Ethan Hawke shares why ordinary family vacations often matter more than expensive ones

Ethan Hawke, the American actor, filmmaker, and author, has everything an ordinary man dreams about — fame, money, and endless opportunities to enjoy life. He, however, feels that these alone cannot guarantee happiness. In a podcast with Joe Rogan, the "Sinister" actor discussed why an "expensive" vacation with family is no better than any vacation with them, questioning society's obsession with money. In an episode that aired on YouTube (@joerogan) on  December 11, Hawke shared how people are wasting their time chasing materialistic success while neglecting what truly brings them joy and fulfillment.

Hawke has a profound understanding of money; he said that wealth is indeed important for a healthy life, but it must be managed very well to continue bearing fruit. Wealth is inherently volatile and often creates an illusion of stability, he explained; however, in reality, it only makes you greedy, leading to perpetual dissatisfaction. "You know, the brain? The brain always wants more," Hawke justified. Moving on, he confessed that he'd spent time with both the rich and the poor and observed a clear difference in how they laughed. The actor explained that wealthy people are so obsessed with their work that it becomes their only source of happiness, and if things don't work out, they are devastated. Hawke argued that genuine happiness comes from family, and not material wealth. "An expensive vacation with my kids is not better than any vacation with my kids," he said. Similarly, Hawke explained that while it's amazing to be able to spend a fortune on a romantic weekend with your partner, it's not as impactful as small, not-so-extravagant moments that create long-lasting memories. "...get stuck in a car when it's a blizzard out, and you are listening to a great record. She looks beautiful and says something funny, and you both laugh... you can't buy that," Hawke added, reflecting on his idea of happiness.

They say, 'Money can't buy happiness,' and research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences just confirmed it. The survey was conducted on 2,966 Indigenous people and local communities living in 19 small communities worldwide. Many of them rely on nature (farming, fishing, or hunting) to survive rather than regular jobs. Most of these households don't have a lot of wealth; in fact, only 64% had any cash income at all. But, surprisingly, that didn't affect their happiness or life satisfaction. Researchers Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton had also found something very similar through their studies. In their 2010 research, they confirmed that happiness initially increases with steady income growth, but once the annual income reaches $75,000, higher incomes don't boost happiness. This explains that once our necessities — food, clothing, and shelter — are met, we no longer need wealth for better life satisfaction. 

Meanwhile, reacting to Hawke's beautiful perception of real happiness, @lifeofcheflizette commented, "So well said. I adore this. Moments become special because of the people who live in the moments; the surroundings just add the cherry on top." @a2311237 shared, "Super nice dude, I met Ethan Hawke in downtown Fort Worth working at a smoothie shop. I was about 17. He was my only customer, and he was super down-to-earth."

On the other hand, @has_ben79 wrote, "It’s always the guys that have the biggest bank accounts that have this mentality. I am not saying that it’s right or wrong to have that mentality, but I sure would love the option to be able to have that expensive vacation." 

You can follow PowerfulJRE (@joerogan) on YouTube for more celebrity interviews. 

More on Scoop Upworthy   

Young millionaire finally answers the question we've always wanted to ask: Does money buy happiness?

Financially comfortable woman confirms that 'money does buy happiness,' sparking debate

50 Cent shares a simple way people can live a 'richer' life than any millionaire — and it hits deep