Buying Happiness?

[László]

I've always been of the opinion that one can't buy happiness. Well, turns out that maybe, under certain circumstances, one might be able to, if the money is spent on leisure activities.

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs...7/21/how-to-spend-money-so-it-makes-you-happy

Now, how economists get into questions of money buying happiness as opposed to psychologists getting into these questions, I have no idea. And here's my disclaimer: I'm not saying the article or the research is right! Because I have no idea! It's just a discussion topic.

I'm just trying to put my own passion, musical instruments, into some greater context.

I generally do feel inspired, excited, and pretty dang pleased when putting a new guitar, amp or synth into my studio. However, it should be noted that for me, playing guitar isn't a leisure activity -- it's a professional AND leisure activity. Yes, it's two! Two! Two activities in one!

Just like...well...walking and chewing gum at the same time. One of the few "do two things at once" activities that I can actually do.

Anyway, if the article can be taken at all seriously, the implication might be that if playing guitar is your leisure activity, buying guitars actually can contribute to your happiness. I am wondering, of course, if this makes Paul R. Smith the same kinda guy as Willie Wonka.

But in any case, the next time your significant other questions your spending on a guitar, you can confidently state that according to a US News Money article, you're actually buying yourself a little slice of happiness. Who can say that's wrong?

 

[Raymond]

You can buy moments of joy.

Have enough money you can keep buying those moments repeatedly for sure.

 

[DHW]

Paul as the wonka of guitars.... That means the builders are the umpa lumpas right?

 

[Marcus2]

Great topic!

I am an economist and have thought about this a lot over the years. It seems the study focuses on experiences and socialization. This is very appropriate for us guitarists who get a bit gear-infatuated. Are we buying more possessions, or do our guitars facilitate such experiences and social interactions?

I argue that for many of us, it's less the guitar itself than the feeling we get of playing a really great instrument. We are obviously all big PRS fans, but can likely acknowledge that there are a number of builders that, for lack of a better phrase, "get it". When I play my PRSs, I sense that the guitar allows me to communicate my feelings better than most other guitars I have played. That alone makes me happy. While I take pride in my guitars, the feelings of joy they bring are the true source of happiness. I had to buy them to get that.

Also, I am a hobby guitarist. I play for fun and fun alone. But, I like to invite friends and colleagues over the play along. That's the social element.

So, I think we do buy happiness in that regard, but the purchase facilitates other things that are the origins of our joy.

Just my $0.02. Your mileage may vary.

Marc

 

[AP515]

If I didn't have my PRS I wouldn't be as happy. Doesn't have to be more complicated than that.

 

[JMintzer]

To that, I say...

 

[sergiodeblanc]

You can buy moments of joy.

Have enough money you can keep buying those moments repeatedly for sure.

Totally.

I think lifelong happiness is more of a discipline.

 

[MikeD]

I like the idea of using this when my wife wants to know why the hell I need another guitar.

I need something to tell her because I don't know how to play guitar.

Happiness is good enough reason of you ask me.

 

[xjbebop]

I totally believe it. ..
I know how grumpy Mrs.Bebop gets if too much time goes by before a new guitar day...she loves her inexpensive used guitars...

 

[veinbuster]

I am happy to have been able to buy what I have. I've been happy looking for something that I might not find but knowing that if I found it, I could probably find a way to buy it.
On the other hand, I haven't been unhappy when I found something I wanted and chose not to buy it anyway.

 

[tabl10s]

Great topic!

I am an economist and have thought about this a lot over the years. It seems the study focuses on experiences and socialization. This is very appropriate for us guitarists who get a bit gear-infatuated. Are we buying more possessions, or do our guitars facilitate such experiences and social interactions?

I argue that for many of us, it's less the guitar itself than the feeling we get of playing a really great instrument. We are obviously all big PRS fans, but can likely acknowledge that there are a number of builders that, for lack of a better phrase, "get it". When I play my PRSs, I sense that the guitar allows me to communicate my feelings better than most other guitars I have played. That alone makes me happy. While I take pride in my guitars, the feelings of joy they bring are the true source of happiness. I had to buy them to get that.

