Benjamin Wallace: Does happiness have a price tag?

Comment

Comment by David Gould on December 27, 2008 at 1:49am

A smile costs nothing but is priceless,
a handshake costs nothing but can signify
a hug costs nothing but shows you are loved.

If today you have had a smile, a handshake or a hug
I guess you are among the wealthiest people I know
because you are acknowledged, accepted and loved.
Wow that is rich...real rich.

Comment by Raven Cohan on December 25, 2008 at 9:14pm

Happiness is a Shmata

by Raven Cohan

Never having been one to dream of wealth, I have been happy enough in fact to live from hand to mouth at times. Or at the least, not complaining...Being lucky to make the rent payments was somewhat of an adventure. Sometimes, even in my young 40's, my needing to ask my mom and dad for help wasn't easy, but I dealt with it. Believe me when I tell you they gave me, not a lot, but enough Jewish guilt to go along with the check in the mail.

My third husband makes it easier than I have ever experienced to enjoy a few things that were sometimes seemingly sacrificial in my leaner years: lots of film, theatre and dining outings plus a fair amount of traveling have I been blessed with to include in my present life. We are not even nearly with one million bucks in our joint accounts, because we live simply in other ways. My most favorite thing to do is shop for my clothes in thrift shops. Unlike Mr. Wallace in the video we are all commenting upon, I get plenty of compliments on my thrift shop clothes/bargains, (versus the un-noticed expensive jeans he wore!) I would be one to say that happiness is a shmata (Yiddish for 'rag'), I found at my favorite thrift...

Comment by Pat Barrow on December 23, 2008 at 4:03pm

Okay...get real here. Let me put it this way. Can you be happy with nothing? no home? no family? no friend? no food? no way out? Can you be happy having known happiness in the mist of some land where you cannot find a way out.? Lets make it local. Can you be happy in poverty in the mist of a wealthy country? Your neigbor dines, has a warm coat and home, you do not nor your children. Happy? In addition. happiness never last, it is Joy that runs deep and is never ending.

Comment by Vítor Gomes on December 22, 2008 at 10:51pm

I agree with you, must have a good sense betweem what we need and what is a
stupid way of burn money, when milions of human been of one dollar a day for living.

Comment by Jan on December 22, 2008 at 9:15pm

Happiness comes from within. To be happy, you need to be content with who you are and what you do. Everything else is extra.

Comment by Meeting point...Europe!!! on December 22, 2008 at 12:12pm

Happiness is always "relativ"!!!!
It can be bargain or very expensiv...but you cannot buy it!!!
Lilian Jabile Schaler

Comment by toeg on December 22, 2008 at 8:18am

Excellent analogy.

I'd like to enter my own personal experience of this type. In 1980 I had a chance to return to Europe to see old friends and I brought along an old friend who had never been out of the US. I had actually received some money in an event that closely resembled the only Monopoly card, "Bank error in your favor. Collect $200" It was actually more than 10 times that amount.

As we settled into our first night in London in a very chic looking restaurant, I decided to splurge. I was going to eat the most expensive thing on the menu. My friend was a vegetarian, so opted for the plate of Asparagus. My meal cost over $100, while his was only $6. When our meals arrived, his plate was indeed overflowing with Asparagus spears. Mine, on the other hand, was completely empty except for a 2" x 2" x 2" cube of fish that looked like it was a remnant of the war to end all wars.

I was hoping for something akin to Peter Seller's dish in The Magic Christian. What I got was a left over piece of dried remnant that actually spelled LOSER if you looked at it from the side.

Comment by Komal on December 22, 2008 at 6:34am

Thank you David. Money cant give Peace and Happiness. So If people go inner world and think about Happiness and Love.
Thanks

Comment by Anahata Love on December 22, 2008 at 12:30am

I think of myself as the world's richest woman, but I love getting a bargain, so I find I am happiest when I am able to attract the item I want for little or no money. It is more rewarding for me to use money to bring awareness to those who have yet to discover they have the power to make themselves happy without having to sell themselves into slavery. But it takes all kinds to make a world, doesn't it?

Comment by Elisabetta Errani Emaldi on December 22, 2008 at 12:11am

I do believe that, more people are rich, more they are crazy, when there are people dying because they haven’t got food.

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