HAPPINESS: Can money buy happiness?

By Aliker David Martin

November 25^th, 2011

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”
― Dalai Lama XIV

“People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be.” ― Abraham Lincoln

This week, I spent time with a few kids from some of the riches and most affluent families in California. My focus was to find out how different I was compared to them. Suddenly, an idea came in mind; can money buy happiness? Instantly, a friend came in mind. When I met him over a decade ago, he had a small beautiful family. He had enough not to struggle with the basics of life. He had around him friends from all walks of life. Today, he is by any global stands a wealthy man. He spends a lot of time in his business to make more money. He has little time for family and only hangs out with only business friends. Unfortunately, he is less happy. So while I met these folks from some of the riches and most affluent families, I asked my self; can money buy happiness? This is what came to mind.

It depends on how you spend your money. If you spend money buying illegal drugs, in search for sex and alcoholism; your immoral ways will catch-up with you. There is always a price for all our actions. They either reward us or punish us for our conduct.

Secondly, it depends on the kind of person you are. Different people respond differently in the presence of money. You can spend money to buy pleasure and be happy. My friend had greed and spent more time making more money and forgot that its friends and family that brought him happiness.

Finally, it depends on how much money you have relative to the people around you and relative to your experience. Before meeting these folks from affluent families, I felt happy and fine with what I have and who I was but after meeting them I felt different noticing how much I needed and how much I didn’t have.

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