Have you chosen a profession that will bring you money?

[jahrein]

Otherwise it will make you happy

[genericname85]

no lol. money doesn't significantly increase quality of life after an average income of 40k. so i think beyond that, striving for more money becomes pathological, cause at that point you should choose other priorities in your life.

[BoopBoopBeep]

I'm significantly more happy than when I was making 40k. Magnitudes more. My mom worked hard when I was growing up. Now she's taken care of. I had to replace two major appliances and a roof last year. Didn't care. Did it out of the petty cash box. Runoff from a major storm 4 years ago caused massive erosion closer to my house than I'd like. Cost 70+k to fix. If I only make 40k/year that still wouldn't be done and my house might be at the bottom of a valley by now.

Bottom line: Pick a job you like that DOES make money, or at least one you don't hate, make a bunch of it, then do whatever you love without having to worry about where the money is coming in or when.

Want to go paint art at the local coffee house? That's pathetic when you're 35, hungry and living out of your car. When you're 45 and only check your bank account a couple times a year you can get a lot of canvas/easel/brush supplies

[genericname85]

@BoopBoopBeep cognitive dissonance is a thing. hope you get what i'm saying. i'm not gonna get into it. too much work xD

[BoopBoopBeep]

@genericname85
The mental toll of processing contradictory information, yes I'm familiar. I'm just not sure if you're talking about me or the asker. If me, I see nothing contradictory in what I said. I'm much happier with the safety net and ability to secure a lasting future for my family than living paycheck to paycheck, which is what 40k would be here.

Incidentally the number I always heard was 65k, since the median income in the U. S. is 44k, most people are happier when they are above that. Now whether more than 65 does a lot for them... I'd say that depends on their circumstances. $65k is still not a lifechanging amount of money. For a family of four you'd still require a dual income family structure in much of the country. I'm single, have no kids and my rescue kittens aren't THAT expensive, so could I make do on 65? Yeah absolutely, but only because I made money early in my career that allowed me to set things up for down the road.

[genericname85]

@BoopBoopBeep people will rationalize their decisions after the fact and will most likely emphazize the positive effects of their decision rather than admitting any negative effects. because cognitive dissonance theory is not about "contradictory information". it's about a contradiction between actions and cognitions. so people will reduce that by reasoning accordingly.

[BoopBoopBeep]

@genericname85
Well, yes, I generalized it poorly... but "All black people are criminals?" "What about your friend Ken, he's black?" "Yeah that doesn't count, Ken's different". I worked sociology, of sorts, for the government for a while

So there's your C. D., but I'm still not sure how that applied to the 40k thing. Are you saying people like being poor or that people who aren't poor aren't happy, or a third option all together?

[Rangers]

I don't have a choice, I'm forced to stay in a bullshit job that I hate, it has destroyed every aspect of my life, and pays almost nothing

[chicken_nugget24]

I've chosen depression and anxiety. Its caused me to increase my debt, constantly worry and have a further breakdown 🤣

[NavyblueTacos]

Haha not really, pay is alright though.

[LavLavLuv]

Yes😬