There is no such thing as happiness.

[Harrisfan]

2 hours ago, simon43 said:

Rich people striving to be richer usually are more stressed than poorer folk.  High blood pressure, anger issues, diabetes from eating rich food etc... good luck to them.

 

I'm relatively poor.  Without the trappings of fast cars, fast women, consumer goods etc, I'm very happy with my life. 

 

Why do I need more than 2 pairs of shoes (one pair for running and one pair for everything else)?  I only have 2 feet.

 

Why do I need many shirts and trousers?  I only have one body to clothe. 

 

Why do I need gold rings, bracelets and so on?  I don't need to impress anyone and surely to my God no woman would love me without the $$$ (all 3 of my ex-wives were only in it for the $$$ from me).

 

I'm not a Buddhist, but following a modest lifestyle without consumer goods has helped me to be stress-free and relatively healthy. (It also saves on checked-in luggage costs!)

People can be like water. Adapt to suroundings. It is the best way as we are mostly water.

[brianburi]

 

 Bob,  from an old Scouser......

[Woke to Sounds]

On 3/9/2025 at 8:07 PM, Robert_Smith said:

For me, I am constantly striving for more.

I'm never happy with what I have, my current situation, how many women I have or how much I have in the bank.

 

I always want more..

 

All it takes is a positive attitude, hard work and the will to better oneself.

 

All these are attainable in the United States.

 

You make yer own luck.

 

God bless America.

[NoshowJones]

On 3/10/2025 at 9:26 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

For proof, I give you the 1%. Richest men on the planet and never satisfied. Always fearful that someone is going to take it away and always wanting more more more.

That's capitalism for you.

[Mark Nothing]

Your predicament is easily resolved.  You are pursuing false idols and worshipping your money, alcohol, and prostitutes, with predictable results.  The hollowness of your declaration of success indicates you yourself know it. 

 

You have bitten on the wrong hook and been ensnared by the trap.  Are you going to keep thrashing on the hook?  Or are you going to snap out of your self imposed enslavement and pursue another course?

[Photoguy21]

Define in a concise manner what happiness is? In my opinion the definition is different for every one.

[Kinok Farang]

Win the lottery and the wife to drop 20 kilos would be a good start.

[ChrisKC]

On 3/10/2025 at 9:07 AM, Robert_Smith said:

For me, I am constantly striving for more.

I'm never happy with what I have, my current situation, how many women I have or how much I have in the bank.

 

I always want more..

 

This, I feel, is the key to success.

We only get what we will settle for.

 

If I didn't have this mindset, coming from a relatively poor family with limited opportunities - I would probably have ended up being a cleaner in Mcdonalds.

 

Sure, I may be content, but I would still be a cleaner in Mcdonalds...

 

regards,

bob.

Looks like what you are actually saying is, you are difficult to please!

 

Happiness that I enjoy doesn't involve being rich or drowning in women!

 

Happiness for me is freedom from stress

 

[IsaanT]

On 3/10/2025 at 9:07 AM, Robert_Smith said:

For me, I am constantly striving for more.

I'm never happy with what I have, my current situation, how many women I have or how much I have in the bank.

 

I have news for you @Robert_Smith 

I have seen reports that you spend time watching stock markets and bitcoin prices.  You may strive for more but I don't think it's coming.

Naturally, you will be aware that the biggest fall on the US markets since 2022 occurred yesterday.  I am well-versed in stock markets and stock market history.  The markets are long overdue a correction.  As such, the correction will be deeper and longer than anyone might imagine.  You don't know me from Adam, but my advice would be to get out while you can.  I won't be offended if you don't but you will remember my words for a very long time.

As a single indication of what I believe, Morgan Stanley recently stated that the S&P500 could drop to 5,500 by the summer and then recover to 6,500 by the end of the year.  Well, it's at 5,568 as I write.  Let's see where it is at the end of this week and month, let alone summer....
 

[jerrymahoney]

As a single indication of what I believe, Morgan Stanley recently stated that ...

That's OK. Morgan Stanley handles my accounts.

[IsaanT]

1 hour ago, jerrymahoney said:

That's OK. Morgan Stanley handles my accounts.

Jerry, with respect, that appears like confirmation bias.
 

[Walker88]

On 3/10/2025 at 3:22 AM, fondue zoo said:

it's a matter of perspective?

 

Serotonin
Dopamine
Endorphins
Oxytocin

This is the only correct answer here.

 

We are biological machines, nothing more. Levels of neurochemicals, and their cycles, are what constitute "happiness" or lack thereof.

 

There is some nonsense here about "rich people are the unhappiest". And those who believe that know that how? One aspect of unhappiness is stress and the hormones it makes a body release. Less stress increases the likelihood of decreased cortisol and other hormones the body experiences as "unhappy". Rich people have less stress on average, as there are no worries about paying bills. Some, but not all, rich people strive for more and get envious about guys like Bob and his Rolex and harem. No one size fits all, rich or poor. The only thing that counts is the mix of hormones and neurochemicals.

