Jump to content
Objectivism Online Forum

Material Wealth affect emotions

Rate this topic


Recommended Posts

Does material wealth affect one's emotions?

I have a friend who has tried to commit suicide before; however, I wouldn't dare of doing so and because of that I ignorantly though to myself: "How can someone with a privileged life want to commit suicide?"

I'm guessing because they don't value their privilege enough to resist being seduced to suicide.

enlighten me, I'm confused.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot of pretty rich people commit suicide, as do a lot of poor people. I doubt that either poverty or wealth is a typical cause leading up to suicide. There is an important sense in which money cannot buy happiness; however, contrary to what some think, money does not bring sadness either.

Not sure what you mean by being "seduced" into suicide. Typically, people who are suicidal are depressed, evaluating the future as being somewhat pointless or unlivable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I think it depends on how the material wealth is acquired.

If the wealth is acquired by productive work and voluntary exchange, the resulting emotions of a person who thinks rationally will be pride and happiness.

If the wealth is acquired by force or fraud, the resulting emotions will be shame, guilt, sadness.

If the wealth is acquired by inheritance or luck, then I wouldn't expect the wealth to have a significant affect on emotions one way or another.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the money you make cannot be used to buy material wealth that will lead to happiness unless

you have first established your values and understand how to achieve them. If you know what you want

to accomplish then surely money will bring happiness when you've accomplished your desired goal, which

money was a necessary part of gaining and keeping your value. To pursue your happiness ask what it is

that you purchase that will lead to your desired goal.

I strongly recommend reading "What is happiness?" by Dr. Ellen Kenner. I think you will find it to be a useful

and enjoyable read. Here is the article for your viewing pleasure:What is Happiness?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the money you make cannot be used to buy material wealth that will lead to happiness unless

you have first established your values and understand how to achieve them. If you know what you want

to accomplish then surely money will bring happiness when you've accomplished your desired goal, which

money was a necessary part of gaining and keeping your value. To pursue your happiness ask what it is

that you purchase that will lead to your desired goal.

I strongly recommend reading "What is happiness?" by Dr. Ellen Kenner. I think you will find it to be a useful

and enjoyable read. Here is the article for your viewing pleasure:What is Happiness?

I think it is a matter of choosing one's values, ensuring that they are consistent with each other, planning one's strategy for achieving them, and keeping these plans consistent with any events occurring in the process of implementation. Laziness, dishonesty, blind conformity, lack of pride, and other forms of irrationality will not make an individual happy. Possessing wealth implies the need for making choices on spending and investment. These choices must be consistent with the individual's values, and the values themselves must be consistent with the need to prolong one's existence qua man. The source of one's wealth must also be consistent with the individual's values and enable long-run survival, without fear or guilt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the money you make cannot be used to buy material wealth that will lead to happiness unless

you have first established your values and understand how to achieve them. If you know what you want

to accomplish then surely money will bring happiness when you've accomplished your desired goal, which

money was a necessary part of gaining and keeping your value. To pursue your happiness ask what it is

that you purchase that will lead to your desired goal.

This is mostly how I feel. I would be thrilled if I were to suddenly come into money. I would have no problem deciding how to use it to further my values. The more money I had, the more values I could support. I could do all sorts of things...from easy obvious things like funding my own graduate school and possibly some of my research, to helping out friends who are financially in trouble through no fault of their own, to buying a nice plot of land and providing for me and all my boyfriend's needs and having too many animals there, and then onward and upward...I don't think it would negatively affect my self-esteem because I would continue to be productive regardless of how much money I have. I could definitely be more flexible in my career, for example by waiting longer to get a job to get exactly the kind I want, and not worrying so much about what happens if I don't get tenure. I could also always fall back on writing, which I love, without fear of my family starving.

If I had tremendous amounts of money I might consider founding a new private university which I would then control and hand-pick the very best faculty to teach there. That would be freakin' sweet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Does material wealth affect one's emotions?

I have a friend who has tried to commit suicide before; however, I wouldn't dare of doing so and because of that I ignorantly though to myself: "How can someone with a privileged life want to commit suicide?"

I'm guessing because they don't value their privilege enough to resist being seduced to suicide.

enlighten me, I'm confused.

You should start with reading The Fountainhead and looking at the character of Gail Wynand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...