Many people think that personal happiness is directly related to economic success. Others argue that happiness depends on other factors. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

Question

The definition of happiness is perceived differently by different individuals. Some may emphasize the well-being of financial state as the root of happiness, others derive pleasure from other aspects of life. I support the idea that happiness can be achieved in simplicities of life without economic prosperity.

On the one hand, for some people, money is the prerequisite in deciding happiness, especially in this materialistic world. Being affluent brings convenience to everything related directly to people’s life, from their basic needs of a shelter to more high-class ones of entertainment forms. For example, individuals with economic well-being can enjoy a superior lifestyle that others cannot. They may travel abroad twice a year, receive better service for charging more at a five-star hotel or have sufficient financial conditions to provide their children with an excellent education in international schools. To them, not having to worry about materials is the root of their own happiness.

On the other hand, I side with many that happiness depends on other factors, such as health, social status or relationship; financial prosperity cannot create this feeling of happiness. Take health as an example. It goes without saying that eventually the body is the only place people get to live in, and money would be nothing if one day they are diagnosed with fatal diseases with no cure at all. Or for some individuals, gaining respect from surrounding people and having a chance of self-actualization is much more crucial than being better-off. They obtain the core pleasure from leaving a mark of their own identity in people’s mind, and money is nothing but just a mediocre accessory. In other cases, happiness stems from being loved and cherished, because people cannot live solitarily without any fellowship all their lives.

In conclusion, I believe money is no other than a means to facilitate our living experience. What truly means happiness for me comes from spiritual values one receives from all walks of life, rather than merely physical possessions.

 

Answer 1

The definition of happiness is perceived differently by differentdissimilar individuals. Some may emphasize the well-being of the financial state as the root of happiness, others derive pleasure from other aspects of life. I support the idea that happiness can be achieved in simplicities of life without economic prosperity.

On the one hand, for some people, money is the prerequisite in deciding happiness, especially in this materialistic world. Being affluent brings convenience to everything related directly to people’s lifelives, from their basic needs of a shelter to more high-class ones of entertainment forms. For example, individuals with economic well-being can enjoy a superior lifestyle that others cannot. They may travel abroad twice a year, receive better service for charging more at a five-star hotel or have sufficient financial conditions to provide their children with an excellent education in international schools. To them, not having to worry about materials is the root of their own happiness.

On the other hand, I side with many that happiness depends on other factors, such as health, social status or relationship; financial prosperity cannot create this feeling of happiness. Take health as an example. It goes without saying that eventually the body is the only place people get to live in, and money would be nothing if one day they are diagnosed with fatal diseases with no cure at all. OrAlternatively, for some individuals, gaining respect from surrounding people and having a chance of self-actualization is much more crucial than being better-off. They obtain the core pleasure from leaving a mark of their own identity in people’s mind, and money is nothing but just a mediocre accessory. In other cases, happiness stems from being loved and cherished, because people cannot live solitarily without any fellowship all their lives.

In conclusion, I believe money is no other than a means to facilitate our living experience. What truly means happiness for me comes from spiritual values one receives from all walks of life, rather than merely physical possessions.