Money Can Buy Happiness free essay sample

It is a classical debate, sparked by the left-wing communists and religious leaders who suggest that a person can live a full life without the pursuit of money, and instead one must look to a more spiritual existence above the material desires. It is perhaps conceivable in a century gone by where people grew all their food and believed in witches, that a human could forge a fulfilling existence without the need of money to satisfy our desires. However in today’s society money can not only buy happiness, but is a major factor for happiness. Findings by the Institute of Economic Affairs show that happiness levels correlate with the amount of wealth a person accumulates. And, in contrast to popular belief, it does not level off when the assets reach a certain threshold. Money enables us to buy goods and services that we want. When we satisfy these wants we feel fulfilled, happy and pleased because we as humans love getting what we want. Money can give us experiences and opportunities that we would otherwise never be able to have. It can open doors to elite schooling, worldwide trips and making a difference in the world via charity. Money allows us to live a carefree, happy life because we don’t have financial strain. Money makes the world go round because it buys happiness, that’s why we spend hours a day slaving away to earn it. It is the key that unlocks the door to happiness. Humans have material needs and money provides the ability to satisfy these tangible needs and wants. Satisfying the want for a new dress or the need for medicine brings on the psychological state of happiness because we have satisfied those desires. The dress you bought from that exclusive store helps you to be confident and happy and the medicine helps cure a loved one. Have you ever felt left out because you see something you want, but can’t afford it? Perhaps all of your friends have the latest iPhone and you’re stuck with your parents old embarrassing Nokia brick from 2001 because you can’t afford an iPhone. Money can buy that iPhone and can help you feel included consequently bringing on joy and happiness. Ever gone without the basic necessities, electricity, clothing or water? Money buys them too. It helps improve your standard of living. From luxury items to everyday basics money permits us to experience happiness through consumerism and the act of satisfying our needs and wants. It is the experiences and opportunities that come with money that make you happy. Money pays for the trip that lets you experience a new culture, a new cuisine or helps establish lifelong friendships. It is sometimes the memories in life that you find more happiness in than material goods. The happy memories that money buys. Perhaps you find happiness in charity work. Why devote a few hours of your time when you can enrich someone with the power of money? They then have the opportunity to rebuild their lives from the money you give them and increase their living standards and happiness. Making a donation to charity not only helps others, it can make the giver mentally tougher, physically stronger and more popular, researchers from Harvard University have found out. Elite schooling and university offer endless opportunities for an individual to become an educated, well rounded and valued member of the community. It opens doors to exclusive jobs and bigger bank accounts. Success brings satisfaction and contributes to your overall happiness as life’s doors are always open to you. You are not closed off from potential opportunities that may arise. As we all know elite schooling and university doesn’t come for free, money pays for the education and opportunities that come with it. Without travel, charity and education life would be boring, bland and unfulfilling, money gives us those experiences and prospects that we all look forward to. Money offers a carefree lifestyle. With big banks accounts you don’t have to worry about paying rent, mortgages, school fees, health care and life’s other expenses. For someone who does not have a moderate amount of money these are stressful issues they have to deal every time they go to their letterbox. Stress can affect both your body and your mind, people can become exhausted, sick and unable to focus. It is the complete reverse of happiness. For someone who is better off financially bills occupy much less of their time and thus stress is eliminated from their lives. Home life can be miserable and tense when money is scarce. Couples bicker on average 2,455 times a year and of that number issues of money equate to 315 arguments. Money buys security and an un-troubled existence, money relieves financial stress and thus helps increase happiness. If someone was to offer you a million dollars, no strings attached, would you accept it? Chances are you would, and you would be happy about it because money can buy happiness. In life we have the option to live how we want, no one forces us to live a consumerist lifestyle. We choose to. You know there must be a connection to money and happiness. If there weren’t, no one would work for that lucrative promotion, perhaps no one work at all. Why would we spend all our lives pursuing it? For those living in third world countries that may be happy, it is unfortunately because it’s a case of they can’t miss what they’ve never had. Our society has made money a factor of happiness and I don’t hear anyone complaining. If money can’t buy you happiness then you are not spending it right.