Money Cannot Buy Happiness. Really?

"The poverty of our century is unlike that of any other. It is not, as poverty was before, the result of natural scarcity, but of a set of priorities imposed upon the rest of the world by the rich. Consequently, the modern poor are not pitied but written off as trash. The twentieth-century consumer economy has produced the first culture for which a beggar is a reminder of nothing."

-- John Berger

Great article on a topic I have always questioned. Whoever said money can't buy happiness had a surplus of it. They need to experience the other end of that spectrum you have elaberated on...

Anjali: Very honest hub, its appreciated. My s/o, Phil and I were discussing a while back how some people think rejecting money somehow means they are more spiritual. Money is needed on this planet, to be comfortable, to have freedom to do the things we want, often to help others. I felt a sadness reading about the children who don't have anything; I usually contribute toys, but because of your hub, I am reminded to do this again this year.

So well said, as usual. You cut right to the heart of it. Money may not buy happiness but it buys a close-enough approximation of it. I've had enough and not enough in my life, and I can say honestly that anything over enough feels pretty much the same no matter what the number attached to it. But when there isn't enough food or heat or you don't have shelter, that is scary and miserable. So I try to remember that when I have more than I need so I will have the sense to give it away. I don't always manage--I get the security monster on my back too--but I do what I can. If only we all did that and made a habit of it, what a different world it would be.

unfortunately, by the very nature of an economic system, not everyone can have financial security. You forgot to mention how money cripples an individual, let me ask you this: do you know where the oil filter on your car is? Now that is a mundane example, but I feel it makes my point. Being only 22 years old I am choosing to subscribe to the adage: "do what you love, and the money will follow."

Money is certainly very important in our world. That is the way it is.

Great Hub, as usual, Anjali.

Without money stability of life can not be attained but money can not buy happiness - true.

Great Great Great Thinking Anjalicchugh

This was a terrific hub. I'm glad you wrote it. I agree with everything you said. You put it well, too. Money can't buy happiness but it's awfully tough being happy without money in this day and age.

I totally support what you are saying here. Money is very important to happiness if you are below a certain threshold of poverty. No question about it.

Life is not worth living without money. Infact, money answereth all things. It separates the men from the boys and the women from the girls.

You are so right. The things we can do with money most certainly can bring us happiness. I would love to build a big building where the homeless and starving children and elderly could come and go as they please. To give them warmth when it is cold and raining. For all homeless people to stay for a time and even employ them. It would make my heart sing to help all people, if only I could.

Great hub with wonderful truth. Written by a wonderful lady!!!

Hi Anjali,

Your beautifully orchestrated, heart felt messages make one reflect on those less fortunate. Money can provide security, and security to a large extent can provide happiness! I love underdog stories like in the movie The Pursuit of Happiness!

Happy Holidays-May you be blessed and find everlasting peace!

You surely have a big, warm heart. "The poor will always be with you" once said a very famous man. And that is true. We must do all we can to help our neighbors with their needs. Who is our neighbor? Anyone we can help.

Anjali don't be sad thinking about all poor and helpless people in this world. God is there to take care of all orphans. You just do your duties and help as many people (also other living creatures) as you can with your sparable resources. I agree with your views that money is a necessity to survive but one day God will make you realise that it can bring happiness just by fullfilling your materialistic needs and not spiritualistic and other needs. On the contrary, money creates several problems when it is in excess of your needs.

Hi Anjali,

I am partially agree with you. It is not that money is not required to live an earthly life but money is not every thing. You have depicted rightly problems and evils of have not's.

However, if you look at the haves you will found that even they are not happy. Pld people were wise enough and they had seen both sides of the coin.

Look at Rama, Mahavira or Buddha who have left everything for the quest of eternal peace!

Thanks for a nice hub. I rated it up.

Jyoti Kothari

In this material world where we are living today money is very important though it can not buy you a happiness but it means a lot for underprivileged .........

thank you anjali for sharing your beautiful thoughts with all all hub mates..........

Money can be the means to free up people like you and me to give our time, energy and talents to help those suffering.

Free of charge. Pro Bono. With Joyful Effort.

michael j, Esq.

Anjali, I've thought about this question myself countless times. I'd say that one needs money to build a foundation for happiness. I could just easily say that money = happiness, but I know that isn't really the case, for I've known of people who've had loads of money, yet were miserably sad.

So, yes, money is important and having enough to feed you and your family is vital. As to the correlation to happiness, it depends on what the person's concept of happiness is. Some may be happy with little money, some may never be happy with millions. So, its a subjective thing, though the importance of money - I wouldn't question!!

As for the poor and needy, the uncomfortable truth that we shy away from facing is that most human beings are "selfish." Yes, we are!! Just the other day, there was this list of the world's richest and their networth is to the tune of $3.6 trillion. How much do they contribute to charity, you'd think?

Leave them, how many of us contribute really? And those who do contribute, how many corrupt individuals and middle men eat up those funds meant for helping the poor and needy? Its not a pleasant reflection of us as humans, but bitter as it may be, it is the truth nevertheless. Poverty shouldn't be there in this world. We are a rich world as a whole, but our minds are small - that's why poverty exists I'd argue!!

Thanks for a nice, thought-provoking hub Anjali. Well done!!

When I was an Assistant Principal in high school, part of my responsibilities was discipline. Students who generally complained about "life is not fair," reflected their victimization perspective. I would reply to this statement with: "No life is not fair." Now what are YOU going to do about it?" We can be a hammer, or the nail. Life insist all of us are both at times. I think we have choices how long we are "hit," or how long we enjoy constructively driving home "nails" to construct an idea, concept, or relationships... Money is a medium whereby we exchange goods, or services. No more, no less. An analogy is what we do in life while we make plans... Our resiliency, commitments, and relationships reflects our source of "money."

