Why Money Can't Buy Happiness

It has been said that "money can't buy happiness," but that is mostly true because happiness is not something for sale. You cannot go into a store and buy happiness. The implication with the phrase, though, is that happiness has nothing to do with money. There is also an insinuation that people who want more money are superficial and are only interested in material possessions. I beg to differ. If you understand what happiness is and you also understand the difference there is between having money and not having money, you will see that there is no contradiction between wanting money and wanting happiness. They are not only not mutually exclusive, there is a relationship between money and happiness. It is more accurate to say that money may contribute to your level of happiness. The pursuit of success may, in fact, coincide with the pursuit of happiness.

There is no one definition of what happiness is exactly. There have been philosophical discussions for centuries about what it is and how one might attain it. Some have argued that it may be attained simply by being virtuous. Others define it as the absence of pain. Others claim it can be achieved by indulging in pleasures. Others believe it can only be found through faith in God. Regardless of the theories, we all know when we are not happy. Most people would agree that happiness itself is not merely a simple emotion like elation or bliss. It is deeper than just a fleeting feeling that may both come and go within a moment of time. But a state of happiness does affect our emotions even though it may not be considered an emotion in and of itself. Because of this, we can tell whether we are in a state of happiness or not by how we feel.

I think of happiness as a positive state of well-being with many contributing factors. It is kind of like soup. There is no one ingredient that could be considered the soup. The soup is a combination of all of the ingredients. Whether or not the soup tastes good or bad depends on the combination. Too much of one ingredient or not enough of another will make an unsavory soup. Likewise, it is very difficult to describe oneself as being happy while undergoing extreme emotional pain, worry, stress, fear or any other unpleasant state of mind. But this does not mean that happiness is merely the absence of negative feelings. These are just ingredients in the soup. Conversely, not feeling enough emotional intimacy, recognition, accomplishment, appreciation, attention or any other basic human need or desire can also lead to unhappiness. Again, no one of these can be said to be responsible for happiness alone. A positive state of well-being is a combination of different emotional experiences that lead one to feel fulfilled and happy.

Money can play a role in both averting some negative emotions and also building positive ones. Success can help change the ingredients of the soup so it tastes better. Living life with enough money to pay all the bills and still put money away for the future is far less worrisome than not having enough. Living life with enough money to work fewer hours and go on vacations is far less stressful than not having enough. Living life with enough money to have the ability to enjoy hobbies and interests is far more satisfying than not having enough. Living life with enough money to get the education and training to do what you want for a living is far more fulfilling than not having enough. A person who wants these kinds of benefits would not be considered to be superficial or materialistic. Although having money alone will not bring happiness, having money can contribute to happiness by giving you the ability to have more positive experiences.

Money can't buy happiness, but it can lead a person to a lifestyle that contributes to a state of happiness. With the right motivations, when we pursue success, we are pursuing happiness, too.