Can Money Buy Everything ?
Many great minds have asked this question for centuries and no matter how the world changes, I am absolutely convinced now more than ever after a year in quarantine , isolation and facing the unknown , many around the world would agree that money can’t buy you health and happiness, but there are those who may disagree and challenge this statement. So let’s analyze and try to understand at first what money is.
Money is a currency , a tool and monetary equivalent that exists to value and exchange a particular product or service. Everyone can agree with that , but how can you measure how much money happiness worth and can you pay for it with money ? According to a survey conducted by Gallop Health Wellbeing Index, for a research led by Princeton University , it was discovered, that reaching a certain income level and having a particular amount of money brings an average person in US a peace of mind and satisfaction, however behavioral scientists and therapists say it doesn’t necessarily equate happiness and it is not a long-term state, for after some time, comes a realization that a higher salary that comes with a promotion at work is followed by a lot more responsibilities , added stress and less time with family.
You certainly need money in your daily life. You can pay for food and medicine to maintain your health, buy a ticket for a trip to Paris or the latest iPhone and gifts for you loved ones. Attaining a certain amount of money can give you a new status along with an access to new acquaintances and a higher quality of living, but if you think about it, your new iPhone and some of those “new friends” would no longer excite you and eventually fade away, whereas genuine and happy memories of even moments ,spent with loved ones on a road trip, complete strangers, who have shown you kindness while you lost your way in an unfamiliar place, simple but fun picnics with friends in the backyard of your childhood home will remain with your for many years.
Countless research from around the world shows that no matter how much money you have, it will not be enough to pay for health, true love, true happiness, true friends, and will not help you cheat death .
Many successful entrepreneurs , creative minds and leaders highly recommend that your goals for achieving success or well-being should be aimed at developing resources and skills within yourself, for that is something you have control over in any situation and as you evolve you can survive any crisis.
One of the creative geniuses of our time ,the founder of “Apple” Steve Jobs, having access to enormous wealth, the best healthcare and doctors died because of an incurable illness. He couldn’t escape the inevitable ,and if you ask those who knew him well , they would say that money had never been a driving force of his life , but rather creating a new , innovative gadget and I would like to think that made him happy.
I would like to end with the following quote:
“I have reached the peak of success in the business world, in the eyes of others my life is the essence of success. However, apart from work, I have little joy. In the end, wealth is just a fact of life that I am used to. At this moment, when I lie in bed sick and remember my whole life, I understand that all the recognition and wealth that I have is meaningless and devoid of higher meaning in the face of imminent death. You can hire someone to drive a car for you, make money for you, but you will not be able to hire anyone for all your money to bear this disease instead of you. You can find and buy material things. But there is one thing that cannot be found and bought when it is lost — you cannot buy “life.” “
