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.
