For the greater good, I shall be the selfless one and volunteer as a test subject. Send me all you wish I I will keep a dedicated journal on the progress of my happiness!!
But, how do the rich still feel happy? If it makes the rich happy, why don’t they just do it all the time?
Stupid.
$2mil for a propaganda campaign.
The problem, of course, is eventually you run out of money that other people earned.
“...transferring money from rich people to poor people can increase the level of happiness reported by the poor people...”
Aha, that explains the high crime rate in democrat cities.
I a rich man gave me a million dollars without questions, it would increase my happiness too ( even if temporary ) 😆😅
They need to check again after the subjects burn through the 10,000. Are we expecting the 10,000 to be perpetual? People with sudden money will feel less stress and that’s a kind of happiness but getting a windfall probably means they spent it wildly which they consider happiness. Financial stress is a real issue but was I happier when I had more money before the Great Recession? I can’t say that I was but I had less stress than after trying to save people’s homes during Covid and other things. And what I found was these people ended up back in the same situations. More than once. At this point bailing them it isn’t an option for me. Was anyone happier? Hell I was happy to help at the time but in retrospect it was foolish because the fundamentals didn’t change. And that’s the problem with wealth transference. If it’s not a temporary hand up there’s no growth and maturity. It breeds dependence and compliance. It’s the opposite of freedom. These people are also the slowest to repay if they ever repay a debt no matter their income. I watch someone close to me miss or ignore tax debts and bills when they aren’t paying rent or utilities since work covers those expenses. How are you still borrowing money and ruining your credit making a very good middle class living with no dependents? The money burns a hole in your pocket and when you run out you ask others to support your needs. And yet you don’t give back. Yes this person is a Democrat. Coincidence?
Well sign me up and make me some happy too....
What does it do for the happiness of the wealthy who are being transferred from? Giving is a joy, but being robbed isn’t.
Did the cash grant transfers to the researchers make the researchers happy?
socialism works
until there are no more rich people
only the govt is rich
then the govt gets really stingy
and starts jailing and killing anyone who complains
thats how socialism works
its not a bug
its the plan
How much of our money was done on this research?
Anyone here who wants to be happier is Free to send my cash. I do accept PayPal.
And after those people piss through 10 grand, buying phones, sneakers and large-screen TVs, how happy are they two weeks afterward? What about a month later?
And let's be clear about this--the recipients aren't happy that the money was allegedly transferred from wealthier people--I don't think they realize that at all, or do they care. The recipients are disconnected from where that money originates, so there's no concept of what it means to run out of money to transfer. They just see it as an entitlement.
Let's also be clear about what reliance on others does to one's self-confidence. What does it do to a person when you imply that they don't have the skills to take care of themselves financially, that they ALWAYS have to rely on others for subsistence? What a terrible message the results of this study sends.
This is why physicists should never attempt social studies.
This being said, The Millionaire (TV series) aired on CBS from 1955 to 1960. It explored the ways that sudden and unexpected wealth changed life, for better or for worse.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Millionaire_(TV_series)
Money and drinking alcohol are both known as “neutral spirits” that can be good or bad depending on their use.
While poor people might *say* having more money would make them “happy”, doesn’t it all depend on how they *use* that money.
That is, many will use it on frivolous and even self destructive things. Some will use it on short term goals, medium term, or long term. Some will just save it and not use it at all.
If many people get money, other people will automatically become predators and see them as prey. This includes government, which often thinks of itself as the apex predator.
It is even a sad truism that there are no wide scale famines in the entire world outside of those *intentionally caused* by a local dictator who wants to starve a hated minority group. Even when outsiders offer to feed the starving and put pressure on the dictator, he will demand prohibitively high bribery to permit it. And even then he will try and sabotage it.
Then there is the “technology gap” of poor people. A village that earns income by making hand spinning-wheel pots is not helped by giving them electric spinning-wheels, since they have no electricity. However, *showing* them the next generation of their technology, foot spinning-wheels, is “understandable genius” to them and represents a boon to the local economy.
It takes much creativity to help this way. In India, where diesel trucks are common, someone provided them with air pressure powered adobe brick presses. Just add mud, straw, and some cheap water-proofing liquid to the press, apply air pressure to squeeze out most of the water, and set the brick out to dry for a short time.
And bingo, they get somewhat uniform waterproof adobe blocks in a fraction of the time, and can build a building with them in short order. Thus a single truck with air brakes can serve an entire region to provide upgraded housing.
It can work in other ways, as well. Many Indian wells are contaminated with lethal amounts of arsenic. But if you provide them with buckets with sand and iron powder, it takes out the arsenic and leaves them with clean water. All very cheap.
Exclusively female microbanks can change a regional economy by putting women in charge of the family purse, instead of men who drink up their wages and rent prostitutes.
If you have ever fed slop to hogs, they are noticeably more happy as you feed it to them.
That’s not a “scientific study,” but you can take to the bank.
Yeah, taking away property and wealth from those that worked for it, and giving it to those that didn’t always make those that “benefited” happier. I could have told the researchers that info for free! However, how does it make the victim feel?
Happy poor people is an important thing, even though it’s always temporary. Don’t want them all mad at the same time.
“Two hundred people were given $10,000 each with the only stipulation that they report monthly on any changes in the level of happiness they experienced due to the sudden gift.”
Of course everyone will say they’re happier, because they are hoping you will give them another $10,000.
This only works if the recipient turns around with the dosh and “invests” it — education, secure housing, etc. If, OTOHand, if frittered away on things not essential to survival it becomes little more than another shot of heroin.
I’m shocked! This changes my entire weltanschauung!