Happiness Arguementative Essay Example

The popular notion that things that buy happiness are not for sale is not only grossly overused, but it is simply erroneous. Happiness is a derivative of an incredible feeling of pleasure, and in states with heavy capitalist ideals, it is practically impossible to live in bliss without a stable income. The chronic anxiety of not being able to afford an unexpected medical bill, increase in rent, or car repairs after an accident is a lamentable burden thriving on the backs of hundreds of millions of individuals worldwide. Furthermore, in a global economy that grows in wealth stratification annually, it is no surprise that individuals in nations such as the United States are reporting that they are the unhappiest they have been in fifty years. Global travesties, such as Covid-19, have exposed what it truly means to be in the lower social classes–lower classes remain unprotected unless they have money. However, it does not have to remain this way, as happiness can come through careful, analytical observations of the subconscious and purchases proven to increase happiness. Happiness, which may seem to appear best in the form of simple life experiences, actually comes best through satisfactory purchases.

The most substantial reason for money buying happiness is the relative deprivation theory and Alex de Tocqueville’s phenomenon, the Tocqueville effect. The theory of relative deprivation–the lack of resources to sustain a lifestyle widely encouraged by a surrounding society–plays a significant role in determining one’s happiness compared to others. Relative deprivation is often skewed by arguing that “comparison is the death of happiness”: a new sports car will not bring you happiness. Nevertheless, this is an inaccurate representation of the theory, as it ignores the multi-faceted nature of subconscious thought–where relative deprivation thrives. While some people may deny their want for a luxurious car–regardless of whether they are telling the truth or not–they are envious of what owning that car could entail. Omitting those making poor financial decisions when buying a car above their income status, affording a luxury sports car entails liberation from the burdens of capitalism. So many people are caught up in the terrible cycle of tedious day-to-day jobs with an insurmountable amount of debt to cover, causing them to yearn for the financial and mental freedom of more affluent individuals. Furthermore, article three makes mention of Matthew Killingsworth illustrating this point with his study, where he concluded that the mind wanders ten percent of the time, which is not suitable for well-being. Those who daydream about a better job and, subsequently, life are whom precisely Killingsworth describes. Daniel Gilbert also noted in his 2010 paper that a wandering mind is a woeful mind, which furthers the point that those who spend a large portion of their time envying others suffer from relative deprivation, and those with nothing to yearn or envy for are undoubtedly happier. Moreover, the Tocqueville effect–a phenomenon that describes the relationship between increased social conditions and opportunities that lead to social frustration–perfectly illustrates the relationship between relative deprivation and heavily capitalistic and societies. Essentially, this phenomenon, described as “the appetite grows by what it feeds on,” summarizes the innate human cupidity of an insatiable appetite. Understanding the correlation between opulence, relative deprivation, and the Tocqueville effect is vital in understanding happiness, as happiness is only attainable through suppression of human greed and an acceptance of spending for personal happiness over “relative” happiness. Without money, life can experience total consumption by constant stratagems with the sole purpose of reducing the gap in perceived deprivation resulting from increasing social conditions of a cull few. 

In an article titled If Money Doesn’t Make You Happy Then You Probably Aren’t Spending It Right researchers Elizabeth W. Dunn, Daniel T. Gilbert, and Timothy D. Wilson found that people with more money report being “a good deal more satisfied.” However, the trio of researchers also found that people with more money are virtually identical to those with less when asked how pleased they are right now. (Diener, Ng, Harter, & Arora, 2010). From this evidence, it is reasonable to conclude that money can bring happiness just by merely thinking about it, but not when utilizing it. As aforementioned, the popular notion that things that buy happiness are not for sale is grossly overused and epitomizes misconceptions of wealth. Being wealthy and unhappy does not stem from the heavy encumbrance of a high-paying job, unhappiness in wealthy people is a derivative of poor spending. Money can purchase many things that make people happy, if not all of them, and if it does not, it is their fault. This conclusion is evident from a 2008 study that asked a nationally representative sample of Americans to rate their happiness and report how much money they spent in a typical month on bills and expenses, gifts for themselves, gifts for others, and donations to charity. In this study, the first two categories were added together to make a personal spending composite, while the latter two were added together to make a prosocial expenditure composite. Despite the fact that personal expenditure had no impact on happiness, those who spent more money on prosocial activities were happier, even after accounting for their income. To the researchers, this data was expected, as they were cognizant aware of the effects of hypersociality–the social interactions that caused our brains to triple in size in just two million years. Truly, the best way to attain personal happiness–according to If Money Doesn’t Make You Happy Then You Probably Aren’t Spending It Right–is through eight vital principles: careful spending with the emphasis on limiting extended warranties and other types of costly insurance; acquiring more experiences and fewer tangible objects; spending money to serve others rather than oneself; buying numerous tiny joys rather than fewer greater ones; delay consumption (saving); analyzing how minor aspects of goods may impact one’s daily life; avoiding comparison purchasing; and paying great attention to others’ enjoyment. These principles sanction the elimination of squandering one’s money, a process that will inevitably significantly reduce one’s happiness. Those who point to unhappy wealthy people as a reason why money does not buy happiness are ignorant in the nature of that person’s terrible spending habits, the root of their sorrow. Furthermore, while experiences are great for achieving happiness, those experiences only live on in recollection, whereas financial freedom and resourceful spending can never lose their novelty. The first time trying a new experience is exceptionally memorable, but the feeling of that first time may never come back. Personal satisfaction and happiness have far greater longevity when engaging in prosocial activities such as donating to charity. 

There are a few things that money can not obtain, although happiness is not one of them. The connection between income and happiness has been studied numerous times, with all reviewed studies showing that an increase in income only increases happiness. Moreover, the narrative that money cannot buy happiness is rooted in an ignorant, surface-level understanding of wealth. Wealthy and unhappy people consistently prove the existence of the Tocqueville effect, as they have fallen victim to relative deprivation and their uncontainable desires. In conclusion, although money is the key to happiness, it is just one part of the process. Wealth and happiness are often convoluted in their roots, but they are both components of the same tree, where wealth is the trunk that allows for the fruit of happiness to ripen.