Happiness can be viewed from two perspectives. There is the day-to –day moods that determines whether someone is stressed up or is feeling well emotionally and there is the feeling of deeper satisfaction with one’s life. The amount of money is just one of the aspects that defines ones degree of happiness but cannot be the sole determinant.
The extent to which somebody is happy is determined by many factors. According to Catzky (2013), happiness is determined by factors like individual’s health, relationships, purpose, money, including positive spirituality. Money does determine the amount of happiness but it does not necessarily mean that those who have more money are happier.
In a recent study, it was established that money indeed can buy happiness but up to a certain point. This study concluded that people tend to be happier as their income raises but up to $75,000 per year. The study also found that an increase of the amount of money above this benchmark ($75,000) does not lead to any greater degree of happiness, (Luscombe par 1). Indeed, in this study established that amounts above the $ 75,000 mark leads to greater satisfaction with one’s life but does not make someone more jovial. In my view, as people become richer, their aspirations become higher. They see greater opportunities around them and have higher aspirations to have more. In fact, irrespective of the amount of money one has, the difference between the actual income and the aspirations they have (desire for better things in life) erodes the level of satisfaction they have with the way their lives go.
While lower income levels do not necessarily lead to sadness, it does make people feel more grounded to the problems they face. This theory could probably have been developed from the fact that at $ 75,000 a person has enough cash to cater for expenses for things that make him/her happy. This view concurs with the view that, rich populations in a given country are happier than their less fortunate counterparts, (Adams par. 3). In increase in level of one’s income leads to an increase in the level of satisfaction. This does not mean that the extra income brings forth some additional happiness. Instead, it brings someone closer to the ideal life they think is more satisfying.
On the other side, there is enough evidence to show that money can also destroy a person’s happiness. This becomes evident when people become so materialistic, where getting more money is the prime focus in life. According to Catzky (par. 3), materialistic people are those who care more about money than they do for anything else.
In conclusion, money plays a part in the level of happiness one has. However, the major role of money impacts heavily on happiness in terms of the level satisfaction with one’s life. Money may have an impact on happiness that is defined jovial moods but only where it enables one to acquire the things that lead to such feelings. This means that, the feeling of happiness is determined by many factors that include the satisfactions with relationships that surround someone, health, security, among others. Basically, money is one of the many aspects that determine the level of happiness in one’s life. Money can therefore be viewed as that which can buy happiness only at the point where it helps one to acquire the things that make him/her happy.
Works cited
Jean Catzky, “Money and Happiness”Oprah.com. Cited February 15, 2014 at http://www.oprah.com/oprahradio/Money-and-Happiness
Luscombe Bellinda “Do We Need $75,000 a Year to Be Happy?” Time Magazine. Sept. 06, 2010. Cited February 15 2014 at http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2019628,00.html
Susan Adams, “Money Does Buy Happiness, Says New Study” Forbes Magazine. October 5, 2013. Cited February 15, 2014 at http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/05/10/money-does-buy-happiness-says-new-study/
