June 28, 2014

"I wish I could tell you global brotherhood is best served through greater and greater amounts of money... but I can’t tell you that because it’s not true."

"A free society does make people phenomenally wealthy—and this is a wonderful, beautiful blessing—but not enough to give people a satisfying life."

From "D.C.’s Conservative Guru Finds His Inner Hippie/Arthur Brooks' pursuit of the formula for happiness has some unlikely speakers talking to the American Enterprise Institute. Is the 1 percent really listening to his spiritual gurus?" by Eleanor Clift at The Daily Beast.

20 comments:

rhhardin said...

Money buys puppies.

DKWalser said...

I don't think I know anyone who believes happiness comes only through material success -- and I work in the ultra-high net worth industry. Most believe that happiness and inner peace comes from a balance of productive effort and meaningful relationships with family & friends. Placing too high a priority on obtaining new wealth destroys that balance.

That doesn't mean more wealth is a bad thing. More wealth means cleaner water & air, better healthcare, better food -- a higher standard of living for the individual and for society as a whole. It's obsession with obtaining wealth that is the problem, not wealth itself.

rhhardin said...

I'd like to see the gurus face off against the sunnis.

Roger Sweeny said...

This is not the first time someone of the modern right has thought about the fact that money does not buy happiness. Thirty years ago, Charles Murray wrote, "In Pursuit .. of Happiness and Good Government." I thought it was worthwhile read.

The Godfather said...

The lesson of this and the post about post-partum depression is: Money can't buy happiness . . . unless it's money from the government.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Money also buys boats, but not happy children.

Phil 314 said...

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors"
1Peter 1:18

Michael K said...

"becoming the true believer he is today in the power of free enterprise to lift people out of poverty."

Eleanor Clift will never understand that if she lives to be 100.

RazorSharpSundries said...

I honestly thought this would be an article about the guy who was lost in America.

Hagar said...

I have been banished?

Anonymous said...

"A free society does make people phenomenally wealthy—and this is a wonderful, beautiful blessing—but not enough to give people a satisfying life."

Give? The most precious thing and the only thing a free society provides is "freedom". It's up to the people to work for a satisfying life.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Michael K said...
"becoming the true believer he is today in the power of free enterprise to lift people out of poverty."

Eleanor Clift will never understand that if she lives to be 100.


This from someone who made his money working in government subsidized health care. Med school, medical research, the hospitals, Medicare and Medicaid, all subsidized by government.

Anonymous said...

Money also buys boats, but not happy children, but the children are happy sailing the boats.

Money can't buy happiness, but I sure am happier having money than not having it.

I can tell my boss to do things to himself. Oh, silly me, I have money, I don't have a boss.

I can fly my own jet to Paris to dine with my new squeeze.

I can tell politicians to kiss my ass if they want my contributions.

I can give my money away to make other people happy.

Those who say money can't buy happiness either do not have money or are too mean to share their loots. If nothing else, money can buy a peace of mind. A moneyed person does not need to eat dog food to save for her prescription drug. I am happier dining in a 5-star restaurant than snatching food from my aging dog.

cubanbob said...

AReasonableMan said...
Michael K said...
"becoming the true believer he is today in the power of free enterprise to lift people out of poverty."

Eleanor Clift will never understand that if she lives to be 100.

This from someone who made his money working in government subsidized health care. Med school, medical research, the hospitals, Medicare and Medicaid, all subsidized by government.

6/28/14, 11:27 AM

Through the taxes paid by the private sector. However it may escape your attention that long before government subsidized medical care and medical research through either grants or other direct payments or tax credits/deductions medicine, medical schools and medical research existed without government subsidies. If I am going to have my taxes used to subsidize someone I would rather have it subsidize a Micheal K-someone useful-rather than the worthless Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton.

Joe said...

Nothing like wealthy people saying that money doesn't buy happiness. Even assuming it doesn't, it can sure buy you out of a lot of misery.

And like elkh1 said, it can buy peace of mind which is makes me very happy.

jr565 said...

I don't care too much for money, money can't by me love.
Only, it can .It can certainly buy you things that you love, and can facilitate dates with people you love. Who might be more attracted to you because you have money.

jr565 said...

Only people blessed with an abundance of money can say that money doesn't matter. If you are ekeing out a living, money is very important.
You couldn't argue that having money will guarantee happiness but you can almost guarantee that not having money can lead to unhappiness.
Think of anyone who doesn't have the money to pay his bills for the month for an example.

Rusty said...

Money buys alternatives.

Rusty said...

AReasonableMan said...
Money also buys boats, but not happy children.

A gratuitous assertion.
That would depend on how you raised your children.

Nichevo said...

ARM:

This from someone who made his money working in government subsidized health care. Med school, medical research, the hospitals, Medicare and Medicaid, all subsidized by government.

6/28/14, 11:27 AM


Shorter ARM:

I raped you and you had an orgasm, so love me!

The profession of medicine has existed long before the United States government decided to stick its oar in, perhaps not for the better.

The fact that the government has aggrandized to itself these various powers, and created these programs of dubious legitimacy, does not mean that it is the government that is saving people's lives and creating medical careers, only that they have taken an interest in the doing.