What's more important, money, happiness, or prestige?

E.g. If you had someone like

Harvard College->Yale Law->Wachtell law firm

vs.

average state school->Goldman Sachs partner in trading,

would you respect the first guy more since his background is more impressive? I think happiness is overrated to some extent, but prestige defines how people look at you and judge you and opens up your opportunities, so I'd say long term it's

Prestige>Happiness=Money?

 

I'd probably "respect" the first guy more, but want to grab a beer with the second guy.

Also, happiness is relative and for some people, prestige=happiness. I bet there are some Ivy educated, Wachtell partners that are incredibly self-satisfied and derive happiness from their career identity, while there are many other individuals in identical shoes who can't help but think they took a wrong turn somewhere and wish they were doing something different with their life.

 

Wow, yea, enjoy slaving away in UBS's back office. Remember, no red panties, they have to match the shoes.

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 
Best Response
gold00:
Here me out here guys.

Happiness is a STATE. OK? It is a way of feeling, a way of being.

Furthermore, this state is specific to every single person. Although we might all think that we are programmed the same, the reality is that the way we have been brought up (our environment) is a big part of our programming, as is our genetics. (scientists say 50/50 I think?)

So let me start by saying that I think it is impossible to define happiness, or what causes happiness. This will vary between people.

Some people, because of their programming, will only be happy when they are very rich. Maybe this is because their parents or friends have told them that repeatedly (over a series of days, weeks, years) that if they are not rich they are a failiure and a disappointment.

Other people however will only be happy when they lets say set up a charity or go into politics, or whatever.

Everyone on these boards is very business minded. So let me ask you something. What is the most important thing in business? Thats right. It's the PROFIT the business is making. A business that is making no money (now or in the future) is not a business. So PROFIT is the BOTTOM LINE of business. It is the whole PURPOSE of the business. It is the POINT of the business.

Fact of the matter is, you got to ask yourself. What is the BOTTOM LINE in your life? Is it to be very rich? Is it to be a celebrity? Is it to be happy?

This totally depends on the person and will depend on your programming.

For me, the bottom line is happiness. I know that I probably have 40 years in life and I want to spend as much of those 40 years as happy as possible. This sounds pretty selfish. I mean, do I not want to change the world? Do I not want to bring new people into the world? When I consider these questions, I am thinking: What are these things going to do for me? Are they going to do anything for my bottom line? Are they goin to make me any happier? If yes, I do them. If no I do not.

I think that alot of what makes us happy is not actually external factors. I dont think that being rich makes you happy, cause I know alot of rich people who lack things in their lives and who spend alot of their typical week feeling like shit. I know alot of poor people who spend their typical week feeling amazing even though they only got a thousand dollars coming in.

Similarly I dont think prestige makes you happy. I know people who are seemingly very successful and popular who actually are addicted to drugs, alcohol, substances etc. and who are depressed, often cause they are so well known that as well as having loads of poeple who love them they also have loads of haters and they cant deal with them.

IMO I think happiness depends on internal factors. It depends on your mindset and what you think. If you worry alot, you will not be happy. If you always think the worst is going to happen, you will not be happy. If you spend alot of time comparing yourself to other ppl, you will not be happy (cause there are always people better than you). If you spend alot of time thinking negative thoughts, you will not be happy.

It also depends on how you see the world. Do you see all human beings as people in constant competition or in cooperation? Im guessing this will sound like some hippy stuff to you guys but think about it. Are you worrying that there are too many people/ too little resources on the planet? What real evidence do you have for this, other than what other people have told you (not REAL evidence) or what you have read in the press? Are you worriesd about events happening int he future? How can you be so sure that these events will happen. Can you predict the future? The whole of human society cant even predict the weather, or the value of the FTSE tomorrow, so how can YOU be so sure of how life/ the world will pan out.

I think if you think positively and have a positive state of mind you will always be happy. If you can always think good, regardless of external factors, then you are onto a winner. If you do not give a shit that you are not as rich as your friend from college, or that your house isn't as big as your neighbour, or that your children are not going to the best private school in the country, you will not need to spend your life getting rich working shitty ibd jobs and will be able to truely do what you want with your life.

Amen

Btw I am not trying to discourage you guys from IBD. I work in IBD myself. IMO banking plays a crucial role in the capitalist system and bankers take too much shit from the media given the sacrifice they make in their lives (ie. they give up practically everything). I do not want to discourage anyone from doing it, it is great experience and you earn loads, which - sure - IS important. I mean you need money to live. I plan to do IBD for a few years now I am in it then get the hell out and reclaim my life. Just want to give you guys a 3rd party opinion and challenge your logic.

Gold

you are a dumbass, OK?

 

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