Would you be more happy with life, if money was never invented?

Question

Our lives seem to revolve around money. Even when you say that your family is the most important thing in the world, the fact that you have to have money to look after them is an issue. When you have loads, it usually turns you greedy and self-centered

Answer 1

money can't buy everything...but it's really important nowadays...many others problems will occur if we don't have this system....we won't develop...everybody will work only for themselves...

Answer 2

this is a very complicated and hard question to answer because the bartering system would never work, human nature is greedy, there will always be people who want more than others, it's the Robin Hood debate, do you take from the rich to give to the poor? do we need a rich and a poor class? there was a time when the middle class was more predominant but that is slowly fading away again. I think we need some form of currency otherwise there would be no real motivation or need to work for things and work is important for the fact that we need to accomplish something so we can buy the goods we need, if everything was free we would have no sense of accomplishment and it would make us very lazy and more self centered. The main problem isn't money, it's the distribution of wealth, celebrities and athletes get paid way too much money for doing almost nothing. If we cut their salaries in half even and gave that money to programs to help the homeless and the poor our economy would be a little better. Just remember: wealth isn't the problem, it's gluttonous wealth where people feel the need to spend 500K on an antique chair for their home. The good news is most uber rich people are absolutely insane, they aren't really happy, they usually become drug addicts or live a life of quiet desperation just like the rest of us. so money doesn't bring happiness.

Answer 3

If money was never invented, I would not know of it...so therefore, I wouldn't have any feeling for it. Sitting here thinking about how much life does require money (IE food, water, electricity), I don't know if I could be happy without my material things...But again, I wouldn't know of them and would have no money. And I agree, people who have a lot of money usually are selfish and self-centered... but only some. I don't want to stereotype all of the rich people. Life with money has it's ups and downs...just like I am sure life without has. Good question to think about.

Answer 4

Oh yes! how much easier and uncomplicated life would be in that case!
I've often thought the same as you. There are so many things that I want to do - that I can't do because I have to earn money - not for me - for my loved ones.
I am fond of thinking if I had no one to worry about I would say to hell with earning money and do the things that I want, but then probably I wouldn't be able to because I wouldn't have the money to do the things I want to do.
BTW - the things I want are not material things - for example I want to go and study something that interests me very much - but it is unbelievably expensive to do masters level study.
I'd love to travel and see the world - too old to back pack and any other form of travel needs a lot of money.

If only money were never invented!!

Answer 5

Not necessarily because people need what others can provide. Therefore some kind of barter/exchange system would be set up informally, or possibly more formally in a group/neighbourhood.
Since some goods or services would be more highly prized than others (e.g. essentials) a demand would be set up. Some kind of common 'currency' would emerge at some point, for convenience.
Problems would arise if there was an imbalance of resources and the greed etc. would develop, money or no money.

Answer 6

Before there was money, there was trading and barter. Maybe one should wonder why people aren't more open and sharing with what they have, so money or goods owned becomes less an issue. Then again, maybe not.

But the big grab for wealth by a slender minority skews lives. Example: insurance companies that charge millions of people thousands of dollars without ever having to pay out, who make trillions because the rules of the policies they offer are written with tricks and loopholes to favor them, like a stacked deck of cards in Las Vegas.

Answer 7

No. True, we wouldn't be so materialistic but, technology probably wouldn't be nearly as advanced as it is now. I write this because if money was never invented then there would be barter and trade. In order to barter or trade you must make something that is worth the trade or make something that is valuable enough to barter for lots of trade. This takes time and effort and you aren't guaranteed that the trade people will like your items so, you may have a hard time bartering and trading. Meanwhile your family is starving to death. As time consuming as this is, this is why the development of technology would be extremely slow or nonexistant. Life without the technologies we have now would be so much harder and so much more difficult.

Ex. Pacemakers wouldn't have been invented yet. Now think of all of the people all over the world who survived because of pacemakers. Now imagine they are dead and never had a chance to survive because money was never invented and as a result technology would be slow.

We would live in a world filled with death and their wouldn't be many people to barter and trade with.

The development of money has guaranteed that it will always be valuable and no business nor government could ever deny the worth of monetary value.

As a result people did not have to waste time making things, hoping it would sell when they may not have had the talent to make good quality items. This spare time gave time for technology to progress and make our lives somewhat easier.

Answer 8

Why do I think that this type of question about money is shallow and meaningless?

Money can certainly be abused, but it is a good way to provide people with the things needed to live a better life.

If you say we would be better off without money, I suggest you prove it and send me all of yours.

Answer 9

Many years ago there was a hit song called "money is the root of all evil". As a child I found it catchy, but with the passing years I have found it to be uncommonly accurate.

Answer 10

I agree but I think life would be a lot harder for some if they had to barter for goods and services - some might not have as much to offer as others in terms of personal skills as well as made objects.

Answer 11

If there wasn't money, there would be some other things. People used to trade by exchanging their goods. So I guess our lives would depend on something else.