Which Would You Prefer? Being Rich or Being Happy?

This is a very good discussion and I look forward to hearing some of the other responses from my fellow mylotters. I like the saying that says money can't buy happiness and I agree with this. I would like to be completely happy then rich any given day. Being happy and content with ones life is a more important aspect then any material possession. A person can own a hundred things and have a lot of cash but if they aren't happy to enjoy any of it then what is the point in that really. That is how I feel and it is somehow how I was brought up to feel. I would want to be happy and have some money then have lots of money and not be happy.

i want tobecome rich , i know you were thinking that i am selfish , but i want to become rich , but want to live a normal life. i want to become rich , to remove the poverty from the world , to stop others from beggging by providing free residents , food & employment. if i become rich , i will give away my all money to such peoples , so that they can start their own bussiness , find their dream jobs. i want to make everyones life secure in this world , so , anyone dont feel unsecure while loosing their jobs also , anyone whose bussiness give him a big loss also. if others are happy , they will try make me happy. then now what is your thought about my idea , i am doing every efforts to achive my aim. have a great life to all.

Most of the people i met in my life want to be rich as well as happy. And frequently most of them associate happiness with richness. Well i neednt be rich but i always prefer happiness. But that also dosent mean i can live without money. Money for me is always an important part of life and sadly enough inorder to be happy we need sufficient amount of money.

I prefer to be happy cuz money can get later. Happiest in the family is the most important thing in the world, if you are so rice but not happy then why would you get those money for? Aren't you get those family to make your family happy right? but Money is the secondary situation to me.

I understand why you ask.. but look at it this way... how many poor people have you known or heard of that were exuberantly happy? How many homeless people have you heard say "I got nothing, but I am the happiest I have ever been!" Not a single thing anyone can tell me to make me belive that someone that is broke, poor, struggling to make ends meet, living paycheck to paycheck and still shopping at thrift stores cause that is as far as the pay check goes...they might have accepted the life and live it the best they can, but they arent' happy. REsigned to that being the best they will ever get and moving on from there, but not happy. ON the other hand, many rich people aren't happy, but just as many rich people are happy. IT is what you do with your money that determines your happiness. Most unhappy rich people are that way cause they foolishly spend their money, show off with it, and things like that. They buy things they think they want instead of investing it in something they enjoy. LIke buying an expensive car.. big deal.. but they still have to pay the high insurance, gas and repairs for that money gussler! And it dont' get you any farther or faster than a cheaper car! Just costs you more money! But buy a cheaper car and the rest invest in a pool or something like that where you can go every day and have fun, have friends and family over to enjoy it and enjoy it with them ... that is where the happiness comes in. Money can buy happiness... you just have to buy what makes you happy with common sense and intelligence, not greed and stupidity.

Well, I would be happy to be rich...lol.. But I think we all would. I think I would prefer being happy (as long as I was able to take care of myself financially) if I absolutely had to choose. Being rich and unhappy would be pointless.. I'd probably go broke spending all my wealth on material things trying to fill some void in my life. Also, as we see in the news and online Money + Negative mental state = disaster . ~Iedyn

I think everyone wants to be happy, and they usually believe that riches bring that happiness. But if that were the case, every rich person would be ecstatically happy - but if you look at may of them, they are far from happy. They are usually full of fear that they are going to lose their riches. As a Zen practitioner, I contemplate the enlightenment of Buddha, who sat in deep meditation and recognized that the root of human suffering was desire. If we can stop desire, we can stop suffering. Easier said than done I suppose. In Zen meditation my aim to to recognize that there is only now and to accept this. At that point of strong focus, desire disappears and the mind become still and peaceful. I don't feel I want anything. The object of Zen is to live mindfully in this state all of time.. - Derek

My new comer friend you got so many responses.Congratulation. Now you are rich and happy. Richness is always not determined by money and wealth. Someone is rich by heart or someone is rich by knowledge.Bot in simple sense I prefer being happy.There is no limit of wants. How much you get you can't be satisfied.A rich person is always hanker after money.To be satisfied with little is happiness.I want to be happy.

People usually think that money brings them happiness and hence they are behind money always. Therefore the ultimate goal is happiness! If I had choose between being rich or happy then I would choose happiness, cause I know that only money cant bring hapiness.

Hi! everyone wants to be happy.. I don't think being rich isn't enough to be that really happy.. But as I believe that money could also bring happiness.. here's the logic.. "If money could buy beauty and beauty could bring happiness, then money could bring happiness..." I think there are many reasons why people are happy...^_^

I have been both; More than once! I am a person whether rich or poor I am happy. I am a giver and have given away money when I should not have, but it makes me happy. So I choose Happy! a easy choice for it gets me through when I am not rich!

you won't be any happier with a ton of money in your bank account than you were when you didn,t have it. as a matter a fact, thing will get damn boring sooner that you'd expect. why? because you'll be able to afford anything that comes across your path

Well in my opinion rich can have many meanings. One can be rich in personality, worthiness, and even happiness. When it comes to monetary value I would like to be well off. I don't have to be rich with money to be happy. Money does make a difference in ones life, but I don't believe one has to be rich to be happy. As far as happiness, one has to be happy within themselves to be truly happy with anything or anyone else. I would rather be happy and rich with other things. I am rich in personality and my ability to make others feel eased. If money makes you happy, then you have to find yourself. Because I believe that no one thing can make us happy, as I stated we have to find happiness within ourselves first.

I think being rich and being happy can coexist. I like a sentence"do what you like,and money will follow." sometimes,we can buy some things which can make us happy and being rich is a happy thing. However,if I am not happy,I think being rich is meaningless.

Most rich people I know are pretty happy. I don't see why the two are thought of as mutually exclusive.

I'd prefer to be both. i can't be happy when i know I'm running out of bucks. i will also be very happy when despite the crisis, i stayed healthy and free from any illnesses. the worst thing can happen to a person is when no money and is sick.

I prefer being rich, coz If you are rich, you can afford anything in this world. If that is possible, then obviously you will be satisfied with the power you have. If you have satisfaction in life, then you will be happy. So be rich and be happy!

i would prefer being happy of course. having everything is not really everything. money goes and nothing stays forever in this world we will all leave this world and we cant take money with us when were gone so choose being happy. if youre happy you will feel contentment and if youre contented you feel rich and thats how i feel. Cheers!=)

Hey, Even though being rich might make your life a whole lot easier, if I would not be happy, then I would just forget about being rich. I would much rather be happy than be rich, happiness is a good quality in life. Make sure you have a good day, God bless and Happy Lotting!!

Well, naturally, I'd rather be rich and happy, but that's not one of the options you've given, so you're answer contradicts your question. I'd vote for happy re: an old zen story... A Zen Master lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening, while he was away, a thief sneaked into the hut only to find there was nothing in it to steal. The Zen Master returned and found him. "You have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift." The thief was bewildered, but he took the clothes and ran away. The Master sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow," he mused, " I wish I could give him this beautiful moon."