Money can or can’t
buy happiness?
I think before I answer that question we
have to draw the line and point out the obvious differences in the types of
happiness available, and that one can attain.
You have that happiness that creeps up on
you and fills you in, that organic happiness that you only get when surrounded by true
love from loved ones, and happiness that stems from meaningful relationships
and generates from simplicity…
And then there is the happiness that can only be achieved by having peace of mind… but
how do you get that peace of mind and how important is that peace of mind? That
is truly the question…
So my answer is YES! Yes, money plays a
very important role in your overall happiness. At least it does in mine! “Money
can buy happiness” is a simple maxim that many overlook because they interpret
happiness as only a virtue of love and to associate it with any monetary value
would be immoral. Remember - happiness
is both an attitude about, and a response to incitements, and that stimulus can
be either physical (goods) or emotional (feelings). Money brings contentment
and well-being. Money is a viable currency for acquiring physical, social
comforts. Therefore money does in fact buy happiness. And I understand that
society might see this as me being superficial but however we look at it, the
things that make us happy have been brought by money…
Don’t tell me that if you had enough money
that would allow you to wake up every morning in a beach front property with
the sound of waves as background music, panoramic sunrise you wouldn’t be happy? Maybe the question we
should ask ourselves is: All things being
equal, would you rather have money or not have money?
Unfortunately, It is impossible to live without money, unless
you moved to a faraway land that belonged to nobody, cut down trees to build
your own shelter, dug a well for clean water, made your own candles and
clothes, grew your own food and either walked everywhere (if there was anywhere
to walk to!?) or made a bike, grew your own food or foraged for food, but that
doesn't seem like a very attractive proposition does it? In some way, shape or
form, we are all slaves to the almighty dollar!
I wrote a piece a
little while back, where I told you guys about the “indecent proposals” made by
my friend, attempting to get me to name my price.
Would I eat a cockroach, eat this or eat that. And the higher the dollar value
got, the more willing I was to compromise my set standards. And that’s just the
thing. Maybe the question is not really whether or not your life would be
better off (or happier) with money. Maybe the real question is whether you’ve
realize your price? Let’s talk for a
moment about the physical, tangible results of money. I think we can all agree
that on the 1st of February, you’d love to write that rent/mortgage
check, pay that utility bill, handle the car payment and insurance, knock out
your cell phone bill, and not even flinch. But what does it take to do that? It
takes money. Let’s not even begin to go into groceries, gas money, activities,
clothes, entertainment, and so on… Ladies, saw a beautiful dress you liked at
Valentino? Gentlemen, saw that new Zegna suit in the window while you were
walking by? Car enthusiasts; saw the ad for the new Mercedes E Class, where
they explained how it’s the most advanced technological car in the world. Yup,
you guessed it… that’s gonna take money. Obviously, these things don’t make
everyone “happy.” I’m moving forward with the assumption that we are all on the
same page here. The point I’m trying to get across is that, no matter what your
thing is, I’m sure it will take
money. And that will - in an indirect way - equal happiness through money.
“You don’t have to be rich to be happy but you most
certainly
need money to stay happy…”
~RS
Money is a necessity. Money (of itself) is
a standard for the exchange of goods or services. We live in a capitalist society, so most goods
and services have a monetary value attached to them. Its
importance is truly neither here nor there because of its obvious duty. Ask the
homeless people how important money is.... you would receive a valuable
education. Or, look into the percentage of divorces that were caused by money
issues… a large number right? I hate to admit it but I'd have to say that money
is high up there on my importance list of the road to happiness. While it may
not necessarily buy love or happiness per say, it definitely can help to
maintain it!
Harvard University
psychologist Daniel Gilbert writes in his best-selling book ‘Stumbling on
Happiness’ that, "Psychologists have
spent decades studying the relation between wealth and happiness and they have
generally concluded that wealth increases human happiness when it lifts people
out of abject poverty and into the middle class but that it does little to
increase happiness thereafter."
And to that I say: BE
REALISTIC! Yes it does increase it a lot. No, money cannot buy happiness (there
is no store that sells an item call “happiness”), but it sure provides for
happy times. When you have enough money to pay the rent, the utility bill, buy
food and clothing, have enough to go to the doctor when you’re ill - in real
world – yes, money has a great deal to do with happiness.
“Learn to be pleased with everything; with wealth, so far as it makes us
beneficial to others; with poverty, for not having much to care for, and with
obscurity, for being unenvied.”
~Plutarch
Money permits us to do
and have things that we would normally have to do without. Therefore, we become
happy. But don’t get me wrong, if you
are a miserable person then come into money, it will divert you and temporarily
switch your focus away from your misery but not necessarily make you happy.
There are things in
life that are inevitable. The Sun will rise and set, the days will not stop,
the seasons will change, the birds will fly south for the winter and return in
the spring, and the caterpillar will transform itself into a beautiful
butterfly, and we will fall in and out of love. And for this I’m thankful… For
each thing, we are powerless in their occurrence there are the ones that are
momentary and only attainable with money.
Money is good. It’s good if you have
some but bad if you don’t have any and others do. Money is good but is it the
root of all evil? Is wickedness caused by money?
"For the
love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving
money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many
sorrows."
1 Timothy 6:10
I’m not clueless; I know the problem and
misery that money can bring. We’ve all heard the popular saying “Mo’ money mo’
problems,” but I still believe that having money and access to it makes me a
happier person. I would rather have the kind of problems a person with
expendable resources has instead of the ones a poor person does… hands down!
Money can be considered evil depending of the
way it is used. If you strive for money to show that you are better than
everyone else or use it to evil ends, then it is evil because you are evil. But, if you go after it
for the needs of your family and don't look to show up anyone by buying a
better “this or that” than your neighbour, then no harm is done. At the end of
the day, money is only evil in the way it is being used. In all actuality, we
are the ones to turn evil when we lose control and focus, and the desire for
money becomes more important than what it is intended for. Evil requires a will,
money obviously can’t …
Again I would be curious to see how many
poor people would agree with the quote that “Money can’t buy happiness” and see
how many rich people would give up ALL their riches to be poor or lose all
their money, and still be happy…
So while we like to think that the Love of money is the only root of
all evil… I say in addition to the love
of money, the lack of money is a
bigger problem.
We strive for better because we want better
so how do you get better? Please don’t give me the simplistic answer that is “by being a good person…that’s how you get
better”…
It is true that money can't buy raw, organic, genuine happiness but IT does sustain it. Money makes it possible for you to enjoy the best the world has to offer...so why wouldn't you want lasting happiness? Why wouldn't you want the best?
For me...the lack of money is truly the root of all
evil…
