A For and Against Essay. Valeria Kazachenko

Money Can Buy Happiness

Have you ever thought about the role of money in achieving happiness and whether you can just buy it? All of us have long been accustomed to the saying "money is not happiness", but often we do not think, is it really so or not. Studies show that money plays an important role in making a person feel happy. And happiness can be simply bought in some extent.

First of all, money allows you to have what you want. Money is a tool with which we can afford quality food, medical care, as well as training in gyms and fitness clubs. All these things help us to maintain our physical health. With the help of money we can develop intellectually, buying the necessary books and getting education in the best universities. We can travel, visit any place on the planet, be inspired and develop as we wish. Constant self-improvement and good physical health bring happiness to a person.

Secondly, money increases confidence. Money helps to get emotions that lead to positive results. For example, new clothes often make us more confident. Acquired self-confidence can help to get the desired job, make a bargain or just add a little freedom to your gait. For those who care about stability, having money in a bank account helps to gain confidence in the future, because they can cover unexpected expenses, such as car repairs or emergency medical care for a family member.

Despite this, complete happiness cannot be so easy to buy. Money can buy happiness up to a certain point. Princeton University expert Angus Deaton showed in his work with Daniel Kahneman that although rich people are more positive about their lives, there is no direct relationship between wealth and the daily emotional state of satisfaction. Scientists say that money can buy satisfaction, but not happiness, although the lack of income has a negative impact on one and the other. Deaton and Kahneman claim that a certain amount of money can reduce tension and potentially increase satisfaction or even happiness, for example, for the USA it is not more than $75 thousand a year. After this threshold, the feeling of satisfaction in people does not increase, as it was before.

And last but not least, not everything that can make a person happy can be bought for money. I want to give just a few examples. Money can buy a house, but not a family. Money can buy you a bed, but not a dream. Money can buy you a watch, but not time. Money can buy a book, but not knowledge. Money can buy food, but not appetite. Money can buy medicine, but not health. Money meets material needs, but spiritual needs must be met for happiness.

All in all, the relationship between money and happiness is quite complex, but their relationship cannot be discarded, as well as to put material wealth above all. I believe that it is important to determine your true needs and desires, and then look for the tools to implement them. After all, money often allows you to get a sense of satisfaction, which passes quickly enough.