Why is the world obsessed with money?

[vivster]

the2real4mafol said:

vivster said:

Why are you excluding happiness from being rich?
This all sounds like a poor man's excuse for not working hard enough.

 People strive for the most comfortable life, just like you. That is achieved with money. Because you need it for anything comfortable. Happiness is not a one way street with fun on one end and money on the other. You can easily achieve both and you will be happier for it.

Is a man who has a great job, no money worries, friends and family not happier than a poor man with the same?

Isn't a man without friends and family but money happier than a poor man without friends and family?

Why do you persume the poor are lazy by default? How about the fact they may be exploited? Obviously there are true lazy people out there, but that can apply to the kids who end up with their parents wealth thru inheritance as much as the people who need to be topped off by state benefits, neither worked for their money. What is your point?

Maybe it's to do with perspective but i am kinda poor but comfortable for the most part thus i'm happy. It's bound to be different for each person. There surely is a limit to what one person or family needs in terms of wealth though. To answer both questions, it is likely the first rather than the latter to be happy, most of the time anyway. 

I didn't say all poor people are lazy. Some are just dumb and others just had bad luck.

 Why would a rich happy person be less happy than a poor happy person?

You say there is a limit but actually there is only a limit from a single standpoint. When you change your standpoint, the limit gets changed as well. It's human(and all life's) nature to become used to things and then strive for more. First you want your video games, then you want video games with more color, then you want it in 3D, then you want it in your pocket, then you want it high definition, then you want it online, then you want it cheaper. Even though at first you just wanted video games. The limit gets shifted forward the closer you get to it. That's why even insanely rich people strive for even more. Because they became used to their standard and saw potential to grow.

You shuldn't exclude yourself from this. You wouldn't consider anyone's happiness in the middle ages as happy as your life now. Because all the inconveniences would hinder your happiness. You are talking from just your standpoint and I am very sure that if you became rich you wouldn't give your money away to get back to where you were.