there is a temporary effect in sadness. When a person wins the lottery they will be extremely happy at that moment in time, but a year after that they might not be as happy because the person will be pulled away from family, friends, and work. The purchase of consumer goods make you very happy at the moment when opening the package but this happiness usually fade right after. A lot of things in life...
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...Fiction Essay ENGL 102: Literature and Composition Summer B 2012 MLA WRITING STYLE Fiction Essay Thesis and Outline Thesis: Money, class and values affect the story as well as the reader. Outline: I. Introduction-“The Destructors” by Graham Greene vs. “The Rocking-Horse Winner” by D.H. Lawrence. II. Characterization a. Character Qualities/Status 1. Paul vs. T 2. Uncle vs. Blackie 3. Hester vs. Old Misery “Thomas” b. Emotions and Behaviors 1. Paul vs. T 2. Uncle vs. Blackie 3. Hester vs. Old Misery ”Thomas” III. Closing- overall effect on story and reader Character Comparison of “The Destructors” and “The Rocking-Horse Winner” In “The Destructors” by Graham Greene and “The Rocking-Horse Winner” by D.H. Lawrence there are many differences and similarities. The reader sees the most emphasis placed on money, class and values. “The Destructors” takes place in Great Britain after World War I and most of the population has been taken from upper class to middle class due to the bombings. Where “The Rocking-Horse Winner” in situated in a suburban area of Baltimore, Maryland and the population is in the upper class, at least most are in appearance The characters have similarities and differences as well, take the protagonists in each story are young boys. Paul in “The Rocking-Horse Winner” is a young innocent boy that knows in his heart his mother , Hester does not love him or his two sisters but he has an over...
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...capitalism as a measure for success and its replacement by family pride. I. Walter Lee is obsessed with obtaining money from the very beginning of the play. His very happiness depends on success, and he measures this in wealth. 1. He longs to be successful. His speech at the end of Act II, Scene 2 beginning "You wouldn’t understand yet, son, but your daddy’s gonna make [...] a business transaction that’s going to change our lives [...] You just name it, son, and I'll hand you the world!" (Hansberry, 96) 2. Money is the only means of being successful or obtaining success. When asked why he cares so much about money, Walter screams, "Because it is life, Mama!" (Hansberry, 64) II. Mama encourages him to take her place as head of the family, despite disagreeing with his lust for wealth. 1. Mama tries to convince him that money is not the solution to Walter's crisis of purpose in a speech: "Something has changed. You something new, boy. [...] You ain't satisfied or proud of nothing we done. You my children - but how different we done become." (Hansberry 62) 2. Still she trusts him with the money in order to further his pride and encourage his familial responsibility. "I'm telling you to be head of this family from now on like you supposed to be." (Hansberry, 94) III. After the money is all but depleted, Walter stands up for himself and his family and spurns money in favor of pride and the fulfillment of his family's dream. 1. By standing up to Lindner, he becomes a man...
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...Conflict among economic goals of business and government vs. The social goals of the citizens and government of American society September 28, 2015 By: Tevita Uasilaa ID#U0769666 There are many conflicting reasons among economic goals of business and government as to the social goals of citizens and government in the American society. In this assessment, I will go over a few points from both sides and how they would conflict with one another based on moral standards. Thoreau says, “understanding business is crucial to learning how to avoid being crushed by itthat and education in business allows for maximum utility.” ( Foundation of Business Thought. Pg. 5, Lines 2528n understanding business, you should know the ins and the outs, different ) I potential conflicts and how to resolve the issues. In the meanwhile,uring the first few d class discussions we often discussed motivation and what the real motivator was. When we were asked as a class, “what motivates people?” Many replied, “money.” Then when told, we came to the realization that the real motivator is what money buys. hether it W be a new car, house, new clothes, etc. Whatever it may be, that’s what drives many to the point of discussion. First, we will start off with economic goals of business and government. An economic goal for a business and government would be efficiency . How well the ...
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...think this problem will ever change. That mindset of “keeping up with the Johnson’s” is so true within this generation. I just watched a video on YouTube called “you don’t need this” where Emitai Etzoni discusses want vs. need and how humans are actually very simple. A Human only needs three things to be satisfied and happy. The problem today is choice, the more choices equals the better chance that consumers will be satisfied because of such a large variety. Freedom of choice is nothing more than the freedom to buy and consume. With that being said the increasing the number of choices is not so much about improving human well-being rather it’s about expanding the market and making money. Everybody always wants more and more which to me means the pursuit of happiness is unattainable. Greed equals American consumerism no one’s satisfied ever I look at it as exactly the same concept as the old saying money can’t buy happiness. Occasionally it is okay to go and spend or splurge on something you want but today’s society works by wanting, working, buying, using, and rinsing. Same concept as a drug addiction except the withdrawal stage is just significantly longer than that of a heroin addict. I guess you could say that this greedy nation is plagued by the addiction of want vs. need. Ever seen a movie where kids or adults are enjoying a nice Coca-Cola or Pepsi? Back then it was the only pop around and it was a luxury to enjoy one. Today they have soda dispensing machines with around 60 different...
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...supposed to be saving people’s life, by a command from the patient himself or his family members. This act is called euthanasia, and it is legal in many countries and some American states. Many people think that this act is normal and it should be legal. Life is a sacred right that was given to humans. No one can take this right away from himself or from anyone else; it is a murder. Giving life to someone and taking it away is not a human decision to make, but it is a god chararastic. Therefor, people should not have the power to act like God. Euthanasia is an act of justified killing that some people think about it as a good way to end someone’s suffering from a terminally sickness. The value of a human’s life cannot be determined on his money or health states. As long as there is breath, there is a chance for things to get better. Is Euthanasia Morally Acceptable? Probably most of us have had experiences with friends or relatives who suffered greatly towards the end of their lives. Some of you reading this may even have loved ones who are terminally ill and forced to endure significant and unrelenting pain. There are limits to how far modern medicine can go in alleviating this pain. Anyone who sees and hears the anguish of someone dear to them will to some extent share in this suffering and will desperately wish to end the suffering that the other is experiencing. If it happens that the doctors and the medications are not able to put an end to the constant pain, then there...
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...Valued Possessions vs. Insignificant Desires Anna Quindlen, a novelist, social critic, and journalist wrote an intriguing essay “Stuff is Not Salvation” about the addiction of Americans, who splurge on materialistic items that have no real meaning. The ability to obtain credit is one of the main reasons to blame for society’s consumption epidemic. However, Quindlen feels the economic decline due to credit card debt is insignificant compared to the underlying issues of American’s binging problems. Quindlen’s essay gives excellent points regarding the differences in America’s typical shopping habits. Additionally, she mentions how people acquire all this “stuff” but seem to never realize, “why did I get this?”(501). Quindlen makes her audience visualize a world where we acquire our needs versus our meaningless desires. Yet, she fails to mention people who could live a life of happiness through the possessions they acquire. In summary, Quindlen supports her point of view with examples of American spending habits in the past decades of depression compared to now. She mentions Black Friday and how people become enthralled by cheap bargains (Quindlen 500-501). In Quindlen’s essay, she refers to an accident in which a worker at Walmart was trampled to death by a mob of shoppers and despite the horrific incident people kept shopping (500). With the U.S. depression, Black Friday brings hopes of more money spent, therefore a rise in the markets. The dream of an uplifted economy became...
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