Money and Prestige Do not lead to Happiness Essay Example

lacking to a person suffering impoverishment (Begley).

As much as a person may want to opt for another product of the same classification, absence of resources causes disability, thus comes in dissatisfaction and unhappiness due to inability of getting the more particular produce. Money and prestige also can open up new and better opportunities for education, especially these days where high schools mostly accept students based on the parents’ ability to pay for the dues (Barlow). A student who came from a good high school may easily enter a reputable university where a successful career path may be chosen and begun.

Thus further makes wealth and prestige a means of fulfilment or happiness. Despite the number of reasons for considering money and prestige as a means to happiness, there are many pieces of evidence pointing to money not being an actual source of a person’s happiness or good well being (Yochim). Socialization may prove to be as a very important bridge to becoming happy. Having more than five friends who value friendship more than money and prestige is very likely to increase chances of happiness and satisfaction (Yochim) most especially if enough time to spend with them is properly allotted.

Time with family or loved ones is actually a better cause of a person’s happiness or satisfaction (Easterlin qtd in Yochim). Just as in the case of having good friends, sufficient time spent with family may promote healthy and balanced relationships that may boost the well being of a person (Yochim). From a negative perspective, quality time with one’s loved ones may shift the mood into a more positive one. In relation

to time, money or prestige will remain useless if there will be no chance or way available to spend. “It's not he who dies with the most toys wins.

It's he who has the most time to play with his toys and the most fun playing with them who wins. ” (Salmansohn and Sinzell qtd in Yochim). Quality time spent with loved ones and most especially with one’s self may raise satisfaction and contentment level higher than just actually having money saved. Higher satisfaction may then be equated to a happier disposition or a more positive well-being (Yochim). Relative to well being, a person also proved to be happier or more satisfied with himself, when his over all personal health is in good condition as well as that of those he values (Yochim).

Satisfaction levels increase when a person finds himself or those he values most in such a predicament where harm or death is less likely to occur. This leaves more room for happiness as it lessens stress and promotes peace of mind. Stress greatly adds in a person’s dissatisfaction whether at work or in his personal life. Not only does it decrease problem-solving and decision-making skills, it also heightens anxiety and reduces the possibility for a more positive well being as an employee or as a person alone (So).

Thus, happiness may be attained not only through the acquisition of money and prestige but also through alleviation of stress and factors that increase the probability of getting stressed out. Stress may be relieved by having the autonomy to choose a particular way of spending time and energy (So). One specific

way is by joining advocacy groups or groups with a cause that is closest to one’s own leanings (Yochim). When a person spends time doing activities with a cause he may find more value in himself and may see all his acts as important, he may find meaning in his act and therefore increases his self-esteem and self-worth.

When one finds a sense of contribution to good cause or any cause one is particularly advocating he may find more satisfaction and may be closer to happiness than by just having money and prestige (So). It may then be surmised that money and prestige do not actually contribute to a person’s happiness and well being. Money may only lift a person from poverty to middle class and allow for more choices but not actually bring satisfaction or happiness. It may even be a cause for extreme dissatisfaction, ergo a more negative well being (Begley).

Continuous acquisition of money may build the desire to have more product or services to buy or avail and the sense that there must be something more that one can get. This can bring negative well being or sadness especially when it is found that there is actually nothing more to avail yet there is still too much to spend (Begley). It may then be better to say that happiness can bring more money and prestige as it was found that young people who are happier become more productive as compared to those who are not.

As a result these happy young people earn more money and eventually acquire prestige in later years of their lives (Begley). To conclude,

other factors such healthy relationship with one’s self, family, and friends, quality time to spend, a sound mind and good health, are the real pathways to complete satisfaction and contentment. Money and prestige may only be considered as tools that can help people to achieve these factors but definitely, they are not what the people need to achieve to attain complete happiness and fulfillment. In the end, they are but material possessions that will eventually fade.