Can Money Buy Happiness?
The concept of happiness and how humans perceive it is one that has been long studied, but what
factors truly influence our take on the idea? Are they materialistic things the one we wish to obtain, or
are they the feelings we receive from obtaining them? Righteously, we want to deny the idea that money
can be a key component of one’s joy and suppress any inclining thoughts of it. Yet somehow the social
construct has become just that; with all these celebrity and social media influencers flaunting their lavish
lives, one cannot help but think that maybe their joy would be elevated if they were more affluent.
I recall an instance where my uncle and I were sitting at the dinner table, seeking future career
paths for me and me mentioning my interest in psychology. The conversation began by me saying
something along the lines of “I’m leaning towards becoming a psychologist, but they don’t make that
much money”. I remember clearly the expression my uncle made, confusion and worry washed over his
face. “Don’t ever rely on money being your main source of happiness, because if you do, you will never
be fully satisfied. Do what makes you happy and what you enjoy, not because it makes you rich.” he
explained, and those words have stuck with me since. Prior to this conversation I had promised myself
that I would one day become rich and successful, after all, isn’t that what we all aspire to be? I seemed
to have this recollection that money had to be my main goal in order to live a happy life, but I
understand now that is not the case for me.
There are many occasions where money can bring you momentary joy, but not eternal happiness.
You can buy a delicious chocolate cake, but you cannot buy the people to share it with. Every day on the
news or on social media we are constantly being informed on celebrities and issues that go far beyond
just their net worth; their corrupt families, mental issues, which ultimately proves that having money
doesn’t equal happiness. In the article Money Won’t Buy Happiness, Sacha Strebe analyzes multibillionaire Markus Person since his recently opening up about his “loneliness, isolation, and lack of
motivation since selling his company to Microsoft for 2.5 billion.” Mark went on the social media app
Twitter to lament his decision by explaining “Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; It lies
in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.” The more an individual makes, the more they
want for it, the more you have, the less effective it becomes at bringing you satisfaction. Money can be
effective in providing pleasure, but that is often misinterpreted as happiness. Pleasure is about oneself, it
is short termed and satisfying only for that duration. Happiness is enduring and heartwarming, it is long
termed and fulfilling.
Ultimately, fulfillment depends entirely on the individual’s connotation of it and where they choose
to install their jubilation. For most, it’s in their family and friends, which cannot be bought. For others
who live a more lavish lifestyle, their enjoyment is based on the number of cars they own, and the
luxury brands they dress in. But in due time, the value of those items will decrease, and so will the
degree of their fulfillment.