Can money buy happiness? Some say no. But it’s not entirely true. Properly spent money would make someone happy, and importantly, the lack of money would make life miserable.

People run after money for two reasons. One is a psychological desire that pleases them. Two, it’s a fundamental need to make their future financially secure.

Many think that those who chase money aren’t happy. It’s a false assumption. One can pursue money and be happy at the same time. These are not mutually exclusive.

Primary Reason:

We currently live in a society where we starve if we don’t earn money. Being homeless is a crime in this country.

Living paycheck to paycheck is not peaceful. Mortgage, car payments, internet bills, phone bills, and groceries require a lot of money. Furthermore, for unexpected future expenses, everyone needs savings.

Financial security brings peace of mind. The stress of being on the verge of being homeless, starving, or not being able to pay medical bills is devastating. Without money, we can’t even meet our daily basic needs.

Those who have once gone through those vicious cycles would not want to be poor anymore. They would gather as much money as possible for financial security. It’s why we see most people running after money.

Different Types of Obsession:

Different people have different types of obsession. Some obsess over plants — others over books or hoard various stuff in their house. Everyone has their choice and desire.

Some entrepreneurs love to start new businesses one after another. Even if the company succeeds and makes them millionaires, they won’t retire. They would take the money and start another business.

Similarly, some obsess over money. For this group of people, earning money gives them pleasure. It’s not the money but the process of making money that gives them mental satisfaction. This group will never stop earning money.

For example, a YouTuber named MrBeast is famous for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on his videos. All that money comes either from his YouTube ad revenue or from advertisers. He spends all of his earnings making new YouTube videos. According to his various interviews, money doesn’t but earning money excites him.

MrBeast is not alone. There are hundreds of millions of people out there who seek to earn money, and this prospect makes them happy. They will continue to run after money even if they are billionaires.

There are also groups of people who seek a simple life. Money doesn’t excite them. Even if they have less money than others, they don’t complain.

So, all these are psychological.

Everyone Pays Minimum:

No company, job, or employer would give you more money than required. A job that pays minimum wage and proudly advertises, they are trying to say that we would have paid you less if we could. But we could not because it’s against the law. Thus we are paying you the minimum wage, and we will not even give you a 10 cent raise.

Similarly, other jobs, too, pay the absolute minimum according to job skill. It’s why your manager flips out whenever you ask for a raise.

The amount of money everyone needs depends on their social life. From the outside, it may seem that those people are running after money day after day. But it could be that they are earning just enough to survive.

Everyone is different:

No two people and their desires are the same. I like camping doesn’t mean the person next to me would enjoy it. I don’t mind flying coach; that doesn’t mean everyone enjoys it. I don’t like New York City; that doesn’t mean everyone wants to leave NYC. How one person thinks and feels doesn’t mean others think and analyze the same way.

The key to leading a happy life is working a lot and gathering a lot of money. Then retire early in life.

Earning a lot in a few years and then retiring is far better than making little money each week but working the whole life. Thus, many people vigorously run after money to earn more to retire early.

If you fall ill, will someone come to your house for free to cook for you, look after you, and shop for you? Will they pay your mortgage, car payments, and other costs? It’s doubtful. Everyone has to pay their expenses. Thus we need our savings. It’s why many people run after money to have enough during their hard times.

Money is power:

Even in America, if you and a person who helped the District Attorney (DA) get elected gets a traffic ticket, he would not suffer the same consequences as you would get.

Throughout the world, money means power. To become US president, one needs close to a billion dollars for a successful campaign.

Some want this power and run after money to achieve this life goal.

Different Life Goals:

Many people think in advance. They think about what will happen after 20-30 years or when they grow old. What will happen when a newborn is born, or their child grows up.

Judging others based on our life experiences will give us a false impression of others’ life goals.

Some want to buy a condo in Manhattan, some in upstate New York. Thus, the amount of down payment and investment would be different.

Some are happy to send their child to a local school, but some parents want to send their kids to private chartered schools.

Some love the recluse life on Cerro Gordo; others want bustling Los Angeles life. Some want a vacation at Disney, others in Yellowstone National Park.

All these different life goals need money, and everyone is working to fulfill them. Unless we know what other people want, it may feel like everyone is running after money without any reason, but in reality, they are simply fulfilling their life dreams.

There are restaurants where they wouldn’t allow you to enter if you are not dressed according to their dress code. If you do not dress nicely in a job interview, they wouldn’t even consider you. Some clubs require tens of thousands of dollars to get a membership. Most people live in their respective social circles and live according to that status.

Some want to become famous, and some want to live a luxurious life. It brings them happiness. They want a million-dollar home, a luxury yacht, or a vacation in Belize.

All these require money. These people will continuously earn money to fulfill their dreams and social status.

Conclusion:

Comparison is a happiness killer. Two people, one with a lot of money and one with no money, could become happy if they stop comparing themselves with others.

On the other hand, even the rich would become unhappy if they compare themselves with others who have more money.