claire's final essay

Can money buy happiness?

A famous British psychologist Robert Holden said: "We all have a 'happiness set point', but it is not associated with our bank balance." Most of people spend their time on perusing to be richer, powerful and successful. The purpose of it is no more than make them to be satisfactory to their life. However, a survey which conducted by American reporter shows that there are more than half of the American are not happy nowadays even their average salary are 3 times more than 20 years ago. What are the factors that contribute to that? What is the correct definition to “satisfaction”? In this essay, my purpose is to analyze the reasons of this problem. Then, the importance of the both sides to us will be discussed.

Many factors may contribute to our depression and unhappiness emotion. First of all, intense competition forces us to spend more time and energy on working, which cause both mental and physical stress. According to a study by the National Sleep Foundation, the average employed American works a 46-hour work week. Also, 38% percent of the respondents said they work more than 50 hours a week. Increasing commodity prices; burden from families and children, rising unemployment rate…., those factors are pushing employees into stressful and nervous. At the deeper level, be short of communication with families and friends can also affects our sense of happiness. Family love and friend ship are two component factors during our daily life, which contributes to our sense of satisfaction. However, majority of people spend their time on earning more money and suppose to give their families better life rather than hang out or accompany with them. The third reason also the one that most people misunderstand it is: Material goods don't make us happy. Acquiring things like houses and cars only have a transient effect on happiness. People's desires for material possessions crank up at the same or greater rate, than their salaries. Again, this means that despite considerably more luxurious possessions, people end up no happier. There's even evidence that materialism make us less happy.

The diploma is which one is the most significant meaning to us in our life? Money and highly society position or psychologically happy? Can money buy everything in our life including happiness?

Let’s analyze the reason of the people who think happiness is the most important thing in our life. Firstly, good mood is the premise of your good life and working quality. In the business management theory, encourage and help to maintain happy mood can improve worker’s working efficiency. In another words, make yourself feel happy and confidence can bring you highly output and income to some extent.

Additionally, life is too short to enjoy. Whereas, many people spend their whole life on pursuing money and false pride, which stray away from the path of their original dream and purpose. According to a famous Psychological Research, most of modern people’s sense of worth was distorted by modern society. Luxury cars, bags, or decently career like lawyer, doctor….are what we desire to have or want to be. However, did you ever consider: Are those factors the happiness I want, or they are just something enviable in other people’s eyes? Nowadays, the modern concepts pushes people to believe that the employees who sitting in the bright office tower are better than the people who driving the trucks. Perhaps most of us already lost the original dreams and the definition to happiness.

According to a chart that illustrates the income and happiness in the USA in 2005, the GDP per head in 1996 increased more than 2 times than in 1946. Conversely, compared to the 40% of respondents who claims they are satisfied and happy to their life in 1958, there are just approximately 24% of responds thought they are happy in 1996. the point is, money don’t necessary brought us sense of happy. So, why most of us still do everything we can to gain more money?

There was a survey few years ago which between the winners among the lottery jackpot. They find out the most of lottery jackpot winners got married but they were single before they won money. additionally, after won lottery, the winners had huge materially change. Majority of them moved into larger properties and go for holidays overseas. The point of this case is to show: maybe money can buy everything under some situation.

At a deeper level, money is not only the standard of one’s economic competence, but also a measurement to judge one’s social position and capacity. It’s undeniable that you will easily to friends or solve problems if you are a richer people. Sometimes, money is not the single sigh to show your wealthy, also logo to attract more respect and show how successful you are.

Princess Leia says to Han Solo in Star Wars: “If money is all that you love, then that’s what you’ll receive.” Love and happiness can’t be instead or measured by money. However, we also cant live without money. Both extremes of this opinion are wrong. We need to control the balance between money and happiness. Like Dr Richard Tunney from Nottingham university said: "The old saying 'money can't buy you happiness' may not be true, but traditional family values, a comfortable home and financial security are clearly key elements to a happy life.” Obliviously, we still need to have enough fiscal capacity to help us to achieve those elements.

Reference:
David Futrelle (2006) “Can Money Buy Happiness” access from http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/moneymag_archive/2006/08/01/8382225/index.htm revived on 9th Feb 2010

Robin J. Elliott (2008) ““money Isn’t Important to Me” ~ Really?” access from http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/money-isnt-important-to-me-really-319875.html revived from 15th Feb 2010

Nottingham University (2007) “Money Can Buy Happiness, Study” access from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/53610.php revived from 27th Feb 2010

Arthur C. Brooks (2008) “Can Money Buy Happiness?” access from http://www.american.com/archive/2008/may-june-magazine-contents/can-money-buy-happiness revived from 12th march 2010

Steven Gillman (2009) “Maybe Money CAN Buy Happiness” access from http://ezinearticles.com/?Maybe-Money-CAN-Buy-Happiness&id=38488 revived from 12th March 2010