Also, I am a hobby guitarist. I play for fun and fun alone. But, I like to invite friends and colleagues over the play along. That's the social element.

So, I think we do buy happiness in that regard, but the purchase facilitates other things that are the origins of our joy.

Just my $0.02. Your mileage may vary.

Marc

Finding/owning the next best thing brings me temporary happiness because I daydream a lot. There's never been anything I've ever wanted that I didn't eventually aquire. The flip side is that once I got the item, I stopped stressing and didn't use it.

Being that I was a 12 year old in '74 when I started, I got read about all the new products that are now legendary. Morley pedals were heavy and cumbersome, Mutron Bi-Phase large and unwieldy and the original MXR pedals slid across the floor when stepped-on
because it had no rubber backing.

I now, have no pedals and have had the same Boogie for 31 years(remember when I said once I have something...)with no more than 100 plus hours on the original tubes, but I have this need to have all my guitars equipped with rosewood necks(almost there).

There is no social aspect for me as I don't like to jam.

 

[alantig]

To that, I say...

:rock:

Totally.

I think lifelong happiness is more of a discipline.

Money can buy you the kind of discipline that can make you happy.


I look at it this way - money may not buy happiness, but it buys the kinds of things that make me happy.

 

[CVS]

Les - If I recall from another thread somewhere on this forum - you were at one time a lawyer. If yes, can you represent me when I put forth my case to my wife to buy "yet another" PRS? She keeps talking about diamonds when I mention guitars.

 

[veinbuster]

Les - If I recall from another thread somewhere on this forum - you were at one time a lawyer. If yes, can you represent me when I put forth my case to my wife to buy "yet another" PRS? She keeps talking about diamonds when I mention guitars.

Simple. Diamonds are her happiness. Guitars are yours.

 

[László]

Les - If I recall from another thread somewhere on this forum - you were at one time a lawyer. If yes, can you represent me when I put forth my case to my wife to buy "yet another" PRS? She keeps talking about diamonds when I mention guitars.

Ha! I have enough trouble "representing" myself with my wife!

 

[JMintzer]

My late Father-in Law used to have two sayings... Well, a lot more than two, but two that are apropos to this discussion...

#1 Money won't buy happiness, but it'll buy you a Cadillac, so you can drive around looking for it...

#2 Money won't buy happiness, but it'll afford you a much nicer quality of misery...


He also used to tell my daughters 3 things when they were little (and they still remember them...)

#1 Promise to marry a Jewish boy... (oddly, he was never religious, but felt that was important...)

#2 It's just as easy to fall in love with a rich boy as it is with a poor boy...

#3 You can marry more $$$ in 5 minutes than you can make in a lifetime...

Do you sense a trend?

He grew up in the depression, to poor parents but did quite well for himself...

 

[gwardealy]

i think a good goal is to be in a place where you dont need to buy 'moments' to make you happy...the rush of a new guitar etc. But if you had only one...you would feel just as happy. That rush isn't always happiness, its fulfilling a want or need. And maybe needing another guitar isn't such a great thing.

 

[László]

My late Father-in Law used to have two sayings... Well, a lot more than two, but two that are apropos to this discussion...

#1 Money won't buy happiness, but it'll buy you a Cadillac, so you can drive around looking for it...

#2 Money won't buy happiness, but it'll afford you a much nicer quality of misery...


He also used to tell my daughters 3 things when they were little (and they still remember them...)

#1 Promise to marry a Jewish boy... (oddly, he was never religious, but felt that was important...)

#2 It's just as easy to fall in love with a rich boy as it is with a poor boy...

#3 You can marry more $$$ in 5 minutes than you can make in a lifetime...

Do you sense a trend?

He grew up in the depression, to poor parents but did quite well for himself...

Depression-era parents had different ideas, didn't they?

I told my daughters to marry for love, and learn how to make your own money so you don't have to be dependent on a guy, and told my son to stay single as long as he is able to hold out!

I never cared much about the religion thing, always felt that was for an older and more superstitious generation.