Good article with a weird title. Why assume wealth and happiness are correlated?
Because it is mostly true? I've seen wealth and happiness in society a lot more than poverty and happiness.
If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?
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Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?
#42Earlier quoted context omitted.
- Around 76% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. - 71% of adults say that their monthly debt payments prevent them from saving. When we say America, we can't just mean the 20% who are ok. It has to mean the 70% who aren't. America is not rich. It used to be. It is not now.
You are responding to data about the median American.
income data about the median american.
income data alone does not tell a very complete story.
Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?
#43I feel like wealthy americans live like poor Europeans - they live far outside the city in crowded suburbs, no amenities walking distance so they have to drive everywhere, having to commute an hour to their job, eating bad manufactured food... I'm American but moved to Europe years ago. It may be even better being poor here because at least you might live in a village and you'll have healthcare and your government wo…
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Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?
#44Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's just objectively untrue. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/median-in...
- Around 76% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. - 71% of adults say that their monthly debt payments prevent them from saving. When we say America, we can't just mean the 20% who are ok. It has to mean the 70% who aren't. America is not rich. It used to be. It is not now.
Most people in America don't live paycheck to paycheck or rack up massive debt because they're poor. They do it because they're financially illiterate, over-consume, or both. A few watch-through's of Caleb Hammer's financial audit show will disabuse you of this belief.
Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's just objectively untrue. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/median-in...
- Around 76% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. - 71% of adults say that their monthly debt payments prevent them from saving. When we say America, we can't just mean the 20% who are ok. It has to mean the 70% who aren't. America is not rich. It used to be. It is not now.
Fun fact, that's also untrue or at least dubious.
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/may/16/facebook-p...
Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?
#46Earlier quoted context omitted.
Because research on this topic supports it. Happiness and wealth are correlated.
Really? Last I read the correlation breaks above a certain threshold, roughly that of "I don't need to worry about food or bills".
No, that study was constantly misreported on. There's a nice correlation all the way up.
Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?
#47Relentless striving without any kind of real meaning isn't healthy. Even people who aren't deeply Christian in the religious sense are still inherited of much of the values. I.E. people must prove their value via an extraordinary work ethic.
Or, not a popular opinion, as a country we had a kind of solidarity when things were universally tough. For me (I'm old enough) that was the 1970's with inflation, the Iran hostage situation… During that Bicentennial I remember the country pulling together more.
Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?
#48because America's not rich; like 100 people here just have more money than most countries
That isn't a coherent argument; the latter does not support the former. The median American has a lot of money and disposable income compared to almost any other country.
America is in a weird situation where people have a lot of money in terms of the number and it converts well to other currencies. But it feels worthless within American borders.
An American can get a very sad and bad sandwich for about $20 in a mid sized American city. They can get a full meal with fresh ingredients in most of the rest of the world for $10 (no tip either). Some places even under $5.
An American can rent a dump in a high crime city for $2000 a month. They can get a nice home for $500 a month in many other countries.
An American can pay hundreds a month for health insurance that rejects their claims and covers absolutely nothing, resulting in a medical bill of tens of thousands of dollars. Medicines can cost thousands as well. They can pay out of pocket for treatment in another country and it'll cost hundreds, and medicine will cost a few bucks.
Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?
#49Relentless striving without any kind of real meaning isn't healthy. Even people who aren't deeply Christian in the religious sense are still inherited of much of the values. I.E. people must prove their value via an extraordinary work ethic.
I think that’s only one aspect, the other is the economics make it so you have to be extraordinary to live ordinary.
If that’s how you feel then you might have an unreasonable standard. People you might consider to be living in abject poverty might not be so downtrodden as you suspect. Even though there are extreme downsides and externalities to being relatively poor, being lonely is not one of them.
Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's just objectively untrue. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/median-in...
While it's a key indicator, even PPP adjusted income metrics are insufficient to compare happiness. e.g even if PPP may adjust for some aspects of outsized US health care costs, the risk and unreliability of access and affordability of US healthcare is not reflected in median income values.
Yeah I totally agree that income and happiness are not interchangeable, I'm just really tired of people lying about objective facts.