Can Money Bring Happiness?

David M. Cooper
Course - English 101
(C. Hoover)
October 20, 1998

Can Money Buy Happiness?

To answer that question, let us take a look at human history. About two thousand years ago, a famous Jewish lawyer wrote something on this subject that is still quoted verbatim today. He stated, "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." (1 Timothy 6.10) A famous (and very successful) rock musician went as far as incorporating this idea into lyrics for a song. One line reads, "Money . . . is the root of all evil today." (Waters, Another Brick in the Wall) The irony in these two examples is that the first quote is from a man well versed in law, yet he earned a meager living as a tentmaker. The other quote is from a man who made millions of dollars off his recordings, but both agree on the same theme: Money and the love for money are wrong. What could possibly be wrong with money? We all use it and need it to live in today's world.

Let's look at what happened sixty-nine years ago, in October of 1929, when Wall Street took such a loss that many people saw their entire fortunes vaporize. The suicide rate climbed that month and the next. Many still talk about or refer to this behavior and shake their heads in disbelief. Evidently, to those investors, their money was so important to them that they simply could not live without it.

Is it possible that wealth alone could bring happiness? Jean Paul Getty, who was once reported to be the richest man in the world, was once asked how his life had been affected by wealth. He said, "Money doesn't necessarily have any connection with happiness. Maybe with unhappiness."

Similarly, many lottery winners find themselves instant millionaires, yet they find themselves no more happy than anyone else. A clinical psychologist noted, "Becoming number one and rich does not make you feel fulfilled, satisfied, authentically respected or loved." ( Jones, 34 ) Instant wealth may not change one's personality, but it may change relationships with friends or within a family.

Does this relate to problems we see in society today? Money or the pursuit of money has led to an enormous public debt due to borrowing money and by using credit cards. This has put an enormous strain on the family structure. Both parents must work in order to make ends meet, so as a result, many children spend their days being cared for by a childcare provider who also has to tend to the needs of eight or nine other children. Families begin spending less and less time together.

There also are health risks associated with a lifestyle of pursuing wealth: anxiety, depression, paranoia, stomach problems, insomnia, eating disorders, and the list could go on and on. It is becoming more and more common also to hear of men and women in their thirties or forties dying of heart attacks. Doctors frequently warn of the dangers that stress poses to the heart. Yet, few listen. In fact, it appears that in today's society, people look for the fastest, easiest way to make money. Some dream of winning the lottery, others gamble, and many hope to someday win a lawsuit.

More of our energies should be invested in strengthening the family unit, regaining old-fashioned family values, and setting a good example for our children. Now, I do not advocate commune-style living or self-deprivation - as a monk, for example. That would be to the other extreme. It would be much more realistic to set long-term goals for oneself. A typical example would be, to go to college, get married, have children, and retire at sixty-five, as opposed to the dream of wanting to be a millionaire by the age of twenty-five.

In reference to the lottery or occasional gambling, many say, "I only spend a couple of dollars a week. What's wrong with that?" Those 'couple of dollars', if invested wisely, over the long-term could provide for a very comfortable retirement. Think of the story of the rabbit and the hare, where the moral was: 'Slow and steady wins the race.'

Sometimes these long-term goals seem, in themselves, impossibilities or unrealistic. However, life's challenges and aspirations are a driving force to the being. When all material and physical goals are attained with little or no effort, life could become empty and dull.

Whenever I watch a news story about a natural disaster, the anchor person will usually interview someone who has just lost everything. These people usually say the same thing, "We lost the house, the car . . . but at least we're alive." Most of these people then go on to rebuilding their lives and regaining their possessions. This shows how resilient the human spirit can be when life is an everyday struggle and not easy. Remember, you cannot buy happiness with money, but it can be earned with hard work and perseverence.

Works Cited:

Compton's Bible - New International Version (CD-ROM) 1 Timothy 6:10 (a)

Jones, Thomas. "Greed in Society." The Boston Globe 27 Feb. 1987:P7

Outline

Thesis statement: The relentless drive for money eventually hurts the person and those around them.

I. Raise the question of happiness/money

A. Quote from the bible

B. Quote from Pink

C. The Stock Market Crash -results in mass suicide

D. Quote from J.P. Getty

E. The Lottery and happiness

F. Quote from Boston Globe

II. How does this relate to us today?

A. Credit woes

B. Social problems

1.) Families without parents

2.) Health risks

3.) Greed develops into lawsuits and lottery fever

III. My Conclusions

A. Turn focus to other problems

1.) Family values

2.) Set examples for our children

3.) Set worthwhile goals for ourselves

4.) Contrast a good and a bad goal

B. My Purpose

1.) Re-identify the problem

2.) Summarize with benefits to changing ones views