Does Having Money Equal Happiness

Most people would think that having money equals happiness because you can afford anything you want. At least the things that are for sale, but if you want something that isn't for sale. These are questions to ponder especially, with that old song “You Can't Always Get What You Want”. Does the person continue their life like normal, or fall into a deep depression because they can't get what they want?. I think it depends upon the person, if they think that materialistic things will bring them happiness only, then they will be unhappy. But if a person acknowledges that they can't get everything they want and decide to acquire something else then that will make them happier in the long run. Because they accepted that not everything's for sale.

For the most part, most rich people are happy because they can purchase items easily as opposed to the poor and working-class. People are happier when they can make more money but according to a 2010 Wharton study, people tend to be happier when they make money up to $75,000 a year. In another study done by Harvard in 2019, it was found that money contributed to happiness to meet basic needs. But after a certain level, more money did not mean more happiness. They concluded the study with data based on 4000 millionaires.

Although, money makes your life easier by being able to afford most items, it doesn't necessarily make you happy. Because, think about what true happiness is? Happiness is different for each and every person. Happiness doesn't have to include money, it could be something more spiritual for a person. They could be happy doing a job that they love. Or some other example of what brings happiness into someone's life. Or they could be people that are happy with material things and we would like to think that they are not happy when in reality they are happy. It’s that old saying and thought "that ey is the root of all evil “. We as a society have been taught for centuries, that having too much money is evil.

And in contradiction, as an American Dream, we aspire to be rich and have lots of money. An example is society's fascination and interest in lotteries. People hope to be rich by winning the lottery someday. The lottery is a person's hope to become rich instantly. Although the odds are impossible there's always a winner. And people hope that it will be them someday.

In contrast in the Nordic countries, people are happier. Finland for the third year in a row was voted as the happiest country in the world, according to the world happiness report. One has to wonder why these people in the Nordic countries feel happy even as they pay the highest taxes in the world. Some of the factors that explain why citizens in the Nordic countries are happy are the quality of the institution, extensive welfare benefits, low corruption, and well-functioning democracy. Nordic people tend to trust each other more because of a low crime rate. It's a more homogeneous socialist society. In the Nordic countries, it is easier to form socialist countries. Experts argue that socialism and larger countries are more difficult to develop than in smaller countries, although there is no evidence. There's no income inequality in the Nordic countries but no evidence that this affects happiness in these societies. Everyone is taxed and gets government benefits when needed, and it's a homogeneous society. These are reasons why Nordic countries are happier.

If the USA followed that model, would we as a people be happy? Not sure, if Americans would embrace socialism especially paying the high taxes. Americans would see the taxes as an impediment to their goals of trying to become rich. There is so much income inequality in the U.S. because it’s based on education and job skills. There's a huge population in America that is unskilled, many of the high-paying jobs are for skilled and educated labor. The blue-collar jobs have gone overseas and abroad.

These high-paying jobs were used to provide jobs for unskilled labor in the car factories in Detroit and the steel industry in Pennsylvania. These jobs aren't coming back, unless America changes its tax policy. But that's another subject for another day.

Happiness is the same regardless of where in the world it is. It is measured in one's being and oneself. Happiness depends upon the individual and what brings them optimal joy. In some cases, it may be money but not in most cases. For the most part, people would agree that having lots of money doesn't make you happy.