Thanks, great article! I am happy that you stood up and spoke loudly and truthfully about the issue. I am sure, people who say or think that money is not that much important, obviously haven't lived for a long time without money..

But since money is a Power, all conscious and kind people's DUTY is to make large amount of money to build a better society and better environment for themselves and for everyone. I am honestly surprised how someone can put it under a question..

Hi anjalichugh!

The less privileged among us indeed needs money to improve their conditions and security. There is a minimum financial requirement for well-being and so money is important.

For those whose minimum requirements are already met to have a decent life, money can still improve the chances of being happier if it is used wisely.

I posted a hub about money and happiness, particularly "buying experience, not stuff". You might also find it interesting. Cheers!

without economic stability we can not dedicate our thoughts to something higher and we can not dedicate our energies into something which we are passionate.. this is a very important topic!

Money does buy happiness and security. You are so correct stating that the premise that money cannot buy happiness is unrealistic and ludricous. Money rules the world and the richer a person is, the happier she/he is.

There is a motto that poverty is so "enlightening". Oh, really. I was one of the few middle class children growing up in Harlem, New York during the 1960s and 1970s. I had classmates who were poor and grew up in projects. They were often jealous of the few middle class classmates like me.

One classmate was so poor that she shook down other classmates for lunch money. She hardly had any clothes or other necessities. Poor children are not happy-they are often envious and embittered by their impoverished circumstances and it shows in many ways. They stated that more well-off children are "spoiled" because their parents have the money to purchase articles for them.

The notion that "money cannot buy happiness" stems from the underlying ethos that being rich is horrible and being poor is glorious. This logic is inverted and twisted. Another inverted and illogical statement is that money is the root of all evil. No it is not, the lack of money is the root of all evil. When a person is impoverished, he/she is more likely to commit crime i.e. rob and steal than a person who has money.

I remember a stupid discussion in my Catholic junior high school in which many idiotic students chimed that they knew people "who were poor and happy" while they surmised that "rich people are unhappy". I totally disagreed with this and laughed inside. I know better than this!

The idiotic premise that "money cannot buy happiness" is so asinine. If this was so, why do so many poor children yearn to be entertainers and businesspersons? Because they can lead an affluent existence different to their impoverished existence. Good article, anjalichugh. Money is the crux of this society and money does buy happiness and existence beyond the most basic existence! Good hub!

many many things to say on this friend-

i have been in glorious poverty twice in my life. We lost all our money when my father’s business failed once when mine did. so am not part of the blessed rich but am part of those that had to see even utensils in the house sold to pay off debtors , debtors turning up at 6 am to shout and scream, an MBA used to a corporate lifestyle not knowing when the next meal was coming from. So, dost i have known poverty and have come out of it so know both sides of the story.

YET

the whole article suffers from the fallacy that happiness is some long drawn state. You get flashes of happiness that sustain you through life. Even when we had just enough to last a day or a week or not even that we had great moments of making love, chatting all night with friends ,reading nice books scrounged from the library and so on. Now when we think back only those memories remain not the horrific poverty. So happiness without money is possible though never as a sustained feeling.

But agree that we need a certain minimum amount of money to stay happy because your maintenance needs have to be taken care of before you can think of the higher needs. to that extent money cannot BUY happiness but make conditions wherein it is easier to look for happiness. Today I have a library of my own but even when I did not I enjoyed books all the same though yes, it is easier now. I am also looking forward to having enough money for our retirement so that we can travel , eat out , go to the theatre etc without worries.soa agree with parts of your thesis completely

Where money begins to impede happiness is when it takes so much of your consciousness that you are unable to devote any time to cultivating the things that bring happiness to you. So in a way money after a while does impede happiness.that is of course unless the process of money making gives you happiness.

And yes you will be glad to know I love to give away. I and my wife send money that feeds the poorest of poor children in a school in Himachal Pradesh. Go to gamruschool.com and check them out. We send them all the lunch money from what we can manage or beg borrow or steal.

Disjointed thoughts but then this is not a hub just a comment. So here goesssss

Most of the communities in the entire Indian sub-continent(such as Bengali) succumbed in ‘Culture of Poverty'(Oscar Lewis), irrespective of class or economic strata, lives in pavement or apartment. Nobody is at all feel regret ed or ashamed of the deep-rooted corruption, decaying general quality of life, worst Politico-administrative system, weak mother language, continuous absorption of common social space (mental as well as physical, both). We are becoming fathers & mothers only by self-procreation, mindlessly & blindfold(supported by some lame excuses). Simply depriving their(the children) fundamental rights of a decent, caring society, fearless & dignified living. Do not ever look for any other positive alternative behaviour(values) to perform human way of parenthood, i.e. deliberately co-parenting children those are born out of ignorance, extreme poverty. It seems that all of us are being driven only by the very animal instinct. If the Bengali people ever be able to bring that genuine freedom (from vicious cycle of ‘poverty’) in their own life/attitude, involve themselves in ‘Production of (social) Space’ (Henri Lefebvre), initiate a movement by heart, decent & dedicated Politics will definitely come up. – Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay, 16/4, Girish Banerjee Lane, Howrah-711101, India.

This is a very good article. Money is important in modern life, plain and simple. Also, it is a lack of money (real or perceived) that is the root of many evils in our world.