One of my biggest pet peeves is when people say, "You don't need money to be happy," or "Money doesn't buy happiness." Well, in a literal sense, you cannot buy happiness. Happiness is not a tangible thing that you can hold in your hands and say, "Take my money for this."
However, I don't agree with the idea that money can't buy happiness. I don't think money equals happiness, but in our society, it's very likely that our happiness depends on money.
I'll use my own life as an example. This semester has been very difficult for me, and it's largely due to my lack of money.
My semester started off on a low note when my housing plans fell through and I was stuck living in a hotel. After a week or two, I was kicked out when money fell through, and I had to crash on my friends' couch until I could secure an apartment.
During those weeks (which was close to a month), I spiraled into a deep depression. There were times I thought about killing myself because I didn't know how I was going to get my feet back underneath myself. It seemed so much easier and so much less painful to just kill myself and have all of my money problems wash away.
I was so stressed out that I missed classes (which meant I started falling behind in my work and started getting even more stressed out), I didn't eat (which was also a result of having little money), and I spent most of my time dissociating. I didn't want to exist because my existence in that time was so goddamn painful.
Would my life had been made better or easier with money? 100% yes.
If I had the money, I could have stayed in the hotel. If I had the money, I could have gotten an apartment a lot quicker. If I had the money, I would have been able to eat and take care of myself. If I had the money.
I just started a new job, so I have some relief, but I haven't been paid yet, so money is still eating at my mind.
Money, in itself, isn't happiness. You (probably) don't wear money, use it as a bed, or eat it for dinner. But money buys your clothes so you can stay warm, your mattress so you can sleep comfortably, and your food so you can have the energy to do the things you need to do and stay healthy.
Money may not buy happiness in its true form, but in our society, it certainly has a direct influence.
