Introduction

Throughout centuries, philosophers, scholars, and laypeople have wondered whether money brings happiness or not. It is ironic that in a world where industrialism, economic prosperity, and the freedom to purchase luxury goods/services has become a norm, there are a lot of cases of mental illness, depression, and anxiety affecting people everywhere. Indeed, the correlation between money and happiness is not a stronger one. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review outlining the key points from various essays concerning wealth and happiness. It concludes by providing several limitations of this research and proposing future steps for linking wealth to happiness.

Are Rich People Happier?

In the essay, Are Rich People Happier?, the author suggests that a majority of rich people are not happier than poor people (depending on circumstances). There are several nations where poverty severely threatens the peoples’ well-being. In this regard, the best example could that be of India where the difference between being wealthy and being poor could mean having adequate food. Surprisingly, however, there are millionaires in the Western world who are more miserable. Though in India, having more money means generally being better off and happier (since one’s economic situation is closely tied to the attainment of necessities), this is not always the case in Western countries. In Canada, the United States, and many European countries, there is a weak correlation between happiness and personal income. Blue collar workers can be just as happy as white collar workers. Even extremely wealthy Americans were demonstrated not to have much higher levels of happiness than the average middle-class citizen. According to the above-mentioned essay, the ability to adapt plays a major role in happiness: while historically, humans were happy living in smaller houses with fewer goods and luxuries; people have now learned to adapt to the amenities afforded us them in the modern world. It is likely that we would be no longer happy living in the conditions the cavemen used to live in, they were happy at that time.

Economic Growth Boost Human Morale?

In Does Economic Growth Boost Human Morale? the author argues that an increase in wealth does not usually lead to the attainment of more happiness. According to him, it is extremely likely that lottery winners will only receive a temporary burst of happiness and soon return to their regular levels of contentment as soon as the ‘burst’ is over. Similarly, a study showed that those with increased incomes did not display more happiness as compared to people whose incomes remained unchanged. As far as Americans are concerned, a majority of them enjoy more luxuries and opportunities for recreation than they did during the 1920s. They can utilize microwave ovens, own cars (often multiple in one household), home computers, laundry machines, and dryers. The use of air conditioners has increased from 15% to 73%. However, a survey showed that only 33% of Americans rated themselves as extremely happy in 1998 (whereby the percentage was 35 in 1957 when Americans owned fewer ‘things’). The rate of divorce grew and teenagers are now more likely to commit suicide.

What’s So Bad about Being Poor?

In What’s So Bad about Being Poor? Murray conducts a thought experiment to discover the reasons people living in abject poverty might not be as miserable as we think. Driving down a road, he wondered what would happen if he could not go back to his hometown but was instead forced to stay in a village in Thailand. He would lack running water or a home made from proper brick and might own a transistor radio and a bicycle for transportation (versus a luxury sedan). The author interestingly notes that though his career opportunities would have to be limited in this situation, he could learn to become a farmer and—using the entrepreneurial knowledge acquired in the first world—sell and market some of his crops. In terms of personal life, Thai women are friendly and charming, and he could marry and have children with one. Having a relatively lucrative (at least for the time and place) career as a farmer, being a successful husband, father, and teacher to his children and creating lasting friendships would soon dissipate any concerns or dissatisfaction with the poor material conditions of his life. According to him, the definition of poverty is relative: if one defines poverty as money, all the citizens of the Thai village are poor. However, if poverty means not being able to live a decent but less materialistically fruitful life, rarely anyone there is poor. The essay is interesting because it reconfigures what we believe poverty to be. It introduces the idea that there are more important things such as family connections, the freedom to work, and close friendships than material wealth.

Higher Incomes but at a Price

In Higher Incomes but at a Price, Warren claims that although there has been an upward trend in the amount earned by average American families, the cost of living and even debt has also dramatically increased. The average dual-income family earns $76,500 a year. Warren provides a chart demonstrating that the average family in 2006 has 12.1% debt. On the other hand, the average family from 1972-1973 had only 1.3% debt. Although the middle-class family appears to be making a lot of money, it has buried itself in debt. In Overconsumption, the Standard Theory, the author believes that the money people lost went to such luxury goods as designer running shoes, air-conditioned cars, and restaurant meals. The way average Americans increase their consumption is by increasing debt and decreasing savings. It means that, effectively, they own ‘less’ in actuality and ultimately becoming poorer since much of what they ‘purchase’ is on credit. The essay notes catalogues and advertising as the culprit for this trend.

