[jackhiggs]

This is such a naive and bourgeois argument isn't it? Free time is only valuable or meaningful if you have the means to make it so, and have been given opportunities to cultivate interests. If you're living in poverty, the quantity of disposable time will not make up for the lack of cash.

[keithnz]

I think it shows the problems of trying to boil down things such as "what makes life worthy?" to a very simplified rule. I think if we look at other disciplines other than philosophy, like psychology to look at the things that give people a sense of well being, we get more nuanced answers that while influence the kinds of political systems we should have, don't dictate what exactly it should be.

[marcus_holmes]

There is definitely a trade-off between the two, though. There is a freedom in poverty (no assets to look after, no job to go to, no-one telling you what to do or who to be). I was definitely more miserable earning a good salary in a 9-5 job that I hated than when I was homeless and penniless.