Nyah Hizer

Revised Final Draf

People spend money every day on things they think are important and necessary for their way of life.

They spend money on themselves, on their friends, on their family, on anybody for many reasons

including to be happy and to make others happy. By association money grants security, thus bringing

peace and happiness in knowing they will never be in need. Yet many people dont have the same

viewpoints about the value of money on happiness. In fact, they believe that it is a source of isolation

and sorrow. However, numerous studies from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and other resources have

shown that money can buy happiness because it creates experiences or opportunities, it establishes

individual characteristics and it forms a necessity for the quality of life.

Although some people believe money cant buy happiness, money can create experiences and

opportunities for others to be happy. Experiences are acquired through material goods and group

activities. Happiness defined by Oxford Dictionary, is the state of being happy; showing pleasure or

contentment. Happiness can be defined many ways, but the one true way is that what others do for

people and what people do for others is dependent on how money is spent. Money defines stability in

life. Sharing experiences with others establishes relationships. Cherishing those relationships is

important and the happiness that comes out of being with someone can create those experiences.

According to Andrew Blackman, a Wall Street Journal writer, spending money on experiences gives us

more lasting pleasure than material things. Money establishes opportunities for people to be happy. For

example, people who pay for college classes are aiming for a higher, professional job. Through this

opportunity of a new job, they have the potential to be happy. There are millions of opportunities;

having a higher income, for example, can give us access to homes in safer neighborhoods, better health

care and nutrition, fulfilling work and more leisure time, which can aid in increasing possibilities for

more opportunities (psychology,unl.edu). Happiness cant be easily explained; its a phenomenon;

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however, money can be used to relate happiness with the joy people get out of experiences and

opportunities.

While some people claim money can make people greedy, money can conjure empathy in a person

and peace of mind for others. Money can help establish empathy for others. Empathy is to understand

and share the same feeling of another (Oxford Dictionary). Many people have empathy and have a

charismatic personality. Money can aid people to achieve this key characteristic. Also when some rise

from the bottom of the totem pole, in the future they donate their riches to their past, their livelihood;

their beginning. The people who climbed from the bottom can additionally donate to charities and help

many organizations including Operation Smile, Make-A-Wish Foundation and United Way, creating a

peace of mind can help in the future for lasting happiness. Paying it Forward, for instance, can be

described as creating peace of mind through the benefit of doing good deeds by spending money on

others. Paying it Forward can make peoples life easier, more enriching and less stressful. The American

Psychological Association says, Stress is hurting our physical and emotional health; money is very

helpful in improving the emotional health stress hurts. Wise words from Bobby McFerrin, Dont worry,

be happy, expresses people to relax and be happy. Though the use of money relaxing can be available.

According to the American Psychological Association, stress contributes to some of the leading causes

of death in this country, if money can relieve stress and decrease the chances of death, then people can

have freedom from worry. Money can create empathy and peace of mind.

Though some people believe money isnt everything, societies are very dependent on money for

everyday use. We require money for basic needs. Food, shelter and clothing are important to live also

including sanitation, education and healthcare: all require money to stay afloat in todays society.

Without these how can people be truly happy? Wants are dependent on money. When most are young,
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they ask for gifs and presents that makes them smile and be joyful. But how do the friends, the families

get these goods? They get the gifs by using money. Money is a basis of currency in todays society.

Money also can be considered an object to some but its not. Money can help indulge the person in their

well-being. For example, paying for a massage to relax or going to an amusement park to have fun with

friends and family can assist for the chance to be happy. In todays society we depend on money to be

happy.

Experiences and opportunities can be shared and people can express happiness through the benefit

of money. Money is an important factor in the way people are molded in the future that is important to

relationships. People need money every day to live in todays society to buy things they think can provide

them happiness. Money can buy happiness.

 Nyah Hizer

Works Cited

Adams, Susan. Money Does Buy Happiness, Says New Study. Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 10 May 2013,

www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/05/10/money-does-buy-happiness-says-new-

study/#1503e84c40b5.

Bethune, Sophie, and Juanita Panlener. APA Survey Raises Concern about Health Impact of Stress on

Children and Families. Pardon Our Interruption, American Psychological Association, 9 Nov. 2010,

www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2010/11/stress-in-america.aspx.

Blackman, Andrew. Can Money Buy You Happiness? The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company,

10 Nov. 2014, www.wsj.com/articles/can-money-buy-happiness-heres-what-science-has-to-say-

1415569538.

Poppick, Susan. Does More Money Mean More Happiness? Time, Time, 9 June 2014,

time.com/money/2802147/does-money-buy-happiness/.

Tartakovsky, Margarita. 7 Mistaken Beliefs About Money. World of Psychology, Psych Central, 5 Apr.

2013, psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/04/09/7-mistaken-beliefs-about-money/.

Wikipedia contributors. "Pay it forward." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free

Encyclopedia, 23 Jan. 2017. Web. 11 Feb. 2017.