Limitations

While contemplating on whether money can bring us happiness, it is also important to assess the various limitations of the discussed studies and articles. One limitation could be the relatively small amount of information concerning the true definition of happiness. This is because the concept of happiness itself is never qualified or explained. Happiness for one person could be having and taking care of a family or having the freedom to work independently. For another person, however, happiness could mean a higher income and owning more material possessions. Another limitation is the lack of information pertaining to the difference(s) between the happiness level of the blue-collar and white-collar workers. Though the research claims that the white-collar worker is on average not much happier than the blue-collar worker, the reader never quite becomes familiar with what ‘much’ means. It could mean that the white-collar worker is substantially happier or conversely that the difference is insignificant enough to call it an almost non-difference. In any case, the ‘much happier’ is not clearly defined. Therefore, the reader never comes to understand the true difference between the happiness levels of a white-collar and blue-collar worker.

Conclusion

When looking at the relationship between money and happiness, the essays mentioned demonstrate a relatively negative correlation i.e. money cannot bring happiness (at least in the Western world). However, it would also be important to expand the extent of the research and research question to include notions of what happiness means to various people. Furthermore, the research could also ask participants about what happiness actually stands for? Individuals are liable to answer these questions in different ways, contributing to varied notions of happiness.

Reference

Goetzmann, William n. Money Changes Everything. S.l.: Princeton U Pres, 2017. Print.

 
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Introduction

Distressed and hopeless people do not consider or think about the meaning of life. For them, the meaning of life becomes inappropriate when their existence is at stake and when their life is a mixture of worries and perplexities. On the other hand, people who are not desperate mull over the meaning of life. For desperate people, life is to be lived one moment at a time. However, those who consider the meaning of life as important consider it every day and very well know that they should step back from the moment to see and observe life in a long-range context (Baumeister, 1991). Thus, everyone has a different view of life and its meaning.

Meaning of Life

A person uses meaning when he/she speaks, thinks, decides or plans something. The life does not have a particular meaning in an automatic way. Every individual has to construct his/her own meaning of life. Sometimes people devote their lives to their offspring; some dedicate it to their work or religious faith; some devote it to something else. It is these choices made individually that determine the meaning of life (Baumeister, 1991). In short, the meanings of life do not instigate from a mysterious well set deep inside the soul of an individual. A person acquires and understands this meaning from society, other people or culture. Nature has equipped the Homo sapiens with hunger but not with meanings. It is, thus, the gradual development of meaning that a person has to find within his/her self to live a contented life.

As far as the meaning of life is concerned, one should adopt a hopeful, optimistic and positive approach and life must not be considered as meaningless. One should not consider him/her as a secular saint. Though there are times when life gets tough but it doesn’t mean at all that life is absurd and meaningless. A man can only have a true meaning in life if he/she moulds it according to the wonderful teachings of his/her religion or any other religion that teaches wonderful things about spending one’s life.

God’s will, Happiness and Life

It is important for the people to follow the rules and regulations that comply with God’s will. The God expects his intelligent creation (human beings) to lead a satisfactory life by covering all aspects of it with the purity of heart and mind. The flow of life should be according to the prescribed teachings because no person is allowed to go his/her own way (Kavakci, 2008). It is a crystal-clear fact that everyone yearns for happiness and wants to live a life filled with it. For me, happiness is by every mean is the ultimate goal and the true sign of a life well-lived and this happiness is achieved when there is a meaning in life. Thus, a meaningful life makes a person happy by all means and can truly be considered as a marker of a well-lived life.

