Speakout Upper Intermediate Video Podcast: Money and happiness

V = Val     W = Winston     T = Tracey     N = Nick     G = Glaucia

E = Elena     F = Florence     D = David

V:        Hi. I’m Val and I work as a producer for the BBC here in London. I like living in London, but it can be quite expensive. Today I’m talking to people about money and happiness. Do you think money makes you happy?

W:       No. Money can enhance happiness, but happiness is about family, friends, enjoyment and money can only help that – it doesn’t make you happy.

T:        I don’t think that money makes you happy, but it can enable you to do more things which could make you a happier person.

N:        I think that lack of money makes people unhappy and I think that people need money in order to get the things that make them happy, but money itself I don’t think makes people happy.

G:        I think money wouldn’t make you happy, won’t give you happiness directly, but I think it could give you a little help, sometimes, to do things that you like. Yes.

E:        I think money can’t make you happy at the end of the day if you don’t have family and friends to share your money with and to have a good time with.

F:         Money would probably contribute to my happiness, but certainly not make me fully happy.

D:        Money makes a huge difference as to how happy you can be, but fundamentally, happiness doesn’t come from just having money: happiness comes from being able to do the things that content you.

V:        What things are more important than money?

W:       Family. I believe family is more important than money. Family can enhance your life: your parents, your siblings, your children. Hearing your child laugh on a bad day will brighten your mood – it does for me. My sons laughing together makes me feel wonderful.

T:        Love is more important than money. I think family is really important and having, like, a nurturing environment to grow up in.

N:        Security; having a stable family; feeling at ease with yourself; feeling at ease with other people.

F:         I believe that health is much more important than money.

D:        Being able to enjoy your particular set of circumstances: feel contentment. If you’re a family man, being able to spend time with the family: money is there, but it’s the family itself that makes the difference.

E:        Your family, your friends, having good health and feeling satisfied with what you’re doing in your life and I think money can’t give you that.

V:        Should wealthy people be taxed more to support the poor?

W:       Depending on how rich they are: I think the richer they are, the more they should pay.

N:        Yes, undoubtedly. I’m a strong believer in a progressive system of taxation.

E:        I think that some people just come from a much more disadvantaged background and they need an extra push and some extra money to be able to get ahead.

D:        Whether the poor could do anything for themselves is the crucial question. And if the poor can’t do anything for themselves, then finding a way in which the other end of the spectrum can help them is important, yes. I would stop short at saying, ‘Yes, you should tax the rich’ though ‘to pay for the poor.’

G:        I think, yes, there is a big difference in between the rich and the poor and I think, if, if it’s possible, the rich people should give a little bit more to the poor and then perhaps we can have a more equal world.