Money Can't Buy Happiness

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We’ve all heard of the classic saying “money can’t buy happiness”. For some of us, this concept clicks. We grow up, get a job, make money, and realize that it’s in fact the little things, loved ones, and stupid things in our lives that matter most and truly make us happy. Although for some of us, such as Willy, we don’t understand this concept and believe that nothing matters more in the world than money itself. Believing that money is the root to happiness is ultimately what leads to failure. Willy, along with many others, focus so much on the aspect of success that they miss out on the parts of life that create true happiness: relationships and experiences.

Putting this idea into a simpler, more comical perspective, imagine a dog. A dog can have the biggest cage sold on the market, the fanciest leash and collar, an assortment of winter vests for when the air gets crisp, but I guarantee that that dog isn’t happy. What makes that dog happy you might ask? The answer is quite simple - its people and their experiences. Do you think dressing a dog in a Halloween costume makes it happy? NO, but throwing a frisbee across the park sure does.

The American Dream is so focused on the materialistic aspect of life, that the true meaning is lost in between. Willy’s never achieved happiness because he was always chasing this unrealistic reality. Without even knowing it, his relationship with his wife and sons diminished along with the experiences that should have followed, ultimately digging him into an even deeper hole that was merely impossible to fix. What I’m implying is that you should do and experience the stupid things with the people you love: go to that park with your dog, because “money can’t buy happiness”.

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