Happiness vs. Money

Yesterday Kate and I were discussing why there must be separation between what makes you happy and what makes you a lot of money, career-wise. Both of us have aspirations to become professors. Though this is a low paying job, we believe it would be satisfactory and rewarding for us mentally. Of course, this separation between what job makes one happy and what job makes one acquire a lot of money is not different for everyone, but for many people; especially within the arts, this is so.

I was pondering this idea today and came across a solution with reference to Emile Durkheim's study on Suicide. Basically, this research bifurcates Protestants and Catholics with relation to their income (much like the research of Weber). The underlying belief Weber determines here is that the Protestant ethic gives one the incentive to make a lot of money because, richness in this life is believed to be God's way of showing you that you are worthy of a glorious afterlife (in some respects.) The Catholics, Weber depicts as having more moral asceticism in this world and thus less incentive to achieve high monetary value in this life.

This study was done a long time ago, and I am not assimilating it directly to cultures of modern society, however here is my valid point.

Durkheim, through a massive research assignment, finds out that the richer/protestant people commit suicide more often than their catholic/poorer counterparts. This he describes is a result from the Capitalist economy's approach to make us all want more and more commodities. What used to satisfy us does not anymore, and thus money is like an addiction. The accumulation of goods and services has lost its value in creating a better life, and thus spoils one into believing that he/she will never be satisfied.

The poorer/Catholic group has more societal limitations placed on them. They are restricted economically, therefore when they achieve something better than what they are used to, the happiness is greater and longer lasting. Therefore, they want to live more because there is so much in the world that they have yet to achieve.

This could go either way, of course, but a great amount of research has been done to prove this point.

Think of it this way, a kid who gets 100 presents at Christmas is less satisfied than a child who gets one (in most cases).

I believe this relates a lot to careers in that you should enjoy what you are doing because you never know when your time on this earth will be up. Also, the smaller things in life will mean more to you than having 5 cars and 3 beach houses. Of course, who doesn't want 5 cars and 3 beach houses? I sure do. However, I would be way happier doing what i believe I am supposed to do with my life, and having 1 car and renting one beach house for the summer.

Therefore, Kate, I would choose the career you love. If you are rich in happiness, the money doesn't/shouldn't matter so much.

<3 you bitch.