[quote=scaredyclassic]studies show happiness only rises with income to a certain point.
I wonder about a feeling of security though. I wonder if trust fund kids in general feel more secure of their place in the world, and if so, whether that generally turns out to be a good or bad thing, longterm..[/quote]
I had recently read about a study that looked at a happiness scale where people had to rate their happiness and satisfaction with life on a scale from 1 to 10 (tried to find the article/study, but am unable to right now). They looked at some of the wealthiest people in developed countries and compared them to people in underdeveloped countries. Guess what they found? The wealthiest people had the exact same level of happiness as financially poorer people from underdeveloped countries. They found that money only mattered to an extent, as you’ve pointed out. It’s important to feel safe and secure as that definitely affects one’s happiness and satisfaction with life. After that, money had very little effect.
My husband has had to work with families in life and death situations from all walks of life. He’s said that people in the poor, overcrowded immigrant neighborhoods often seem happier than the people who live (often very isolated lives) in those big mansions with a hired staff.
IMHO, security can either mean having the money to hire people to take care of you, OR it can mean having people who love and cherish you enough to want to take care of you during times of need. Which one probably makes us feel better and more secure?