 

Too much of any neurochemical leads to satiation, and even the "feel good" hormones lose their effect. Dopamine is the anticipatory hormone. It affects mood when one is about to engage in something known to be pleasurable. It manufactures excitement, which is a form of happy. Get that pleasure, and out come the endorphins or oxytocin, which are felt as "happiness" in a slightly different way than dopamine. Too much of any neurochemical, and the body becomes enured to it.

 

So there is such a thing as happiness, but it's biochemistry, not philosophy. Many factors can affect production of these neurochemicals, some of which are environmental, others can be controlled to a limited extent via the mind-body connection. Some people are generally "happier" than others, some more "unhappy", depending on what neurochemicals are predominant in their body.

[Stevemercer]

Happiness is just a state of mind. It is not a thing, person or place.

 

Having said that, I understand what the OP means. I sometimes despair that it is impossible to sleep with all the available women in Thailand. There are just too many. You are really only limited by your lust or money (in that order). So many beautiful women everywhere.

[Expat68]

When I was a green horn 15 year old working as a apprentice, my boss (RIP) said to me "the more people have, the more people want". That statement has stayed with me all my life (now 72). I am lucky, I am a happy person, always wake in the same frame of mind every day. Greed WILL eventually destroy the world.

[trainman34014]

At 40 i wanted it all and i got some of it but at 80 i see the World in a different way and i'm happy with what i've achieved and have presently got.

 

I think it was John Lennon who once said  ''Life is something that happens while you are making other plans '', and there is a lot of truth in that.

[spidermike007]

There is such a thing as fulfillment. Happiness is a bizarre concept and is very hard to measure. I use the fulfillment and contentment meter. 

 

I have known people who are wealthy and have no financial stress whatsoever, and they still find a way to be miserable. We create our own paradise, or our own hell, to some extent. 

[jerrymahoney]

Sophie Tucker (1886-1966): I've been rich, and I've been poor. Rich is better.

[Luuk Chaai]

On 3/10/2025 at 9:30 AM, Robert_Smith said:

I agree.

 

But they are rich.

 

They can have anything they want.

 

I think that's the tradeoff.

 

regards,

bob.

how much is enough ?

 

I'm happy ..  all the time  !

having lot's of stuff or loads of money does not bring happiness.   that comes from within !

 

[swissie]

On 3/12/2025 at 3:07 AM, Walker88 said:

This is the only correct answer here.

 

We are biological machines, nothing more. Levels of neurochemicals, and their cycles, are what constitute "happiness" or lack thereof.

 

There is some nonsense here about "rich people are the unhappiest". And those who believe that know that how? One aspect of unhappiness is stress and the hormones it makes a body release. Less stress increases the likelihood of decreased cortisol and other hormones the body experiences as "unhappy". Rich people have less stress on average, as there are no worries about paying bills. Some, but not all, rich people strive for more and get envious about guys like Bob and his Rolex and harem. No one size fits all, rich or poor. The only thing that counts is the mix of hormones and neurochemicals.

 

Too much of any neurochemical leads to satiation, and even the "feel good" hormones lose their effect. Dopamine is the anticipatory hormone. It affects mood when one is about to engage in something known to be pleasurable. It manufactures excitement, which is a form of happy. Get that pleasure, and out come the endorphins or oxytocin, which are felt as "happiness" in a slightly different way than dopamine. Too much of any neurochemical, and the body becomes enured to it.

 

So there is such a thing as happiness, but it's biochemistry, not philosophy. Many factors can affect production of these neurochemicals, some of which are environmental, others can be controlled to a limited extent via the mind-body connection. Some people are generally "happier" than others, some more "unhappy", depending on what neurochemicals are predominant in their body.

Yep! What we do, what we think, what we feel is governed by hormones. Hormones are our "slavemasters".

Dramatically "under-researched" I find.

[farangkinok]

On 3/10/2025 at 9:26 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

For proof, I give you the 1%. Richest men on the planet and never satisfied. Always fearful that someone is going to take it away and always wanting more more more.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 3/11/2025 at 12:50 PM, simon43 said:

all 3 of my ex-wives were only in it for the $$$ from me

IMO the first is from ignorance, the second because you didn't learn the lesson from the first. I don't think there is any excuse for a third.

 

Just my opinion.

 

I had 2, but I learned that lesson and never went for a third time lucky.  I decided that there is no way to tell the difference at the start, and wasn't going to get fooled again. My second was perfect till she wasn't. I'd never have guessed what she was really like without actually being married to her.

[Expat68]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO the first is from ignorance, the second because you didn't learn the lesson from the first. I don't think there is any excuse for a third.

 

Just my opinion.

 

I had 2, but I learned that lesson and never went for a third time lucky.  I decided that there is no way to tell the difference at the start, and wasn't going to get fooled again. My second was perfect till she wasn't. I'd never have guessed what she was really like without actually being married to her.

Don't care what anyone says but all women marry for security and when that starts to get rocky, they start looking for more security