Money Can Bring Happiness

"Pro is saying he has seen some poverty ridden people on TV who are unhappy. Yes, i agree it is due to their misuse of their own freewill. what is the guarantee that after getting food and shelter they will become happy? then unhappiness will come in some different form." When a homeless man gets the money to buy his own home, he experiences the joy and peace of knowing his homelessness will soon be over. His anxiety disappears. When a starving man on the stree finds a hundred dollar bill he smiles with the joy and fantasy of what he will buy and how long he'll try and make it last. Let me list some of the happinesses that come from posessing money: (1) The posession of money in itself, even before one buys anything with it, relieves stress. For example, most couples arguments are about money. When struggling to pay bills, spouses tend to be more sensitive, and even trivial things (like a bit too much salt in the food) are enough to set an already on edge couple into an argument where being late on the mortgage might well come up. There is relaxation, peace of mind, that comes from being able to pay your bills (just the "ability") to pay them alone, knowing you don't have to worry about money. (2) Money creates financial oppotunities. When we have lots of money we are quick to invest in different things. Just think of how much a happy camper I'll be in just a few years when my investment pays off? Just thinking about my coming finacial security, being able to do what I want, when I want, brings joy. Money gives us opportunities and freedom of action. That freedom, the "ability" (just knowing) we can do X or Y if we so desire is a source of comfort, and joy, and peace of mind. (3) Money creates moments. Just think of the poeple dying in hospital because they can't afford certain operations. Now tell them you will donate the money right away, and tell me they won't be happy to hear that news. If you give them the money, the mere "posession" of that money will make them happy "because" of what they will do with it. Stress and fear of death will be releived from them because of the security that money promises. A man in fear of death or debt ceases to be afraid when he has the needed money, even before he actually cures the illness or clears he debt. There is an intesne emotional response that comes from posession of money because of its value and what can be achieved with it in this world. I never said that I don't believe in saints, but I called it "saints" nonsense in the context of this debate to mean that it is rediculous to think that happiness comes from serving God alone and nothing else. I'm also saying that it's very hypocritical of "saints" who argue that money can't bring happiness they themselves in many cases lavish in the luxery of money and what it can afford. In fact, my challenge to these "saints" who so argue, is to give up "all" their money and see if they will remain as overjoyed and optimistic as they are now. It's an easy philosophy to preach, but a hard one to live by. "And about the argument about happiness in married life. Pro says a wife gets a letter from husband that he is coming home and she feels happy. Please notice here that the neither the paper nor the ink is giving her happiness. It is the message and the relationship between her and the husband which is giving happiness." How sly of my opponent, that's like saying that its not the paper and ink of money that makes one happy, but the value of the money, the things one can (and plan to) do with it, that bring happiness. Fact is, if she didn't posess the note itself she would not have been happy; it was what he wrote with that ink that made her happy, so let's stop playing with words. The money sends just as much messages to her as the paper and ink in her husband's letter. The money too, has a relationship with her, it is her companion and protector, it goes with her in her purse to work each day, it pays her bills and protects her home, and it crys out to her "cherish and protect me as I do for you." Money makes her happy just the same as her husband's letters do. Interestingly, the husband isn't home yet, but posessing his letter cause the very thought of his arrival to pop into her mind which brought joy; so too, she didn't have to spend the money yet, but posessing it also makes her think positively about what her future holds, and in this way it brings happiness. We all need diffrent amounts of money to be happy. For some its lots, for others its little. The ones in India Con mentions clearly only need little. But are the majority of them really happy? I don't think so. Many of them are fleeing India in search of happiness and a better life in the more developed countries. "talking about unhappiness in poverty, it is due to laws of nature that brings them unhappiness and nature does not provide them the basic needs. it is something called as "karma" if you have heard of it. all these laws are ultimately comtrolled by God Himself." Karma? Well this is not a deate about the validity of any particular religious belief, but I certainly see no proof of karma in the world. Poverty causes unhappiness, true or false? Marriages fails or many reasons, but one of them is problems over how to spend money when they only have little. If they had enough money, this is one of the many hazards to a healthy marriage they could easily avoid without having to "pay" Dr. Phil; bickering over money. "talking about getting a billion dollars myself, Pro said i would have a grin from ear to ear. Yes, I may have but my ultimate happiness depends on how i use it, whether in service of God or selfishly." Con, is there a difference between happiness, and "ultimate" happiness? Please dont' play with words now, just tell us what you mean. Even if we reason that giving a million dollars to the poor (how you use it) is what makes you happy, the thing is, receiving the money makes them happy, and even before you gave it, the very prospect of being able to give it makes you happy to. So money brings happiness because of what you can do with it, because of its value. A philantrophist sleeps well at night because of the security his money can bring him and others. "The most happiest country is statistically proved to be Bangladesh, though the country is very small and not a developed country," Please give us the statistics to back this up Con. Please cite your source for this information before we disregard this as a mere claim. Since we are on a request for "data," let me provide a study for you. It has been statistically proven that "Economic freedom correlates strongly with happiness." (In Pursuit of Happiness Research. Is It Reliable? What Does It Imply for Policy?The Cato institute. April 11, 2007 http://www.cato.org...) "On average richer nations tend to be happier than poorer nations." http://en.wikipedia.org... Interesting how Con argues about the moments before death how money can bring happiness. Tell that to the sick people who need that money for medication or operations to save their lives. Even if they will take a year to get the treatment, the mere fact they have the money to afford it will bring them greater joy and less stress for that year. I thank Con for his responses and look forward to his rebuttal