Does Money Buy Happiness Essay examples - 3941 Words

Does Money Buy Happiness? Donald Tolbert John Brown University Executive Summary The subject of this paper is the age-old question, â€Å"Does Money Buy Happiness†. On the surface, this question appears to be an easy one. Happiness however, is a subjective item. To better answer this, several points must be analyzed such as, â€Å"What is happiness?†, â€Å"How is it measured?† etc. To better streamline this process, a research question was developed: * â€Å"Does an increase in personal income cause individuals to have a change in their level of well-being?† In an effort to answer this question, several conflicting views were examined and several individuals were interviewed who had financial windfalls to determine the effect that an†¦show more content†¦Their marriage was torn apart by the introduction of money into the relationship. Just 11 days after winning $1.3 million in the California lottery, Denise filed for divorce. In addition to that, she hid her winnings from her then-husband, hoping to keep it all herself. Denise was quoted as saying she didn’t want her ex-husband â€Å"getting his hands on† the winnings (ONeill, 1999). The story doesn’t end there. Two years later, after going bankrupt and losing his business, Thomas happened upon a piece of misdirected mail that let him on the fact that Denise had won the prize. After legal proceedings, the Judge in the case awarded all the winnings to Thomas. Again, one party might have had a temporary increase in their well-being, but it didn’t last. In contrast to these examples, not all articles that have been researched end badly. Take, for example the stories of Joe and Lisa Johnson, Joan Ginter, and Adeline Angelo. All these individuals won lotteries and have found ways to share their good fortune. Joe Johnson won $10 million in the National Lottery in 1998, but the acquisition of a lifetime wasn’t what he expected. Joe says â€Å"In many ways, winning the Lottery had been one of the loneliest things that had ever happened to me† (Cable, 2009). After a couple of years, Joe found that the women that he dated â€Å"were more interested in my money than me† (Cable, 2009). After one memorably bad relationship,Show MoreRelatedDoes Money Buy Happiness? Essay1057 Words   |  5 Pages(mostly) strive for well-being and happiness. To be happy usually means to be content with oneself. So, what exactly determines happiness? Does one specifically choose to be happy? Or do other factors come into play, whether they may be external or internal? No doubt, no chart exists that determines ones happiness. Despite this, there are indeed other factors that come about. Those factors may include but are not limited to: self-choices and luck, life expectations, and money. For the most part, howeverRead MoreRichard Cory Summary : Money Does Not Buy Happiness1499 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Richard Cory†: Money Does Not Buy Happiness Edwin Arlington Robinson explores the psychology of the way that society perceives wealth as being equal to happiness in his poem â€Å"Richard Cory†. There are plenty of clichà ©s that describe this psychology—from â€Å"keeping up with the Joneses,† to â€Å"the grass is always greener on the other side.† Society is obsessed with wealth. This is true especially when one is poor. There is a class divide, based on income, that keeps poor people from experiencing whatRead MoreMoney Can Buy Happiness : Happiness1653 Words   |  7 PagesMoney Can Buy Happiness Happiness, has long been an estate that huge numbers of individuals endeavor to create a path, that seeks to find it. Extensive research, surprisingly enough, does not have definitive answers on the concept of what makes one happy. As a matter of fact; there are as many attempts to define happiness, as there are the many scholars, theologians, psychologist and philosophers, curious enough to research it. Many ¬Ã‚ ¬; are unsuccessful in comparison to the ready definition ofRead MoreCan Money Buy Happiness?1324 Words   |  6 PagesCan money buy happiness? It’s a philosophical question that has been discussed for centuries and there is no simple answer. For example, Graham Hill in â€Å"Living with Less. A Lot Less† gives his input on this highly debated topic through a multitude of short anecdotes. She asked herself not if â€Å"Money can buy happiness,† but if money could â€Å"help buy happiness† (Rubin 293). She also brings up the idea of modest sp lurging and spending out as methods of using money to help one buy happiness. Rubin describesRead MoreMoney and Happiness1743 Words   |  7 PagesCan Money Buy Happiness In todays materialistic world, the phrase that ‘money cant buy happiness is tending to be proved hence otherwise. Social research and surveys have shown results based on an individuals income, health and the political scenario which is dominant in his or her region. It is quite obvious that the gap between the privileged and the not so is growing into a great divide giving rise to different class and status, thus defining ones social circle. It should therefore be understoodRead MoreMoney Can Buy You Happiness936 Words   |  4 PagesMany people say that money cant buy you happiness, well I don’t find that to be true. Having a large amount of money has become a dream in many peoples lives. Although money can buy you thing you want to make you happy, happiness is only bought by the people you surround your self with. Many people are convinced that money can buy a person happiness, however most happiness comes from families and friends. Money can buy you happiness because , money can buy you security, stress free, healthcare, andRead MoreCan Money Buy Happiness?1637 Words   |  7 Pages Does Happiness Come With A Price? Malcom Williams Can Money Buy Happiness? Abstract In this paper, I argue and show various sources addressing the correlations between money and happiness through subjects such as pro-social spending, materialism, the pursuit of spending on others, and the effects of homelessness on physical and mental health. Much of the time, cash can have a negative impact on both, particularly the. Now and again, in any case, cash may positively affect satisfactionRead MoreMoney Can Buy Happiness945 Words   |  4 PagesCan money buy you happiness? It is a classical debate, sparked by the left-wing communists and religious leaders who suggest that a person can live a full life without the pursuit of money, and instead one must look to a more spiritual existence above the material desires. It is perhaps conceivable in a century gone by where people grew all their food and believed in witches, that a human could forge a fulfilling existence without the need of money to satisfy our desires. However in today’s societyRead MoreMoney Is Not Abl e For Buy Happiness933 Words   |  4 Pages There are various instances where the novel Sister Carrie presents the idea that money is not able to buy happiness. Carrie, the protagonist of the novel, attempts to use money to create happiness in her life, but throughout her journey she finally starts to realize that her happiness cannot be constantly associated with wealth. This theme is supported through the actions and words of the protagonist. The protagonist, Carrie, is the main character in the story. Many specific lines in the novel indicateRead MoreEssay on Can Money Buy Happiness?1721 Words   |  7 PagesJanuary  24,  2015   Does  Money  Really  Bring  Happiness?      John  Locke  once  stated  that  all  men  have  the  right  to  life,  liberty,  and  property.  The   author  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  Benjamin  Franklin,  changed  this  statement  to  the   right  to  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness.  People  have  the  constitutional  right  to  be   joyful  and  therefore  strive  for  it,  but  what  is  it  that  really  brings  people  glee?  Many  people   believe  that  the  answer  to  this  question  is  simply  money.  They  think  that  the  more  money  they