Money can indeed buy happiness! Just not the way many of us think it can with cars, homes, and the company of the opposite sex. It’s not really earth-shattering science going into making this claim. It’s actually much simpler and in your face than you might think.
As a kid, I grew up in a traditional house. My parents were devout Christians, so I got the usual Christian upbringing together with my brother. Life back then was fun and very simple since I was still just a kid and did not have to worry about not having food, clothing and other basic needs.
Does money buy happiness?
However, as I got older, I slowly realized that what matters to me might not matter to you or someone else. Also, that my happiness didn’t imply that those around me would automatically be happy too.
Whenever I asked my mom and dad how a couple of children living on the streets could be running happily along the road, despite looking ragged and dirty, they would always smile and tell me that they’re still happy because they have friends. Simply answer.
Then I’d ask “How come? They don’t have any good clothes and they don’t eat as often as they should. They don’t have any money. So why are they still happy?”
My dad would say “Son, money can’t buy happiness.” This always made me think long and hard… was this true?
So there goes my early adulthood. After years of life’s lessons and years of maturing, I finally began to do things and bring in a steady stream of income. Whenever things were looking hard I would always think back to my parents telling me that money can’t buy happiness. This would make me feel better.
Here’s the truth.
Today, however, I can say that money CAN buy happiness. Without money, you won’t be able to survive in this urban jungle. Those street children that I saw during my early teenage years, they must be cringing in the dark, sobbing because of hunger and poverty. Money, one can say, is everything in this world run by power and wealth.
However, simply providing for oneself and taking care of our wants and needs is not what can bring us happiness. Actually it’s quite the contrary.
I realized this after watching a certain video by Michael Norton titled “How to Buy Happiness.” In the video, he explains why some people claim that money can’t buy happiness. He showed an article from a prestigious news company pertaining to a research as to what happens when people win the lottery.
It is eye opening to say the least. Many lotto winners go bankrupt a few years after winning huge sums of money. They also lose most of their friends along the way and part ties with family. So clearly buying yourself anything you want is not the key to using money to buy happiness.
Money Can Buy Happiness
The key to buying happiness according to Mr. Norton? Buying things for other people.
This means charitable donations and giving to those in need… even the ones on the streets that we normally turn a blind eye to.
I don’t want to ruin the video for you by giving it all away, but let’s just say that the USA isn’t the happiest nation in the world when it comes to how money is used. Others, in fact poorer nations, feel just as good when money is concerned.
