Big money doesn’t bring happiness in and of itself. A lot depends on the personality of the person who will have this money.
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How are happiness and money related? Happiness — can money buy? The question was interesting…
In 1957, a research project was launched in the United States, in which many people were interviewed, asking them if they were happy with what they had in life. About a third answered in the affirmative. In 1992, the study was repeated, and the percentage of affirmative answers was the same, despite the fact that living standards had risen significantly. Life prosperity grows — happiness does not change.
American scientists tried to answer the question: «How much money do you need to be happy?» It turns out that happiness comes when you earn $6000 or more a month. This amount, according to researchers, is necessary for a person to survive difficulties, and is able to guarantee the solution of priority life problems. A Russian, according to the same researchers, needs much less to be happy — about $1500 a month.
At the same time, the average monthly accrued wages of Russians, according to the calculated data of RosStat, fluctuate around 20 thousand USD. Half of the population of Russia lives with an income not exceeding $120 per person per month. Of this half, most live on the verge of a living wage.
But more detailed surveys conducted by the National Statistical Office of Great Britain showed that money increases the level of happiness and reduces the level of anxiety of a person. But not any money and not always, but only some and under certain conditions. Namely: the most powerful influence on happiness is the money that a person can quickly dispose of. For example, it is cash or a bank account. In addition to this, regular income has a strong influence on life satisfaction. But promising assets, such as pension savings, have almost no effect on the level of happiness. Simply put, it is the money itself that makes the happiest person.
In support of this: physical assets, such as the possession of real estate, even if it is a little bit more expensive, have practically no effect on the level of happiness. But the property that surrounds a person increases the level of happiness. Furniture, gadgets, art objects, cars and other high-status surroundings — yes, this makes people happy, it contributes to happiness.
Here, at the checkout: according to another study, the best remedy for depression for modern women is not psychotherapy at all, but shopping …
Another interesting data: a lot of money accidentally «fell» on a person is not a source of happiness.
Psychologists Smith and Razzell conducted a survey among Britons who won very large sums of money in football sweepstakes. 70% of the “lucky ones” left their previous job, moved to live in a more prestigious area, as a result of which they lost their neighbors, friends at work, and new neighbors in most cases negatively perceived the “nouveau riche”. In addition, the majority of respondents noted that after winning they began to discord in the family. As for the very joy of big money and the opportunity to buy expensive things, it disappears very quickly. Link
Of course, the lack of money does not forbid being happy — for those who are disposed to this, who are inclined to a positive worldview. Teaching yourself to live happily is a worthy task, but it also requires strength and money … There is an idea that if money is spent not only on shopping, but also on changing yourself, on changing your values and your attitude to people and life, money will definitely help to be happy!