In light of Ariana Grande's new song, "7 Rings," I've been thinking of why money can make us happier. I found that having a moderate amount of money makes us feel more secure than happy. Because we can live comfortably, without worrying too much about money, we feel good. It makes us feel good because we are able to sustain ourselves and sometimes even our families.

Perhaps the success that brings the money is truly what makes us happy. Things like buying a large house or nice car signify our own success, making us feel proud of ourselves and happier. Maybe that's why most people who win the lottery end up depressed or poor: they aren't the ones who really made the money.

Then why does buying material things make us feel better?

Everyone feels happy when they get what they want. Even when we get a good present, we feel ecstatic. It is simple, people like to get what they want. However, I think this sort of happiness is fleeting. You buy a few nice things when you're sad, it makes you feel better for a few days, but then you have to shop more to continue feeling good. Maybe it's just a distraction. In the end, things are just things and we need more than that to feel happy, we need people, we need each other.

After all, what's the point of having a huge house if no one is there to live the dream with you?

What I've concluded is that yes, money does buy happiness, for a while. It is also not just the material object that contributes to the joy, it is your ability to purchase it, as well. I think that success brings happiness from one area of life and people need it from other areas, too, like family, friends, and their own self-image.