There are a number of definitions of happiness. I think that a happy life is one that reflects God’s will. Meaning in life i.e. morality gives a person the ability to determine the good and bad and this clear conscience makes it easier for an individual to live a well-lived life full of satisfaction derived from happiness. To cut a long story short, I think that morality is the main factor that makes it possible for a human being to live a well-lived life with a meaningful purpose (Veenhoven, 2005).

Purpose of Life

Meaningful life usually includes a determined wish to achieve something or a sense of cohesive intention. A good and well-lived life is one that is characterized by meaningful prospects and meaningful actions. Most of the human beings strive really hard to find a genuine purpose in life as a common goal. It is exceedingly necessary to mention here that an individual may have bad and painful experiences but may still hold on to a strong determination and decisiveness about a unified purpose. As far as moral goodness is concerned, one’s life must be devoted to acquire a meaningful purpose especially one by which others get benefitted on an unconditional basis.

Sense of Right and Wrong

Our origin and source of belief is the sole reason of our understanding of right and wrong. What matters is the originality of belief behind it. All morality is dependent on God. This fact has to be understood by us as His servants and followers. Human beings have created and built innumerable institutions to make their fellow beings selfless, noble and altruistic. This could be considered as one of the greatest achievement of humanity. This sense of nobleness is the outcome of our belief in good and bad. Every religion advocates that animalistic natures within an individual  is to be controlled in order to get himself engaged in ethical, just and moral behavior (Wright, 2011).

Money is not the Key

It is a surprising find that happiness has nothing to do with money. Even a surplus amount of money cannot make people happy. It is just a myth that money is the major cause that brings happiness in the lives of people. Very rich and prosperous people have pains that cannot be understood by those who have no means to attain the repute enjoyed by the former. Thus, it depends on the use of the money whether it is a contribution in one’s happiness or unhappiness. Both Aristotle and Aquinas were found to agree “money as an end in itself was dehumanizing” (King & Napa, 1998). Thus, it can be said that it is a favor by God if a person has money in an abundant quantity. It has nothing to do with morality or being good as a person. Thus, good and a well-lived life have nothing to do with monetary benefits attained and enjoyed by any human being. A well-lived life is one wherein a person enjoys the moral goodness, a sense of conscience and “not only the amount of meaningful activity engaged in but also the amount of happiness the person enjoys” (King & Napa, 1998). When money is compared with meaningful purpose, morality and happiness, it can be observed that the former has little value in life.

Conclusion

Thus, there is no secret formula to make sure that one lives a perfect life. There are unlimited opportunities and possibilities for people to attain happiness or other factors they deem important for a well-lived life. This is for the reason that every individual has a dissimilar want, need or wish. However, it is a crystal clear fact (also supported by a number of studies and research) “that the well-lived life is filled with meaning, purpose and engagement, and that when we are connected to others and feel that our lives are connected to a purpose greater than ourselves, we have maximum well-being” (Estrem, 2010).

To cut a long story short, moral values, money and purpose are the three main things that people consider necessary for a meaningful life.

References

Baumeister, R. F. (1991). Meanings of Life. New York: Guilford Press.

Estrem, P. (2010, August). Changing Course: If You Never Take Time to Assess Where You Are versus Where You Really Want to Be, You Could Be Missing out. Regain Your Bearings and Get on Course for Your Most Fulfilling Life. Success, 1, 52+. Retrieved August 14, 2013, from http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-232305677/changing-course-if-you-never-take-time-to-assess

Kavacki, Y. Z. (2008, Jan. – Feb.). Fiqh Is Life, and Life Is Islam. Islamic Horizons,37 (1), 51. Retrieved August 14, 2013, from http://www.questia.com/read/1P3-1459297191/fiqh-is-life-and-life-is-islam

King, L. A., & Napa, C. K. (1998). What Makes a Life Good?. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 75(1), 156-165.

Veenhoven, R. (2005). Is Life Getting Better? How Long and Happily Do People Live in Modern Society?. European Psychologist, 10 (4).

Wright, J. (2011, April 25). Belief in God Affects Cheating. The Register-Guard, p. 89. Retrieved August 14, 2013, from http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-258276250/belief-in-god-affects-cheating

 
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